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 postdivestiture 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
ATIS
Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions
www.atis.org
CLC
Carrier Liaison Committee
INC
Industry Numbering
Committee
OBF
Ordering & Billing
Forum
NIIF
Network Interconnection
Interoperability Committee
TFPC
Telecommunications Fraud
Prevention Committee
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 forum process 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
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•
•
•
•
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 Etiquette
As 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
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•
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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
ATIS/OBF Web Site
• 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
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
Document
Description
Document
Download
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
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