Structured Documentation Management

(Smart Documents)

An Open Governance Initiative

Table of content

• Background• Current workflow• Increasing global demand for open data• The project (objectives, outputs, challenges and

benefits)• The way forward…

BackgroundEvery biennium • 1 Session of the Conference, • 5 Sessions of the Council • 150 other meetings • 30,000 delegates in attendance • Several hundred documents are

authored, transcribed, edited, translated

Big workload in processing documents due to the following constraints:•Very rigid Word template•A lot of manual work to pre-process and

finalize documents in six languages• Lack of interoperability with other systems•Amendments are collected in TC or emails

and compiled by the Secretariat

Current workflow

Increasing global demand for open data

43% Parliaments declared to use XML for actswww.opengovpartnership.org September 2011Open Data Charter by the G8 June 2013

The project: Smart Documents for Open Data

Establish a framework to support a more effective, reliable, organized

authoring process by adopting an XML based internationally-recognized

document schema

Objective of the project

Improve the accessibility, accurate retrieval and reusability of FAO’s governance and normative information, codes of conduct and technical standards developed by FAO Members at present “locked” in static documentation.

Move from:

Objective of the project

Objective of the project

to: XML based document

standard and document

management system

XML characteristics

• Document oriented – document is the focus• Technology Neutral – independent of technology• Descriptive – document is well described, even in odd• structures• Prescriptive – document is checked for quality• Separation of layers- content, metadata,• presentation are separated• Persistent over time – long term preservation for archival• Workflow-oriented – document is part of a process

Outputs of the projects

1. Analysis of the requirements to structure FAO documentation

2. Definition of an XML schema3. Deliver a solid proof of concept that

would include normative and governance documents.

Benefits of the project• Greater accessibility, visibility and interoperability of FAO

governance and normative information• Reduced document production times• Long term preservation of FAO governance/normative

work, independent of software updates• Creation of new information products with data

generated by FAO• Pioneering the implementation of open governance

initiatives

Challenges

1. Open governance policies2. Technical guidelines and

recommendations3. Increased workload4. Conversion of legacy documents5. Funding

Project Implementation

Introduction of an XML schema for FAO normative and governance documents supporting the normative work developed by the Organization:

• Codex Alimentarius, • International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources• Rotterdam Convention and the • Commission on Phytosanitary Measures.

The way forward…

Web-based document management system

• Support and control over the entire documentation process (drafting, revision, translation and publication)• Instant access to all language versions, cross-

linked references and previous versions of documents• Possibility to include and authenticate

amendments• Interface with CAT tools, corporate content

repositories and workflows systems

Thank you!