ISO/IEC 19778-2:2008

INTERNATIONAL ISO/IEC
STANDARD 19778-2
First edition
2008-05-01

Information technology — Learning,
education and training — Collaborative
technology — Collaborative workplace —
Part 2:
Collaborative environment data model
Technologies de l'information — Apprentissage, éducation et
formation — Technologies collaboratives — Lieu de travail
collaboratif —
Partie 2: Modèle de données de l'environnement collaboratif




Reference number
ISO/IEC 19778-2:2008(E)
©
ISO/IEC 2008

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ISO/IEC 19778-2:2008(E)
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ISO/IEC 19778-2:2008(E)
Contents Page
Foreword. iv
Introduction . v
1 Scope .1
1.1 Statement of scope.1
1.2 Subjects and aspects not currently addressed.1
1.3 Excluded subjects and aspects .1
2 Normative references .1
3 Terms and definitions .2
4 Abbreviations and acronyms .2
5 Collaborative environment Data Model .2
5.1 Data Model representation.2
5.2 Collaborative environment Data Model diagram .2
5.3 Collaborative environment Data Model specification.3
5.4 Supplementing information for DMEs of the CE DM.8
5.4.1 AE CE_General.8
5.4.2 DE CE_Name .8
5.4.3 DE CE_Description .8
5.4.4 AE CE_ID .8
5.4.5 DE CE_ID_source.9
5.4.6 DE CE_ID_value .9
5.4.7 AE CW_ID-Ref .9
5.4.8 DE CW_ID-Ref_source .10
5.4.9 DE CW_ID-Ref_value .10
5.4.10 AE CE_Tools .10
5.4.11 DE CE_Tools_spec_source .10
5.4.12 AE CE_Tool .10
5.4.13 DE CE_Tool_name.11
5.4.14 DE CE_Tool_description.11
5.4.15 AE CE_Functions.11
5.4.16 DE CE_Functions_spec_source.11
5.4.17 AE CE_Function.11
5.4.18 DE CE_Function_name .11
5.4.19 DE CE_Function_description .11
6 Conformance.12
Annex A (informative) Alphabetical list of terms .13
Annex B (informative) Examples for collaborative functions.14
Bibliography .20

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ISO/IEC 19778-2:2008(E)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical
Commission) form the specialized system for worldwide standardization. National bodies that are members of
ISO or IEC participate in the development of International Standards through technical committees
established by the respective organization to deal with particular fields of technical activity. ISO and IEC
technical committees collaborate in fields of mutual interest. Other international organizations, governmental
and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO and IEC, also take part in the work. In the field of information
technology, ISO and IEC have established a joint technical committee, ISO/IEC JTC 1.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The main task of the joint technical committee is to prepare International Standards. Draft International
Standards adopted by the joint technical committee are circulated to national bodies for voting. Publication as
an International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the national bodies casting a vote.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. ISO and IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
ISO/IEC 19778-2 was prepared by Joint Technical Committee ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information technology,
Subcommittee SC 36, Information technology for learning, education and training.
ISO/IEC 19778 consists of the following parts, under the general title Information technology — Learning,
education and training — Collaborative technology — Collaborative workplace:
⎯ Part 1: Collaborative workplace data model
⎯ Part 2: Collaborative environment data model
⎯ Part 3: Collaborative group data model
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ISO/IEC 19778-2:2008(E)
Introduction
ISO/IEC 19778 provides Data Models for specifying collaborative workplaces and their components.
ISO/IEC 19778-1 provides general information for all parts, and specifies a Data Model which, by reference,
composes the Data Model instantiations of the two main components of a collaborative workplace: the
collaborative environment and the collaborative group. This part of ISO/IEC 19778 provides the Data Model
for the collaborative environment and specifies information related to the service aspects of a collaborative
workplace. ISO/IEC 19778-3 provides the Data Model for the collaborative group and specifies information
related to the roles and the membership of a collaborative workplace.
The main accomplishment of this part of ISO/IEC 19778 is to specify the composition of the collaborative tools
which are integrated in the collaborative service(s) of a collaborative workplace. As collaborative tools
frequently provide several collaborative functions, these collaborative functions are also identified in the
collaborative environment Data Model.
The purpose of this part of ISO/IEC 19778 is:
⎯ to provide a standardized way of defining and instantiating, as an independent entity, the service(s) and
associated entities of a collaborative workplace (this is done by associating these services and entities
with a collaborative environment identifier unique within a particular domain or application context); and
⎯ to specify the technical and infrastructural requirements of a collaborative workplace for the purpose of
set-up, employment, management, administration, and evaluation of its collaborative environment.
The detailed specification of the collaborative tools and their collaborative functions is not provided in this part
of ISO/IEC 19778; however, it may be linked to the collaborative environment Data Model instantiations by
referring to "potential further specifications or standards" that are not identified and possibly do not yet even
exist. (One of the intentions of this part of ISO/IEC 19778 is to encourage adopters to develop and harmonize
such specifications.)
Linkages to "potential further specifications or standards" are constituted by employing a "source/value"
approach, where the value (e.g. the name of a collaborative tool or collaborative function) is taken from a
"source", a specification or standard, which declares the names and specifies the details of collaborative tools
or collaborative functions. The "source" itself is specified by reference, using a URL. The intention of this
"source/value" approach is to provide a simple method for linking developing specifications or standards to the
Data Model of this part of ISO/IEC 19778 without needing to identify them beforehand. This highly flexible
method reflects the fact that ISO/IEC 19778-2 is a part of a multipart standard that represents prospective
technology. Figure 1 illustrates how this is achieved.
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ISO/IEC 19778-2:2008(E)

Figure 1 — Composing collaborative tools and declaring collaborative functions
in this part of ISO/IEC 19778
In this part of ISO/IEC 19778, "composing collaborative tools" and "declaring their collaborative functions" are
generally performed by specifying names of collaborative tools and collaborative functions. Further information
on these collaborative tools and collaborative functions may be specified in "potential further specifications or
standards" which are not included in this part of ISO/IEC 19778. The adopters of this part of ISO/IEC 19778
may decide whether or not to use such "potential further specifications or standards". If no "potential further
specifications or standards" are used, the names and properties of collaborative tools and collaborative
functions need to be consistently known in the user community. This, however, also means that the
interoperability of Data Model instantiations of this kind is limited to this "harmonized" user community.
Where the need for broader interoperability exists, external "specifications or standards" are required. They
would at least define a set of collaborative tools or collaborative functions, provide names for them, and
describe their properties. Of course, such "specifications or standards" could be very simple and general.
However, they could be highly sophisticated and detailed as well. Where a collaborative environment Data
Model instantiation makes use of such an external "specification or standard", it references it and adopts the
names for collaborative tools or collaborative functions as shown in Figure 1.
Using this first edition of this part of ISO/IEC 19778 provides utmost flexibility at the risk of a low level of
interoperability. It allows adopters to experiment with diverse specifications for collaborative tools or
collaborative functions. It is intended as a step towards broader harmonization of collaborative tools or
collaborative functions with respect to their specification and naming. This expected progress in harmonization
will be reflected by future editions of this part of ISO/IEC 19778, while today's users can employ this first
edition instantly.

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INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/IEC 19778-2:2008(E)

Information technology — Learning, education and training —
Collaborative technology — Collaborative workplace —
Part 2:
Collaborative environment data model
1 Scope
1.1 Statement of scope
This part of ISO/IEC 19778 specifies the Data Model for a collaborative environment.
The collaborative environment Data Model composes collaborative tools and declares their collaborative
functions by specifying their names. These names may be used as references to collaborative tools and
collaborative functions specified in detail by further specifications or standards. Where no such specifications
or standards are available or identified, the provision of descriptions for human interpretation may support
harmonized use of these names.
1.2 Subjects and aspects not currently addressed
In future editions of this part of ISO/IEC 19778, extended support for adapting collaborative environments to
preferences and needs of participants may be provided. Such support may be gained by prioritizing the
collaborative effects (defining which collaborative effects are intended to be supported) in contrast to the
collaborative tools and collaborative functions (defining by which technical provisions the intended
collaborative effects are supported).
1.3 Excluded subjects and aspects
Subjects and aspects not provided by this part of ISO/IEC 19778, but which it is anticipated will be provided by
further specifications or standards include:
⎯ the detailed specification of collaborative tools or collaborative functions (such specification is left to
further specifications or standards and means service component harmonization which is excluded from
this part of ISO/IEC 19778);
⎯ the detailed specification of collaborative effects (such specification is left to further specifications or
standards and addresses application modelling which is excluded from this part of ISO/IEC 19778);
⎯ the specification of methods for integrating collaborative tools or collaborative functions into services (as
this affects service modelling which is excluded from this part of ISO/IEC 19778).
2 Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced
document (including any amendments) applies.
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ISO/IEC 19778-2:2008(E)
ISO/IEC 10646:2003, Information technology — Universal Multiple-Octet Coded Character Set (UCS)
ISO/IEC 11404:2007, Information technology — General-Purpose Datatypes (GPD)
ISO/IEC 19778-1:2008, Information technology — Learning, education and training — Collaborative
technology — Collaborative workplace — Part 1: Collaborative workplace data model
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO/IEC 19778-1:2008 apply.
4 Abbreviations and acronyms
NOTE Some of the abbreviations or acronyms in this clause represent terms defined in Clause 3 of
ISO/IEC 19778-1:2008. The term numbers are provided in brackets.
AE Aggregating Element (see 3.1.1)
CE Collaborative Environment (see 3.2.3)
CW Collaborative Workplace (see 3.2.8)
DE Data Element (see 3.1.5)
DM Data Model (see 3.1.7)
DME Data Model Element (see 3.1.8)
ID Identifier
Ref Reference
URI Uniform Resource Identifier
URL Uniform Resource Locator (world wide web address)
XML eXtensible Markup Language
XSD XML Schema Definition
5 Collaborative environment Data Model
5.1 Data Model representation
The table-based Data Model representation used here corresponds to the specification provided in
ISO/IEC 19778-1:2008, 5.1.
5.2 Collaborative environment Data Model diagram
Figure 2 provides a relational overview for the collaborative environment Data Model as specified in this part
of ISO/IEC 19778. This diagram also indicates specifications or standards which are as of yet unidentified and
out of scope for this part of ISO/IEC 19778, but which may play a significant role in its implementation.
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ISO/IEC 19778-2:2008(E)
The Data Model is outlined inside the large dashed box. The Root Element on top represents the basis for this
Data Model and is not represented in the table representation. The indices of the branches are denoted.

Figure 2 — Collaborative environment Data Model and external specifications or standards
Four potential further specifications or standards are denoted as grey boxes outside the large dashed box to
the right. The arrows from the DMEs to these boxes represent references from this Data Model to such
specifications or standards. Where such specifications or standards are referenced, they impose regulations
on "value" or "name" DMEs as specified in the Datatype column of the Data Model table in 5.3.
5.3 Collaborative environment Data Model specification
The following specification of the Data Model uses the tabular representation specified in
ISO/IEC 19778-1:2008, 5.1.
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ISO/IEC 19778-2:2008(E)
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Table 1 — Collaborative Environment Data Model
Identifier Designation Definition Obligation Multiplicity Datatype Examples
1 CE_General Information describing the mandatory1
collaborative environment as a
whole
1.1 CE_Name A title or name by which the optional 1 Computer Graphics
ISO/IEC 11404:2007, 10.1.5
collaborative environment is Exercises
"Character string (ISO/IEC
generally known
10646:2003)"
Supported Length = 100
characters
1.2 CE_Description An account of the collaborative optional 1 Environment for
ISO/IEC 11404:2007, 10.1.5
environment collaborative work on
"Character string (ISO/IEC
Computer Graphics
10646:2003)"
exercises
Supported Length = 4000
characters
1.3 CE_ID An identifier for the collaborative mandatory1
environment
1.3.1 CE_ID_source The name or URI of the optional 1 http://www.gris.informatik.tu-
ISO/IEC 11404:2007, 10.1.5
identification scheme used to darmstadt.de/idformats/iden
"Character string (ISO/IEC
generate the value of the tifier_type.pdf
10646:2003)"
collaborative environment
Supported Length = 250
identifier. A namespace scheme.
characters

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ISO/IEC 19778-2:2008(E)
© ISO/IEC 2008 – All rights reserved 5
Identifier Designation Definition Obligation Multiplicity Datatype Examples
1.3.2 CE_ID_value Value of the collaborative mandatory 1 de_tu-
ISO/IEC 11404:2007, 10.1.5
environment identifier darmstadt_informatik_gris_2
"Character string (ISO/IEC
0060707_13582578
10646:2003)"
Supported Length = 250
characters
Permissible values shall
comply with any specification
or standard identified by the
reference value in DE 1.3.1 (if
provided).
1.4 CW_ID-Ref Collaborative workplace optional 1
identifier reference
1.4.1 CW_ID-Ref_source The name or URI of the optional 1 http://www.gris.informatik.tu-
ISO/IEC 11404:2007, 10.1.5
identification scheme used to darmstadt.de/idformats/iden
"Character string (ISO/IEC
generate the value of the tifier_type.pdf
10646:2003)"
collaborative workplace identifier
Supported Length = 250
reference. A namespace
characters
scheme.
1.4.2 CW_ID-Ref_value Value of the collaborative mandatory 1 de_tu-
ISO/IEC 11404:2007, 10.1.5
workplace identifier reference; darmstadt_informatik_gris_2
"Character string (ISO/IEC
the corresponding collaborative 0060910_10141733
10646:2003)"
workplace identifier is specified
Supported Length = 250
in Data Element "ISO/IEC
characters
19778-1:2008, 1.3.2".
Permissible values shall
comply with any specification
or standard identified by the
reference value in DE 1.4.1 (if
provided).
2 CE_Tools Specification of the collaborative mandatory1
tools of the collaborative
environment

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ISO/IEC 19778-2:2008(E)
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Identifier Designation Definition Obligation Multiplicity Datatype Examples
2.1 CE_Tools_spec_source URI of the specification of optional 1 http://www.gris.informatik.tu-
ISO/IEC 11404:2007, 10.1.5
permissible collaborative tools' darmstadt.de/tools.pdf
"Character string (ISO/IEC
names and specifications. A
10646:2003)"
namespace scheme.
Supported Length = 250
characters
2.2 CE_Tool Collaborative tool specification mandatory1.20
2.2.1 CE_Tool_name Name of the collaborative tool mandatory 1 Chat
ISO/IEC 11404:2007, 10.1.5
"Character string (ISO/IEC
10646:2003)"
Supported Length = 100
characters
Permissible values shall
comply with any specification
or standard identified by the
reference value in DE 2.1 (if
provided).
2.2.2 CE_Tool_description Description of the collaborative optional 1 Proprietory tool
ISO/IEC 11404:2007, 10.1.5
tool
"Character string (ISO/IEC
10646:2003)"
Supported Length = 4000
characters
2.2.3 CE_Functions Specification of the collaborative optional 1
function(s) of the collaborative
tool
2.2.3.1 CE_Functions_spec_ URI of the specification of optional 1 http://www.gris.informatik.tu-
ISO/IEC 11404:2007, 10.1.5
source permissible collaborative darmstadt.de/functions.pdf
"Character string (ISO/IEC
functions' names and
10646:2003)"
specifications. A namespace
Supported Length = 250
scheme.
characters

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ISO/IEC 19778-2:2008(E)
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Identifier Designation Definition Obligation Multiplicity Datatype Examples
2.2.3.2 CE_Function Collaborative function mandatory1.20
specification
2.2.3.2.1 CE_Function_name Name of the collaborative mandatory 1 Upload
ISO/IEC 11404:2007, 10.1.5
function

"Character string (ISO/IEC
10646:2003)"
Supported Length = 100
characters
Permissible values shall
comply with any specification
or standard identified by the
reference value in DE 2.2.3.1
(if provided).
2.2.3.2.2 CE_Function_description Description of the collaborative optional 1 File upload function
ISO/IEC 11404:2007, 10.1.5
function
"Character string (ISO/IEC
10646:2003)"
Supported Length = 4000
characters

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ISO/IEC 19778-2:2008(E)
5.4 Supplementing information for DMEs of the CE DM
5.4.1 AE CE_General
This Aggregating Element groups the general information that describes this collaborative environment as a
whole.
5.4.2 DE CE_Name
Name given to the collaborative environment.
NOTE This name is solely intended for human use.
5.4.3 DE CE_Description
Description of the collaborative environment.
NOTE This description is solely intended for human reading and understanding.
5.4.4 AE CE_ID
This Aggregating Element groups the source and value of the collaborative environment identifier that serves
as a label for a collaborative environment Data Model instantiation (for allowing to reference it from the
associated collaborative workplace Data Model instantiation, or from external objects).

Figure 3 — Linkages between the collaborative environment, the associated
collaborative workplace, and the associated collaborative group
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ISO/IEC 19778-2:2008(E)
In order to support more than a single identifier format, a "source-value" approach has been applied in this
Aggregating Element. Accordingly, the value of the sub-element "source" specifies a Uniform Resource
Identifier (URI), that can be used for establishing the range of uniqueness for the collaborative environment
identifier value; it could also represent a URI that procures access to a data object that specifies the identifier
format. The sub-element "value" serves as a label for the associated collaborative environment.
5.4.5 DE CE_ID_source
The value of this Data Element specifies the URI of the source where the regulations are provided that are
associated with the used collaborative environment ID value. The purpose of this value is manifold.
⎯ The URI (in its capacity of being a globally unique identifier) unambiguously identifies a particular
community that is responsible for the uniqueness of the used collaborative environment ID values within
this community.
⎯ The URI provides access to the regulations regarding the format of the admissible collaborative
environment ID values. These regulations generally specify, how such identifiers are constructed (within
the limits of their datatype). Typically, such a specification may restrict the permitted character set, may
specify particular characters with special meaning (e.g. separators between distinct fields of the character
string), may (for Data Model instantiations only) restrict the supported number of characters of the
character string, etc.
NOTE 1 The format of such regulations is not specified in this part of ISO/IEC 19778. Particularly, it is left open
whether such regulations are appropriate for automated use or just for human reading, understanding, and observance.
NOTE 2 This Data Element is optional in order to allow simple applications of this Data Model, where the practicing
community takes care that the collaborative group identifier values are unambiguous.
NOTE 3 At the time of the publication of this part of ISO/IEC 19778, direct or indirect reference to RFC 3986 - Uniform
Resource Identifiers (URI): Generic Syntax {http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc3986.txt} was recommended.
5.4.6 DE CE_ID_value
This Data Element represents both:
⎯ the identifier of this collaborative environment Data Model instantiation; and
⎯ the identifier-based reference to the collaborative workplace which is associated with this collaborative
environment Data Model instantiation.
This identifier shall be unique at least within the application range of this Data Model instantiation.
5.4.7 AE CW_ID-Ref
This Aggregating Element groups the source and value of the reference to the Data Model instantiation of the
collaborative workplace the collaborative environment is associated with. This reference is specified by
providing the identifier of the Data Model instantiation of the collaborative workplace. This Data Element
directly links the collaborative environment with its associated collaborative workplace, and indirectly (via the
collaborative workplace link) links the collaborative environment with its associated collaborative group (see
Figure 3)
...