ISO 17469-1:2015

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 17469-1
First edition
2015-02-15
Document management — Strategy
markup language (StratML) —
Part 1:
StratML core elements
Gestion de documents — Langage de marquage de stratégie
(StratML) —
Partie 1: Éléments principaux du StratML
Reference number
ISO 17469-1:2015(E)
©
ISO 2015

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ISO 17469-1:2015(E)

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ISO 17469-1:2015(E)

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Terms and definitions . 1
3 Strategy markup language . 1
3.1 General . 1
3.2 StratML core . 2
3.2.1 General. 2
3.2.2 Organization . 2
3.2.3 Name . 2
3.2.4 Description . . . 3
3.2.5 Acronym . 3
3.2.6 Mission . 3
3.2.7 Vision . 4
3.2.8 Value . 4
3.2.9 Goal . 4
3.2.10 Objective . . 5
3.2.11 Stakeholder . 5
3.2.12 Identifier . 5
3.2.13 SequenceIndicator . 6
3.3 Administrative information . 6
3.3.1 General. 6
3.3.2 StartDate . 6
3.3.3 EndDate . 7
3.3.4 PublicationDate . . . 7
3.3.5 Source . 7
3.3.6 Submitter . 8
3.3.7 GivenName . 8
3.3.8 Surname . 8
3.3.9 EmailAddress . 8
3.3.10 PhoneNumber . 9
3.4 Graphical depiction . 9
4 Schema .10
Annex A (informative) Related ISO standards committees .15
Bibliography .17
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ISO 17469-1:2015(E)

Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of any
patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or on
the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation on the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions related to conformity
assessment, as well as information about ISO’s adherence to the WTO principles in the Technical Barriers
to Trade (TBT), see the following URL: Foreword — Supplementary information.
The committee responsible for this document is ISO/TC 171, Document Management Applications,
Subcommittee SC 2, Application Issues.
ISO 17469 consists of the following parts, under the general title Document management — Strategy
markup language (StratML):
— Part 1: StratML core elements
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ISO 17469-1:2015(E)

Introduction
This International Standard formalizes the practice that is commonly accepted but often implemented
inconsistently. It will enable efficient discovery, sharing, and analysis of the information commonly
contained in the strategic plans of organizations worldwide. While other initiatives have been mounted
to compile abstract and theoretical models of the strategic planning process, this is the first to enable
the concept of “strategic alignment” to be realized on the Web, through literal hypertext linkages to goal
and objective statements.
NOTE For example, see the Business Motivation Model compiled by the Business Rules Group.
This is the first of a planned multipart International Standard. It specifies the elements that are common
and deemed to be essential for inclusion in strategic plans. ISO 17469-2 will specify the extensions to the
core that are deemed essential for inclusion in performance plans and reports. ISO 17469-3 and perhaps
additional parts will include further extensions encompassing elements that, while not essential, can
add value to the core elements and can be required for more specialized purposes, e.g. identifying the
methodology and assessing the quality of the processes used to identify strategic goals and objectives
as well as stakeholders.
NOTE 1 U.S. federal agencies are required by the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) to compile
and maintain strategic plans. OMB Circular A-119 directs agencies to use international voluntary consensus
standards as applicable.
NOTE 2 As documented on Wikipedia, two situational/environmental analysis methodologies for identifying
goals and objectives include SWOT and PESTLE.
The purposes of StratML include the following:
— Facilitate the sharing, referencing, indexing, discovering, linking, reusing, and analysing of the
elements of strategic plans, including goal and objective statements as well as the names and
descriptions of stakeholder groups and any other content commonly included in strategic plans.
— Enable the concept of “strategic alignment” to be realized in literal linkages among goal and
objective statements and all other records created by organizations in the routine course of their
business processes.
— Facilitate the discovery of potential performance partners who share common goals and objectives
and/or either produce inputs needed or require outputs produced by the organization compiling
the strategic plan.
— Facilitate stakeholder feedback on strategic goals and objectives.
— Facilitate updating and maintenance of discrete elements of strategic plans without requiring review
and approval of the entire plan through bureaucratic channels, thereby helping to make the strategic
planning process more agile and responsive to stakeholder feedback and changing circumstances,
thus, helping to overcome the tendency of strategic plans to become outdated “shelfware”.
— Reduce the time, effort, inconsistencies, and delays associated with maintaining goal and
objective statements redundantly in myriad “stovepipe” systems rather than referencing the
authoritative sources.
— Build upon content management and emerging social networking technologies to enable creation
of the Strategic Semantic Web comprising a worldwide network of intents (goals and objectives) as
well as organizational values and stakeholders.
Value-added intermediaries will be free to apply style sheets to display the information in any manner
desired by their stakeholders on computer screens and other devices as well as in print media. The
primary way in which this International Standard will impact the quality of plans will be by facilitating
feedback from stakeholders. However, by specifying kinds of information to include the International
Standard will enable planners and intermediary service providers to focus more directly and intensively
on the quality of the information itself.
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INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 17469-1:2015(E)
Document management — Strategy markup language
(StratML) —
Part 1:
StratML core elements
1 Scope
This International Standard specifies an Extensible Markup Language (XML) vocabulary and schema
(XSD) for the elements that are common and considered to be part of the essential core of the strategic
plans of all organizations worldwide.
This International Standard will not address
— how the information contained in strategic and performance plans and reports should be presented,
— specify font sizes or colours, page margins or numbering, or how graphics should be displayed, and
— provide guidance on how to compile high-quality plans, beyond specifying the basic elements that
they should contain.
2 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
2.1
performance plan
document identifying inputs and processes required to accomplish objectives and establishing metrics
by which progress will be assessed within a single budgetary planning and resource allocation cycle
2.2
strategic plan
document identifying goals and objectives to be pursued by an organization over a multi-year period,
typically three to five years, in support of its mission and being consistent with its values
2.3
XSD
XML schema definition
specifies how to formally describe the elements in an XML document that define a shared vocabulary
[SOURCE: World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)]
3 Strategy markup language
3.1 General
This International Standard specifies two kinds of elements: 1) the StratML core itself, and 2)
administrative metadata providing a minimal amount of useful information about the core. The essence
of the International Standard is contained in the core. An element is also specified
as a catch-all for information that is not more expressly addressed in other elements of the schema.
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ISO 17469-1:2015(E)

3.2 StratML core
3.2.1 General
The following seven elements, together with their child elements, comprise the StratML Core.
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
Each of those elements and their children are defined in the following tables. Appropriately, examples are
provided and alternate element names are listed, together with terms that have broader and narrower
meanings or are otherwise related. Usage notes provide additional guidance. At a minimum, to be
considered valid, a StratML document shall contain the name of the plan and at least one goal statement.
NOTE In hierarchical data structures like StratML, the relationship between upper level elements and lower
level elements is commonly called a parent-child relationship or, more technically speaking, a subtype-supertype
relationship.
3.2.2 Organization
Concept: Organization
Preferred term Organization
Alternate terms Agency, Company, Institution, Charity, Person
Definition The legal or logical entity to which the plan or report applies.
While the plan itself must be named and can have only one name, use of this ele-
ment is optional and repeatable to enable identification of as many organizations
as may be involved in pursuit of the goals and objectives it contains.
Usage note
In addition to organizations, individuals can also use StratML to
document their goals, objectives, and stakeholders.
AIIM
Examples Government Printing Office
United Nations
Department, Division, Regional Office, Program Office, Project Office, Sub-
Narrower terms
organization
Broader terms Consortium, Partnership, Alliance, Public, or Private
3.2.3 Name
Concept: Name
Preferred term Name
Alternate term Moniker
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ISO 17469-1:2015(E)

A word or short phrase intended to identify a concept within the context in which
Definition
it is being applied.
This element is a child of Organization, Value, Goal, Objective, and Stakeholder as
Usage note well as the root element of the plan. It is commonly paired with the Description
element.
See the examples for Organization, Value, and Stakeholder.
Example
(The examples provided for Goal and Objective are descriptions rather than
names.)
Narrower terms None
Broader terms Description
3.2.4 Description
Concept: Description
Preferred term Description
Alternate terms Explanation, Definition
Definition A sentence or short paragraph defining and explaining a concept.
This element is a child of Organization, Value, Goal, Objective and Stakeholder as
Usage note
well as the root element of the plan. It is commonly paired with the Name element.
Example N/A
Narrower terms Name
Broader terms None
3.2.5 Acronym
Concept: Acronym
Preferred term Acronym
Alternate terms None
An abbreviation of a proper name, usually composed of the first letters of each
Definition
word in the name.
Usage note This element is a child of Organization.
GPO
Example
AIIM (formerly known as the Association for Information and Image
Management)
Narrower terms None
Broader terms None
3.2.6 Mission
Concept: Mission
Preferred term Mission
Alternate terms Purpose
Definition A brief description of the basic purpose of the organization.
While use of this element is optional, good practice dictates that it should be
Usage note
included.
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Example Eliminate world hunger.
Narrower terms Goal, Program, Project
Broader terms None
3.2.7 Vision
Concept: Vision
Preferred term Vision
Alternate terms None
A concise and inspirational statement implicitly relating an organization’s
Definition purpose to its values, thus motivating its actions toward a future state it strives
to achieve.
While use of this element is optional, good practice dictates that it should be
Usage note
included.
Example A world in which no child goes to sleep hungry.
Narrower terms Value
Broader terms None
3.2.8 Value
Concept: Value
Preferred term Value
Alternate terms Principle, Ideal
A principle that is important and helps to define the essential character of the
Definition
organization.
While use of this element is optional, good practice dictates that it should be
Usage note included. It is repeatable to enable identification of as many values as may be
appropriate.
honesty, integrity, diligence, compassion, tolerance, trust, moderation, freedom,
Examples
self-expression, innovation
Narrower terms None
Broader terms Vision
3.2.9 Goal
Concept: Goal
Preferred term Goal
Alternate terms General Goal, Aim
A relatively broad statement of intended results to be achieved over more than
Definition
one resource allocation and performance measurement cycle.
At least one occurrence of this element must be included in order for a document
Usage note to be considered to be a strategic plan. It is repeatable to enable identification of
as many goals as may be appropriate.
Example Reduce hunger in the United States by 50 percent by 2012.
Narrower terms Objective
Broader terms Mission, Vision
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Related terms Aim
3.2.10 Objective
Concept: Objective
Preferred term Objective
Alternate terms Performance goal
A target level of results against which achievement is to be measured within a
Definition
single resource allocation and performance execution cycle.
While use of this element is optional in strategic plans, at least one measurable
Usage note objective must be specified in a performance plan and most organizations will
want to specify multiple objectives in their strategic plans as well.
Serve healthy breakfasts to an average of 500 underprivileged children in
Example
Montgomery County, Maryland, each day during the year 2008.
Narrower terms Task, Activity
Broader terms Goal
3.2.11 Stakeholder
Concept: Stakeholder
Preferred term Stakeholder
Alternate terms Beneficiary, Partner
An individual whose interests can be affected by or whose action can be required
Definition
in order to achieve a goal or objective.
Stakeholders can be of the beneficiary or performer type. In some cases,
individuals should be named, such as to identify stakeholders who are managers
or leaders responsible for achieving the goal or objective. However, in most cases,
groups of stakeholders will be generically named, particularly stakeholders of
the beneficiary type. Use of this element will enable discovery as well as tracking
of organizational performance in achieving goals and objectives based upon the
stakeholder groups to which they apply.
Usage note
Stakeholders can also be typed as individuals, organizations, or generic groups.
While use of this element is optional, good practice dictates that it should be used
at the objective level. It is repeatable to enable identification of as many stake-
holders as may be appropriate.
Stakeholders can also be identified more generically at the goal and plan levels,
particularly if they are the same for all objectives. However, preferred practice is
to associate Stakeholders with each Objective individually.
senior citizens, children, low-income citizens, students, project manager,
Examples program manager, task leader, team member, partner, Adam Schwartz, Owen
Ambur, StratML committee members
Narrower terms Individual, Organization, Generic_Group
Broader terms None
3.2.12 Identifier
Concept: Identifier
Preferred term Identifier
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Alternate terms UniqueIdentifier, GloballyUniqueIdentifier
A string of alphanumeric characters by which the information contained within
Definition an element is distinguished from other versions of the same information as well
as information contained in other instances of the same element.
This attribute is used to enable explicit referencing of elements or groups of
Usage note elements in StratML documents. It is good practice to apply either globally unique
identifiers (GUIDs) or identifiers from a well-known standard.
Examples Any of the IDs in the StratML schema.
Narrower terms None
Broader terms None
3.2.13 SequenceIndicator
Concept: SequenceIndicator
Preferred term SequenceIndicator
Alternate terms None
An alphanumeric identifier applied to an element to designate its order in a
Definition
series.
Sequence indicators are typically any number, letter, or combination thereof,
often separated by periods or hyphens. While this element is useful for refer-
encing goal and objective statements within the context of collections contained
within a version of a plan or report at a particular time, it is not well-suited to
Usage note
version control or to referencing discrete elements over time. Separate means
are required to enable referencing of discrete elements over time so as to avoid
imposing dependencies needlessly tying the status of any particular element to
any other element.
Examples 1.4, A-3
Narrower terms None
Broader terms None
3.3 Administrative information
3.3.1 General
Although they are not essential to strategic plans per se, the following elements have been identified
as providing useful context. Many other elements might be applied and the use of other administrative
information does not affect the essence of the plans themselves.
3.3.2 StartDate
Concept: StartDate
Preferred term StartDate
Alternate terms None
The year, month, and day the element with which it is associated is scheduled to
Definition
begin.
Although use of this element is optional, good practice dictates that it be used.
Usage note
Typically the beginning of a calendar or fiscal year.
Examples 2008 January 1; 2008 October 1 (beginning of U.S. federal fiscal year)
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Narrower terms None
Broader terms None
3.3.3 EndDate
Concept: EndDate
Preferred term EndDate
Alternate terms None
The year, month, and day the element with which it is associated is projected to
Definition cease, if it is not subsequently extended. Typically, the end of a calendar or fiscal
year.
Although use of this element is optional, good practice dictates that it be used.
Usage note
Typically, the end of a calendar or fiscal year.
Examples 2008 December 31; 2008 September 30 (end of US federal fiscal year)
Narrower terms Milestone
Broader terms None
3.3.4 PublicationDate
Concept: PublicationDate
Preferred term PublicationDate
Alternate terms None
Definition The day, month, and year a strategic plan was published in its current form.
This element should be updated whenever a change is made to any element of a
Usage note
plan.
Examples 2008–07–24
Narrower terms Day, Month, Year, Time
Broader terms None
3.3.5 Source
Concept: Source
Preferred term Source
Alternate terms Web Address, Uniform Resource Locator
The web address (URL) of the authoritative source for the information contained
Definition
in the StratML document in which this element is used.
During the demonstration/piloting phase of StratML, this element is being used
to reference the authoritative source from which the information was copied into
Usage note StratML format. Eventually, the intent is to use it to reference the URL for the
StratML document itself, as the authoritative source for the organization’s
strategic plan.
http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/183023, http://xml.fido.gov/stratml/GSAs-
Examples
tratplan.xml
Narrower terms None
Broader terms None
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3.3.6 Submitter
Concept: Submitter
Preferred term Submitter
Alternate terms Author, Steward
Definition The person submitting the plan in StratML format.
During the piloting, proof-of-concept phase, when plans have been converted
to StratML format by intermediaries who are not associated with the organiza-
tions who issued the plans, use of the term “Submitter” has been deemed to be
Usage note
appropriate. However, when StratML is used by organizations to maintain their
own plans, it may be more appropriate to use the term “Steward” to describe the
person who is responsible for doing so.
Examples Owen Ambur, Adam Schwartz
Narrower terms GivenName, Surname
Broader terms None
3.3.7 GivenName
Concept: GivenName
Preferred term GivenName
Alternate terms FirstName
Definition The first name of the person submitting the plan.
Usage note See the usage note for the Submitter element.
Examples Owen, Adam
Narrower terms FirstInitial
Broader terms Submitter
3.3.8 Surname
Concept: Surname
Preferred term Surname
Alternate terms LastName, FamilyName
Definition The last name of the person submitting the plan.
Usage note See the usage note for the Submitter element.
Examples Schwartz, Ambur
Narrower terms None
Broader terms Submitter
3.3.9 EmailAddress
Concept: EmailAddress
Preferred term EmailAddress
Alternate term E-mail
Definition The email address of the person submitting the plan.
Usage note See the usage note for the Submitter element.
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Example John.Doe@verizon.net
Narrower terms Name, Domain
Broa
...