Orientation Co-Leaders Marilyn Haroutunian –WorldCom John Pautlitz –ATIS Brenda Wallace...
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Transcript of Orientation Co-Leaders Marilyn Haroutunian –WorldCom John Pautlitz –ATIS Brenda Wallace...
Orientation Co-Leaders
• Marilyn Haroutunian– WorldCom
• John Pautlitz– ATIS
• Brenda Wallace– BellSouth
Agenda
• Welcome and Introductions– Name, Company, Committee
• Overview• OBF Committees• Issue Process
Alliance For Telecommunications Industry Solutions - ATIS
• Sponsor of industry forums / committees - the OBF is one such committee– ATIS Org Chart is included in Handouts
• Addresses exchange access interconnection standards and other technical issues in post-divestiture telecommunications environment
• Conducts open meetings• See the ATIS web site for a list of other
industry forums sponsored by ATIS: http://www.atis.org
Carrier Liaison Committee
IN CIn d u s try N u m b erin g
C om m ittee
O B FO rd erin g & B illin g
F oru m
N IIFN etw ork In te rcon n ec tion
In te rop erab ility C om m ittee
TF P CTe lecom m u n ica tion s F rau d
P reven tion C om m ittee
C LCC arrier L iaison C om m ittee
ATISAlliance for Telecom m unications Industry Solutions
www.atis.org
OBF Background
• The Ordering and Billing Forum (OBF) was established in February 1985
• Based on a need for Carriers to discuss operational ordering, provisioning, billing and presubscription access service issues which had national impact
• Expanded to include CLEC issues 1995
OBF Mission Statement
• To provide a Forum for customers and providers in the telecommunications industry to identify, discuss and resolve national issues which affect ordering, billing, provisioning and exchange of information about access service, other connectivity and related matters– Mission statement has been revised over the
years to accommodate industry needs
What is OBF About?
• OBF Participants define: – External exchange of information in a
customer/provider scenario – Data elements, data characteristics, paper
formats, business rules, and in some cases, mechanized specifications
• OBF does not address:– Internal operations of a particular company,
whether it be customer or provider– Products: pricing, costs and individual company
implementation timelines
OBF Participants
• Telecommunications Services Companies– Customers– Providers
• Consultants• Vendors (e.g., software companies, service
bureaus, consultants)• Participants of other ATIS-sponsored forums• Liaisons from other forums, committees• Other individuals with a direct and material
interest in the OBF process and activities
OBF Operating Principles
• OBF develops Operational Guidelines• Guidelines are non-binding• Issues are “National in Scope”• Issue resolution is by consensus • Resolution implementation is voluntary• Participants expected to be fully
prepared to discuss issues and participate in consensus process
OBF Meeting Timeline
• Quarterly meetings of entire OBF• Interim Full Committee Meetings, as
necessary• Interim Task Force/Sub-Committee
Meetings for a specific purpose• Meeting Agendas placed on OBF web
site
OBF Funding Companies
• OBF Funding companies are critical to the success of the OBF– Companies may observe one OBF before funding
required– Funding companies share in OBF costs
(administrative, management, legal counsel, web site, etc.)
– Funding scale tiered by company revenues
• Each Funding Company designates a Primary Company Contact (PCC) who is the single point of contact for your company
OBF Primary Company Contacts (PCC)
• The Critical Role of the PCC – Provide strategic direction– Coordinate your company reps across all OBF
committees– Work with OBF Leadership in resolving and
correcting participant identified concerns
If you are your company’s only rep, you are the PCC!
OBF Leadership
• Moderator/Assistant Moderator• Committee Co-Leaders• Task Force and Subcommittee Leaders • ATIS OBF Director and OBF Manager• Committee Administrators/SMEs
– Provided by ATIS and Cap Gemini Ernst & Young
• Listing of Leaders and Administrators is included in handouts
Process Improvement• OBF encourages critical evaluation for
change of the process• Process Improvement Team (PIT)
– Addresses forumforum process suggestionsprocess suggestions submitted by OBF participants
– Meets to discuss improvements to the OBF processes
– Includes representation from each committee– PIT led by OBF Assistant Moderator
• Meeting evaluation form for other suggestions
How Do I Identify
An Industry
Problem Or Need
To The OBF?
OBF Is Driven by Issues Identified By Industry
Participants
OBF Issue Process
• Issue Identification Form• Issue Champion
– Identification of Issue
– Development of Issue
• Committee
– Issue Acceptance
– Work Issue
– Develop Resolution
– Closure Process• Initial Closure• Final Closure
Issue Champion
• Person who identifies, develops and submits the issue to the OBF committee for consideration
Champion Responsibilities• Socialize the proposed issue and resolution
with other committee participants • Completes the OBF Issue Identification Form
– Provide to Committee Administrator at least 14 days prior to meeting
• Be prepared to – Present the issue to the committee– Respond to the questions and concerns of
committee– Lead the discussion of the Issue in all committee
meetings until resolved
• Ensure accuracy of ongoing documentation
Committee Participants Responsibilities
• Download and review all agenda files• Socialize all issues (including proposed new
issues) with internal company Subject Matter Experts
• Contact issue champion for clarification on issues PRIOR to OBF committee meeting
• Be prepared to state your company’s needs and position
• Bring meeting agenda files with you to the meeting
• Be prepared to discuss all issues
Issue Identification Form
• Issue Title• Issue Statement/Business Need• Impact on Other Issues/Procedures• Desired Result(s)• Committee Assignment
– Associated Committee
• Issue Champion– Contact Information
Issue Statement
• A clear, concise definition of the business problem or need as it relates specifically to the customer and provider
• Should clarify– “What” makes this a problem– “How” the industry is impacted– “Why” it needs to be resolved (benefits or
consequences to the industry)
Impact to/of Other Issues or Procedures
• Identify, if possible– OBF defined processes potentially impacted– Previously resolved or current OBF Issues that
may be impacted/changed– Other forums potentially impacted (e.g., NIIF,
T1M1)
Desired Results
• Your view of what is required to resolve the issue– Represents an initial view of what’s required, the
actual resolution may be very different– Multiple suggestions for desired results may be
included
• Should include– Proposed changes to existing documentation– Any proposed new documentation requirements– Normally provided as an attachment
Other Information
• Issue Title– Provide a succinct descriptive title for the
proposed issue
• Document Name(s)– Identify the OBF document(s) potentially
impacted by the proposed issue
• Industry Segment– Identifies the Industry Segment(s) that are
impacted by the proposed issue
Other Information
• Committee Assignment– Identify the OBF Committee you believe should
address the issue
• Associated Committee– Identify any other OBF committees whose
process may potentially be affected by this issue, and who should, at a minimum, review the committee “agreed to” proposed resolution before “Final Closure:
• Contact Information for Issue Champion
Issue Process Note
Some committees may have additional information requirements that would normally be submitted with any proposed new issue - check with the Committee Co-Leaders!
Issue Acceptance Criteria
• Issue is Clearly Defined via Issue Statement – Documented desired results– Issue Champion is identified
• Issue is National in Scope• Customer/provider issue• No Existing Solution
– OR existing solution can be enhanced to gain operations efficiencies
Working the Issue:
• After acceptance, issue is prioritized by committee and added to agenda
• Co-leaders facilitate issue process• Issue champion leads discussion/
participants actively contribute to discussion
• Participants may provide contributions to help move issue towards resolution
• Issue resolutions are developed by consensus
What is Consensus?
• The method used by the OBF committees to reach resolution of issues
• Established when substantial agreement has been reached among interest groups participating in the issue at hand
• Interest groups are those groups materially affected by the outcome of the result
What is Consensus?
• Substantial agreement means more than a simple majority, but not necessarily unanimous agreement
• Remember:
A PARTICIPANT’S SILENCE WILL BE PERCEIVED AS CONSENSUS!
Issue Closure
• A time-sensitive acceptance process for issue resolutions that ensures “due process”
• Initial Closure/Final Closure Time Frames– An issue must be in Initial Closure for a minimum
of 42 days and pass through at least one OBF General Session before it can be placed in Final Closure
– The process allows everyone ample time to consider the resolution
Walk-In Issues
• Should be the RARE exception– Not preferred method of issue introduction– Meets issue preparation and introduction criteria
with the following exceptions:• Were not submitted to Committee Administrator
14 days prior to start of meeting• Do not appear on the Committee Agenda• Issue champion MUST bring enough paper
copies for entire committee (and electronic version for Committee Administrator)
• Might not be worked in the meeting in which they are accepted
Process Concerns
• You Have The Right To Be Heard• Know How To Escalate to:
– Committee Leadership – Your PCC– OBF Moderator/Assistant Moderator
Meeting EtiquetteAs Participants:• Prepare for the meeting• Be on time and ready to fully participate• Exhibit professionalism and respect for other participants• Contribute constructive ideas to the discussion• Listen openly to the ideas of others• Consider the issues objectively• Contribute to the orderly conduct of the meeting
– Provide feedback to the meeting leader– Carry out agreed upon actions– Actively engage in issue discussion, even when you
are in agreement with the issue– Ask questions
Process/Resolution Inhibitors
• New participant insecurity • Attendees who dominate the meeting• Attendees who do not actively participate• Lack of openness to new ideas• Lack of preparation
Want To Know More?
• Review the OBF Guidelines• Review the “Welcome New Attendees”
handouts• Ask about Committee Mentors• Ask questions• Check out the ATIS web-site• Network at OBF reception on Tuesday
evening• Visit OBF Support Office
• http://www.atis.org/atis/clc/obf/obfhom.htm• Web Site contains valuable information:
– Meeting Calendar and Agendas– Issue Index - by number and committee– Meeting Notes and Attachments– Access to OBF Documents - password protected
• Password information for each OBF Funding Company is provided to your PCC
ATIS/OBF Web Site
How To Page
Helpful Hints
on OBF
Processes -
Page Under
Development
Meeting Calendar/Agendas
Issue Index
Issue Index
Meeting Notes/Attachments
Download by OBF #
Meeting Notes/Attachments
Or Download by Committee
OBF Documents
OBF Documents
DocumentDescription
DocumentDownload
OBF Exploder Lists
• Notification of OBF activities are sent via e-mail through the use of “Exploder” distribution lists
• Information on “subscribing” & “unsubscribing” at – http://www.atis.org/atis/CLC/obf/obfemail.htm
• Subscribe Today
Contact Information
All CommitteeLeadership
Contacts Are ListedOn This Web Page
Why You Are Here
• You are the industry experts• You are the best representative to address
your individual company’s business requirements
• OBF process works best with broader industry representation
• You are NOW ready for the challenge!
Questions
• Open Discussion