In the complex world of ICT standardization, nothing is more certain than the fact that several different groups of experts in different communities will be working on the same standards issues.
Often, we need to step back and take a good look at what is going on and who is doing it. We need to understand the real market needs (in the widest sense) for particular standards, and whether the different existing standards activities are actually meeting them. We need to prepare recommendations at a high enough level that decision-makers in business and public administration can act on them, and at a sufficiently comprehensive level for technical specialists to understand their added-value.
A CEN Focus Group is a 'pre-standardization' mechanism for producing overview reports on standardization topics in a given area of activity. The creation of a Focus Group is decided by the CEN-CENELEC ICT Forum. Sometimes, the ICT Standards Board may announce similar activities of a collaborative nature, and these are treated in the same way by the CEN-CENELEC ICT Forum.
Focus Groups are announced on the CEN website and are open to any interested party to join (though the Terms of Reference may specify that the Group needs input from particular people).
Focus Groups work by consensus to produce a report and recommendations, which are then formally approved by the CEN-CENELEC ICT Forum. The recommendations may be addressed outside CEN and indeed in particular cases may be wider than standardization, and be aimed at regulatory bodies and the like.
Once the Focus Group has completed its work, the resulting report is published and the Group is formally closed, although in some cases there may be new activity in a CEN TC or a CEN Workshop.
Currently, no Focus Group are running
Closed Focus Groups
In addition we gave support to a number of sector groups reporting to ICTSB (ICT Standards Board)