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The Open Group developed and manages the Schools Interoperability
Framework (SIF) certification program under which software
applications are certified as compliant with the SIF Specification.
The SIF specification, developed by the Schools Interoperability
Framework Association, is an industry-supported technical
blueprint for K-12 software that enables diverse applications
to interact and share data efficiently, reliably, and securely,
regardless of the platform hosting the applications.
The certification program enables vendors demonstrate their
commitment to the standard and gives schools and school districts
assurance that the applications they are purchasing conform
to the SIF Specification and have met external performance
criteria.
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 About
the Program
The Open Group was asked by SIF to assist with the development
of the compliance program in 2001. The Open Group performed
a two-phase project. The first phase involved working with
members of SIF on clarifying their objectives and needs,
followed by specifying technical requirements, and defining
policies and procedures that would form the foundation of
a compliance program. As a result, two documents were produced:
- Compliance Policy, which outlines the conceptual framework
for the program, clarifies business assumptions, and defines
procedural requirements
- Technical Requirements document, which identifies the
steps and "gain for work" associated with the
different thresholds of testing.
The second phase included the construction of the actual
program, based on the policies and procedures produced in
the first phase. The Open Group worked with SIF to define
the requirements that conforming products must meet, the
legal agreements used in the program, and the administrative
documents, and tools. The program utilizes a web-based certification
system that automates the certification process for a company
that wants to certify a product. During the operational stage,
The Open Group is operating the program as the official certification
authority.
The program gives schools and school districts the assurance
that the applications they are purchasing conform to the
SIF Specification and have met external performance criteria.
SIF began certifying products as “SIF compliant” in
January 2003.
About
SIF
The Schools Interoperability Framework (SIF) is an initiative
driven by K-12 education technology providers and users to
revolutionize the management and accessibility of data within
schools and school districts. SIF enables diverse applications
to interact and share data efficiently, reliably and securely,
regardless of the platform. SIF has united over one-hundred
and twenty education technology providers in an unprecedented
effort to give teachers more time to do what they do best:
teach. For further information, visit http://www.sifinfo.org
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| What SIF Says |
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“Compliance has been something of keen
interest to our organization ever since its inception
five years ago. We recognized that third-party validation
of vendor adherence to our specification would be
a key differentiator in the marketplace.
There has to be tripartite structure in such
a program: It has to be credible. It has to be affordable.
It has to be accessible. At any given time, any one
of those can be elusive. We came to The Open Group
because of its track record in all three areas.”
Timothy J. Magner, Director of SIF
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Spotlight:
Consensus Building Process
During the development, The Open Group utilized an on-line
document review system as a means to achieve consensus on
the various documents produced. This system allows reviewers
to provide comments within the context of a document, and
all comments are visible to all reviewers, enabling an open
exchange of ideas. At the end of a review period, a resolution
action is taken for each comment submitted. The Open Group
has used this process successfully in many different areas
to drive consensus and closure on issues requiring agreement
and approval from diverse constituents.
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