1.1. Given the Guiding Principles outlined in the Strategy, what should be the structure of the steering group? What structures can support the technical, policy, legal, and operational aspects of the Identity Ecosystem without stifling innovation?
A systems approach must be taken using methodologies for structure and process that are holistic and adaptive over time. They must provide insight into the overall function and health of the ecosystem and give people who are leading organizations within the ecosystem a clear picture of where to intervene, how to adjust their behavior/actions relative to the players and for the overall good of the system. It must support new innovation while at the same time addressing new security threats and risks and be adaptive to social and cultural changes.
2.1. How does the functioning of the steering group relate to the method by which it was initiated? Does the scope of authority depend on the method? What examples are there from each of the broad categories above or from other methods? What are the advantages or disadvantages of different methods?
Understanding the current system(s) is a key first step to understanding how to spin up, to initiate systems to “steer” towards greater interoperability and more coherence across a broad range of identity providers, attribute providers, relying parties and other diverse players, while meeting the needs of individuals to manage their context and presentation of self (personae).
Polarity Management and Value Network Mapping and Analysis are two processes I have in my workshop design and facilitation practice.These methods can foster consensus about the current state of the systems that are proposed should converge into an ecosystem. Stakeholder groups participating will gain insight into the “goal” the eventual structure and quality of a thriving Identity Ecosystem. This shared vision will allow many organizations to take their own action appropriate for them based on shared systems insight and need not involve checking in with the “steering group” to see if they are going the right way.
The steering group by convening these systems level mapping efforts for all to see, thus “steers” towards the goal without necessarily needing a “steering group” to take that action.
Value Network Mapping and Analysis can address these kinds of questions:
- How do the systems that are envisioned to work together in a broader ecosystem articulated in NSTIC work today?
- What are their roles in these systems?
- How does value flow between roles in the system?
- Do these roles and value flows look very different in different industry sectors?
- What would be needed to make non-interoperable systems more interoperable?
- Is the picture of value flow in a larger, more interoperable ecosystem sustainable?
Polarity Management can address these kinds of questions:
What are the inherent tensions present when doing identity management for people and organizations?
How are these tensions managed today and how could they be effectively managed on a systems level within an identity ecosystem?
2.3. How can the government be most effective in accelerating the development and ultimate success of the Identity Ecosystem?
The government can be most effective in accelerating the development and ultimate success of the Identity Ecosystem by fostering shared understanding, and with that, broadly accepted consensus answers by a range of stakeholder groups to these questions listed above. With these shared, collaboratively developed understandings, ecosystem governance process and structures will become clear. Both of these methods should be led in parallel by the NSTIC Program office and involve stakeholders via face to face and online sharing of iterative outputs as the processes unfold. Both could be completed by the end of this calendar year.
This post is from pages 41-42 of Kaliya’s NSTIC Governance NOI Response – please see this page for the overview and links to the rest of the posts. Here is a link to the PDF.
This is the section before: Missing Questions about NSTIC Governance
This is the section after: NSTIC NOI Questions
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