ToIP Deliverable Types, Stages, and Processes
This page describes at a high level the major types of deliverables produced by the ToIP Foundation.
Deliverable Types
- Specifications are the most formal deliverable and the only type that may advance to formal standardization at another standards development organizations (SDO) such as IETF, W3C, ISO, etc. ToIP specifications use formal IETF RFC 2119 keywords for normative conformance. The majority of ToIP specifications are produced by our Technology Stack Working Group; however some are also produced by our Governance Stack Working Group, and our Concepts and Terminology Working Group produces the ToIP Glossary as a specification. Any ToIP WG can produce a specification if necessary.
- Guides are documents intended to communicate recommended best practices in a particular area of ToIP technology and/or governance. They may use IETF RFC 2119 keywords for guidance, but are not normative.
- Whitepapers are document written to inform readers about important topics related to decentralized digital trust infrastructure. They are strictly information and do not use normative keywords.
Deliverable Stages of Approval
Trust Over IP Foundation is a JDF organization and follows the four stages in the JDF charter (see screen below).
- Pre-Draft - This is a loose stage where the general ideas are gathered, and a draft begins to form.
- Draft - WGs may have multiple draft stages. The following sub-stages ("Document Purpose" in deliverables) should be considered:
- Working Draft - most work is conducted here. Expect high churn.
- Documents circulated for other purposes (e.g. Implementer Review & Public Review) may return to Working Draft.
- Implementer Review Draft - intended to drive feedback from the community (inside and outside ToIP) about the deliverable. Critical for Specification development. Some churn as the community provides feedback and drafts are updated in near real-time.
- Public Review Draft - intended to provide a formal feedback process where all comments and issues are dispositioned before moving to next stage.
- Working Draft - most work is conducted here. Expect high churn.
- Working Group Approved (e.g. "GSWG Approved," "TSWG Approved") - When a deliverable has reached a level that the Working Group approves of the deliverable as a fully fleshed deliverable.
- Specification Criteria - meets the requirements of the community for a specification; multiple independent implementation; potential for ToIP and later approvals.
- ToIP Approved - this is the penultimate stage for ToIP deliverables, though there is a path for cross-SDO submission at this point.
Deliverable Process
The creation, editing, and approval workflow for deliverables is documented here: Stages of Development for Working Groups & Task Forces
It is based on the JDF Project and Workgroup Charter. Relevant section shown here: