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WBF Working Group Guidelines

WBF conferences provide a means to exchange information about manufacturing automation, yet the conferences do not offer the opportunity for collaborative and deeper research and work. The establishment of working groups is intended to provide this opportunity. It is intended that working groups are a benefit to WBF members by providing an unbiased means for the investigation and development of work items of interest and benefit to the members. The establishment of working groups also provides WBF with a higher profile in the manufacturing automation industry, thereby raising awareness of, and attendance at, WBF conferences.

In order to provide consistency and fairness between working groups, and to be able to publicize and explain the working groups to members and others outside of WBF a series of operational guidelines are required.

Operational guidelines for WBF working groups:

  1. There is a Working Group board position and Working Group (WG) Committee to administer the working groups and provide the WBF staff and board with a single point of focus regarding the working groups. The working group committee is responsible for providing status reports on each working group and ensuring adherence to the working group guidelines.

  2. Working groups may be created for any topic related to manufacturing automation. The purpose of working groups is to publish work that is of interest and benefit to the manufacturing automation industry.

  3. A working group may be formed at the request of 2 or more WBF members. Members may request formation of a working group by submitting a written proposal defining the proposed working group's scope and deliverables to the working group committee. After review, the committee will approve the proposal or suggest changes in the proposal. The purpose of the committee is not to exercise editorial control over working groups, only to work towards consistency between the working groups and adherence with guidelines and the intent of the board.

  4. Once approved by the WBF working group committee, working group members must select a team leader. The team leader is responsible for calling meetings, setting agendas and reporting status to the WBF working group committee. The team leader must be a WBF member. In addition to a team leader, working groups may designate members to be an editor, secretary or other positions as deemed necessary.

  5. It is the responsibility of each working group and the working group committee to solicit members to participate in working groups. The WBF newsletter, e-mails to members and conferences can be a good vehicle for this. Working groups may be advertised in non-WBF publications and events. The working group board member must belong to WBF or an affiliated organization such as the Japan Batch Forum , or their employer must be a sponsor in order to participate in a WBF working group. Each affiliated organization will decide it's own membership criteria. Working group leaders may use their discretion to invite guests to participate in a working group regardless of their WBF membership status.

  6. Working groups may have a geographical, language, industry, interest or other focus, but they should remain open to any affiliated member or invited guest. If language or geography make it difficult for all interested parties to participate multiple working groups on the same topic may be established.
    Other organizations may have their own working groups independent of, or in conjunction with, WBF working groups e.g. Make2Pack. When there is overlap in subject matter between working groups the working groups should strive to reconcile their work.

  7. Each working group is responsible for setting it's own meeting schedule, work method and publication format. Within 60 days the working group should meet and issue a charter and plan of action to the WBF working group committee.

  8. Working groups should select topics that can be completed in 6-18 months. Longer tasks should be broken into smaller deliverables and the same working group can continue indefinitely with periodic deliverables.

  9. As a minimum a yearly status report must be given to the WG committee. The WG committee is responsible for reporting on each working group to the board and is expected to provide a status report at the annual conference. The working groups are encouraged to make presentations at WBF conferences regarding on going or completed work.

  10. Working groups are expected to publish their work product as WBF Working Group Reports through the WBF staff. The WG committee is responsible for establishing and maintaining the format of WBF Working Group Reports. It is intended for working groups to operate on a consensus basis. However if consensus cannot be achieved minority working group reports maybe issued.

  11. In addition to issuing WBF Working Group Reports, working groups are encouraged to publish their work in various formats based on applicability to the members, the topic, the audience, and current technology. Preferred publication options include WBF conferences, the WBF newsletter, WBF webcasts and the WBF website. Other options could include other organizations or consortiums, custom publications through the WBF staff or outside organizations or articles in journals or magazines provided credit is given to WBF.

  12. When a working group's goal is complete, lack of interest or progress or a working group has been inactive for an extended period of time the working group committee may dissolve the working group.

  13. While a basic level of WBF staff support will be provided, each working group should generally be self-funded and self-sufficient. Staff support is intended to include non-labor intensive items such as e-mail lists, web site and ftp site support for each working group as well as Working Group Report publication. Working group members are expected to fund the cost of meetings, telephone conference calls, mailing costs and other related costs.

    If a working group wants the WBF staff to provide services that would incur significant costs then a working group fee may be charged individual working groups to fund WBF staff support. The size of the fee would be based on the needs of the working group and cost estimates by the WBF staff. Any fees, collection and disbursement methods will be discussed and agreed upon by the working group, the working group committee and the WBF staff prior to its implementation.

  14. While WBF will own the copyright to all WBF Working Group Reports, all working group members and their employers are given royalty free use of the WBF Working Group Reports they contributed to for professional purposes provided attribution is given as follows:

    • Based on the World Batch Forum Working Group Report (title) published and copyrighted in (year) by the World Batch Forum. For more information see www.wbf.org.

    • Upon request of the WBF staff the attribution may be modified.