RosettaNet Primer

Part 7: What is the RosettaNet Standards Methodology (RSM)?

RosettaNet created a set of methods to guide the activities of standards development programs.  This model illustrates the simplified RosettaNet Standards Methodology (RSM).  Each RosettaNet Milestone Program follows this same set of methods.

For Foundational Programs, an additional step for Architecture Design, Tools and Methods may be required.  These architectural activities are described at the end of this part of the RosettaNet Primer.

Development Planning

The first step of the RSM involves work done by the RosettaNet Champions and the Global Councils.  These members evaluate industry priorities and assess the ebusiness opportunities.  This development planning phase of RSM is used to clarify which ebusiness challenges should be addressed by the RosettaNet consortium.

Key activities in the Development Planning phase of RSM include:

1. Identify eBusiness Opportunities
2. Analyze Current Industry Situation
3. Gather Stakeholder Feedback
4. Prepare eBusiness Recommendation for Council
5. Select Priority eBusiness Initiatives
6. Assign Proposal Owners

The primary deliverable from this RSM phase is a definition of the eBusiness Initiative.

Program Forming

Once the eBusiness Initiative has been identified, RosettaNet Champions collaborate with internal staff and trading partners to determine interest by business stakeholders.  A program proposal presentation is created by the Proposal Owners to clarify the business challenges and expected ebusiness benefits for the targeted supply chain roles.  This presentation is made available to the public in the Forming Programs section of the RosettaNet website.

In addition to the presentation, a concise document is created to describe the scope, objectives and expected output for the program.  This Expected Output (EO) Document is used by each company to confirm their ability to contribute intellectual property about the process to the consortium.

To move forward with a RosettaNet Program, multiple Global Council Member companies must agree to support the forming program.  This sponsor commitment includes providing program resources and agreeing to implement the new specification.

Each RosettaNet Program is staffed by the member community, so during this RSM phase, member resources (Working Group Participants) are identified to fulfill the various program roles and to participate in the program.

Key activities in the Program Forming phase of RSM include:

1. Draft Program Proposal
2. Gain Partner Understanding
3. Develop Program Plan
4. Secure Program Sponsors
5. Secure Program Resources
6. Secure Council Approval
7. Initiate Program

The primary deliverables from this RSM phase are the sponsor commitment and the signed Expected Output (EO) Documents by the Working Group members.

Investigation and Requirements Gathering

After all the Working Group members have signed the EO Document, the RosettaNet program can now begin efforts to investigate the ebusiness challenges and gather business and technical requirements.  Program Working Groups typically meet by telephone and are supported by web broadcast services to minimize travel costs for participation.

Key activities in the Investigation and Requirements Gathering phase of RSM include:

1. Draft Use Cases and Scenarios
2. Gather Process Feedback
3. Develop Process and Data Requirements
4. Identify Convergence Opportunities
5. Analyze and Harmonize Requirements
6. Conduct Requirements Workshop
7. Finalize Process Requirements
8. Describe Migration and Interoperability (Foundational Programs)

The primary deliverable from this RSM phase is a requirements document that provides input to the  RosettaNet engineering team for the standards development work.

Engineering Design and Development

The RosettaNet Engineering team will collaborate with the Milestone Program Working Group to understand the requirements document and to develop the new specification.  In most cases, the Engineering team will develop a new Partner Interface Process® (PIP®).  Some Milestone Programs may be focused on creating major updates to an existing PIP to support new ebusiness requirements.

There have also been Milestone Programs focused primarily on implementation of existing standards.  For these programs there may be only minor maintenance work required by the RosettaNet Engineering team.

Key activities in the Engineering Design and Development phase of RSM include:

1. Design UML Model
2. Generate XML Schemas
3. Generate PIP® Package
4. Approve PIP Package
5. Post PIP for Feedback
6. Disposition Member Feedback
7. Conduct Specification Vote
8. Release PIP Package (initial release)

The primary deliverable from this RSM phase for Milestone Programs is a new or revised PIP specification.

For Foundational Programs, the deliverable will be a new or revised architecture or technology specification.

Validation, Implementation and Support

Each RosettaNet Program is required to test and confirm (validate) that the new or revised specifications can operate successfully in a production environment.  The specification must be used to conduct real business transactions before the program is completed.

A subset of the Working Group members agree to test the specification.  This group is called the Validation Team.  These team members collaborate with their own solution providers and trading partners to implement the new specification.  The RosettaNet Engineering team works closely with the Validation Team to make minor adjustments to the specification if needed for successful implementations.   The new specification must operate in a production environment for 30 days before the Validation Team can declare that the validation is complete.

Key activities in the Validation, Implementation and Support phase of RSM include:

1. Coordinate Validation Team Kickoff
2. Submit Technical Change Requests
3. Pre-Release Modified Specification (to Validation Team only)
4. Complete Validation Testing
5. Create RosettaNet Implementation Guide (RIG)
6. Run Specification in Production
7. Publish Validated Specification

The primary deliverable from this RSM phase is a RosettaNet Implementation Guide (RIG) that documents the experiences and lessons learned by the Validation Team.  The RosettaNet specification version number is updated to include a “V” as the first character to indicate that the standard has been proven to work (validated).

Architecture Design, Tools and Methods

Unlike the Milestone Programs that create or revise PIPs, the RosettaNet Foundational Programs are creating new types of specifications.  Depending on the program objectives, these programs may require new architectural designs, new engineering tools and/or new engineering and implementation methods.

For Foundational Programs, this additional RSM phase is added after the requirements gathering phase and before the engineering phase.

Key activities in the Architecture Design, Tools and Methods phase of RSM include:

1. Conduct Requirements Workshop
2. Detail Architecture Requirements (Integration or Services)
3. Design Architectural Element
4. Detail Tool Requirements
5. Develop Supporting Tools
6. Develop Methods and Guidelines

The primary deliverables from this RSM phase include the architecture and engineering guidelines needed for creating the new specification.  Not all Foundational Programs will require new engineering tools.

RSM Summary

The RosettaNet Standards Methodology (RSM) defines a repeatable set of program activities.  As each RosettaNet Program is staffed by volunteer member resources, the RSM ensures a consistent approach to standards development.

RosettaNet Program staff provides ongoing guidance to each program team to deliver RSM training and to support each standards development effort.