FTSD Decision Making Practices

Introduction

1. This document is the decision-making practices of the Health Level Seven (HL7) Foundation and Technology Steering Division(FTSD). FTSD will adhere to a set of decision-making practices that ensure consensus, openness, and balance of interest.
2. Balance of interest is related to ballot procedures; refer to the Governance and Operations Manual, or GOM (Section 14.03.03) for additional information on ballots and balance of interest.
3. The practices as outlined in this document are designed to enable timely decision-making balanced with an earnest attempt to ensure that input from all affected parties is considered. The decision-making practices are intended to govern the standard operating procedures of the HL7 Steering Divisions and Committees and not intended to conflict with rules governing ballot procedure as defined by ANSI and the HL7 Governance and Operations Manual (GOM).
4. In the event of joint meetings, the DMP of the host Steering Division shall be the governing document.

Open Meetings

1. Steering Division meetings and conference calls are open to all interested parties.
2. The purpose of these Steering Division meetings and calls is to transact business including the resolution of design and implementation issues related to the Steering Division’s area of responsibility and to make decisions relevant to the Steering Division's business.
3. Meetings of the Steering Division are open to everyone to ensure that viewpoints of all affected parties have an opportunity to be shared and considered. Everyone will be given an opportunity to speak; however, the chair may limit discussion on topics deemed to be non-constructive.
4. Depending on the purpose or mode of the meeting certain participants are expected to attend.
5. Other HL7 members may be asked to attend to provide specific input regarding a particular issue.
6. Guests (non HL7 members) are welcome to participate in the Steering Division and are recognized as guests of HL7.
7. In keeping with the ANSI policy on openness, Guests may participate on all matters related to the development of HL7 specifications.

Working Group Meetings

1. Meetings during Working Group Meetings (WGM) may be attended by any WGM registered attendee who wishes to participate.
2. Participants should introduce themselves and identify the nature of their affiliation with HL7.

Scheduled Conference Calls

1. Scheduled or periodic conference call meetings may be attended by persons registered on the Steering Division list server.
2. Persons not subscribed to the Steering Division list may still attend, however, all meeting announcements, minutes, and other notices will be sent to the list and posted to the Steering Division’s web page or wiki (see Section 3). Therefore anyone expecting to participate is encouraged to join the list so that the Steering Division can communicate with them.

Meeting Notifications

1. All activities shall be conducted in a public light with efforts made to ensure ample notification of those interested. The Steering Division shall utilize the following key mechanisms to notify interested parties of its activities
2. Steering Division’s listserv
3. Steering Division’s web page under http://www.hl7.org/Special/committees/index.cfm
4. Steering Division's wiki page under.

1. Satisfaction of minimal notification requirements dictates that relevant announcements and supporting materials be posted to both the listserv and the web or wiki page.
2. The listserv (and/or wiki) will be used predominantly for discussion threads, notifications, and draft documents; whereas the web page will be used predominantly for final documents and document resources (decision documents, minutes, papers, etc.)
3. Any use of the terms post, posted, or posting refers to notification, subject to these constraints.

Unscheduled Meetings

1. Face-to-face meetings between scheduled Working Group meetings or calls have two options:
2. An 'Out of Cycle Meeting' can be convened as defined in HL7 Governance and Operations Manual (GOM §11.04), which requires 30 days notice.
3. The issues may be discussed in an informal group, bringing forward recommendations to the list or as a discussion topic for the next regularly scheduled Steering Division meeting or conference call. Recommendations brought forward by the informal group are not binding decisions until acted upon by the Steering Division in regular session conforming to the notification requirements defined in Section 3.

Meeting Agenda Notification Timing

1. Meeting notification and the proposed agenda are provided prior to the meeting.
2. Binding decisions can be made only at meetings with the required advance notification where quorum is met; ;
3. A binding decision refers to any decision made by the committee that establishes a practice, formal recommendation, or formal action by the committee (e.g., creating a new program, rendering guidance, etc.).
4. The co-chairs of the Steering Division shall make every attempt to ensure that all parties with an interest in agenda topics are made aware of the meeting time and location subject to the documented notification requirements. As appropriate, Steering Division activities will be cross-posted to other HL7 lists, depending upon the topic and type of meeting as indicated in the following list. The HL7 GOM stipulates that all face-to-face meetings require at least 30 days notice.

WGM Agendas

1. WGM WG meeting schedules are posted in the meeting brochure; specific WG agendas are posted under Steering Division meeting information on the TSC wiki:(http://www.hl7tsc.org/wiki/index.php?title=Foundation_%26_Technology_Steering_Division_Home)
2. A preliminary agenda is developed by the end of the prior WGM and posted with the minutes following the WGM (posting deadlines are established by HL7 Headquarters; typically 5-6 weeks after the WGM).
3. The preliminary agenda is finalized at least two weeks prior to the WGM and posted within 2 business days or as required by HL7 Headquarters.
4. Recognizing the dynamic nature of the WGM, the agenda may require updates. Notification will be satisfied so long as at least two of the following are used:
5. E-mail notification by 6:00 pm local time the evening before the event
6. Notification on the bulletin board (near the registration desk) at least 2 quarters prior to the event
7. Announcement during the general session or lunch session prior to the event

Scheduled Conference Call Agendas

1. Scheduled Conference Call Agendas shall be posted by close-of-business the 1 business day prior to a call.
2. Preliminary agendas for the next conference call are to be determined at the close of each teleconference.

Decision Publication

Meeting Minutes

1. Minutes will be produced and published for all Working Group meetings and conference calls achieving quorum.
2. The presiding co-chair of the meeting is responsible for ensuring that minutes are taken and posted.
3. Where quorum is not achieved, the production of minutes is at the discretion of the presiding co-chair.
4. Minutes shall include, at a minimum, the following information:
5. Date, time and location of the meeting/call
6. List of attendees including names and organizations
7. Identification of presiding chair (if the presiding chair changes during meeting this should also be noted..)
8. Assertion of quorum (met or not met)
9. A summary of discussion topics and the outcome of proposals or motions made (including vote tallies if votes were taken)
10. Minutes shall be published on the the Steering Division's webpage or the wiki as well as the Steering Division's listserv and webpage/wiki. .
11. Minutes from a WGM shall be posted 2 weeks after the WGM; minutes from a conference call will be posted within one week of the call.

Electronically Recording Meetings

1. The Steering Division may decide that they wish to electronically record a meeting or workgroup event including audio or video recordings.
2. Electronic recordings of an event will not replace the minutes or the requirements for minutes as defined in Section 4
3. Prior to starting any electronic recording, the chair will explain the method and purpose of the recording and how the recording will be used and made available.
4. Prior to starting any electronic recording, the chair will seek approval from all attendees for the recording to occur and will note the acceptance by all attendees in the meeting minutes.

Constituency

1. The Foundation and Technology Steering Division is made up of the Co-chairs of a set of Work Groups that constitute that Steering Division (the "constituents" of the Steering Division). The committees assigned to each Steering Division are determined by the Technical Steering Committee. The following are the constituents of the Foundation and Technology Steering Division:

• Implementable Technology Specifications (ITS)
• Implementation/Conformance
• Infrastructure & Messaging (InM)
• RIM-based Application Architecture (RIMBAA)
• Modeling & Methodology (MnM)
• Security
• Service Oriented Architecture (SOA)
• Templates
• Vocabulary

1. The Co-chairs of the Steering Division are the elected representatives (primary and alternate) to the TSC from that Steering Division.
2. The Steering Division is tasked to coordinate and oversee the activities of its constituents and to represent their concerns in the HL7 Technical Steering Committee. # Voting in Steering Division matters will be cast on a one-vote per constituent basis by the elected Co-Chairs of the constituents. ==Quorum Requirements ==
3. A quorum for committee meetings require that The chair (or designate) and Co-chairs representing at least half of the constituents must be present. The chair may be counted as the Co-chair representing his/her constituent in the event no other Co-chairs of that constituent are present. [
4. A motion may be made, by any member, to defer major decisions even if quorum is met, particularly if key stakeholders are not present.

Preponderance of Interest

[NOTE: The following section is suggested. Steering Divisions that routinely face controversial decisions that are influenced by organizational participation should consider rigid enforcement. Those that do not should consider “only-as-needed” enforcement.]

Preponderance of Interest

Due to the balanced makeup of the Foundation And Technology Steering Division, "Preponderance of Influence" is not viewed as a substantive issue for the Foundation And Technology Steering Division.

Presiding Chair Vote

1. The presiding co-chair may cast a vote in only two circumstances:
2. The presiding co-chair may cast a tie-breaking vote.
   1. The chair may cast a vote on behalf of the constituent the chair represents in the event that no other Co-chairs for that constituent are present.
3. In all circumstances, the Steering Division can have no more than one presiding co-chair, with any other committee co-chairs participating as regular members when not presiding.
   1. Note that the presiding co-chair can change within the course of a given session so long as a public statement recognizing the change is made.
4. Although any issue may be discussed at any time, binding actions cannot be taken without sufficient notification (see Section 3) and quorum (see Section 5). Absence of either of these conditions allows the committee to issue recommendations that must subsequently be ratified by the committee subject to satisfying constraints placed upon binding decisions.
5. No co-chair should preside over discussions or vote for which they could reasonably be perceived to have a material interest.

Decision Threshold Requirements

1. The Steering Division will strive for consensus in decision-making; however, decisions of the Steering Division are affirmed by simple majority.
2. Each constituent shall have one vote.
3. While decisions are affirmed by simple majority, the Steering Division shall endeavor to make its decisions via a consensus process.
4. Where a consensus decision is not reached the Steering Division shall agree on a course of action to be followed in order that sufficient information to achieve consensus may be gathered.
5. To be called a consensus decision, it must receive two-thirds (66%) majority support. A variety of informal techniques may be used to determine if consensus may be reached including, but not limited to, straw poll, Robert’s Rules of Order, seeking response to a hypothetical opposing view, and polling each participant to voice their position on the issue.
6. When a formal vote is taken, the co-chair will explain the eligibility for voting.
7. Any participant concerned that a given organization has undue representation or influence within a session of the committee may invoke the “Preponderance of Influence” clause (see Section 5.2). This invocation is non-debatable.

Revisiting Decisions

1. It is recognized that revisiting previously made decisions inhibits progress and should be discouraged. That said, circumstances might exist that warrant re-opening discussion on a previously resolved issue.
2. To dissuade this practice, such re-opening requires a formal motion, second, and two-thirds (66%) majority affirmative vote subject to the quorum rules in this document.
3. In order for the decision to revisit a previous decision to be considered binding, advance notification as specified in Meeting Notifications (section 3) is required.
4. The Meeting Notifications (section 3) can be waived to expedite ballot reconciliation items if the Steering Division determines that the same range of views as in the original decision are represented.

Electronic Voting

1. Some decisions voting outside of the working group meetings may be conducted electronically.
2. Steering Division electronic votes will be announced on the Steering Division list server.
3. If the motion was NOT made, seconded and discussed during a quorum meeting then, the workgroup will circulate the motion and request a second via the list service. Once seconded there will be a period of not less than 3 days of discussion prior to the opening of the e-vote.
4. The Steering Division electronic votes will be held open for a minimum period of 1 week but may be longer. The voting period will be defined in the announcement of opening the e-vote.
5. Quorum for electronic voting will be set at 90% of the number of attendees at the last meeting or call in which quorum was achieved. Quorum shall be at a minimum the same as for a Steering Division meeting or call as defined in Section 5.
6. If quorum has not been achieved at the end of the announced voting period, the vote will be closed as unsuccessful due to lack of quorum.
7. Electronic votes are decided by simple majority of the affirmatives and negatives.

Proxy Participation

Proxy Not Allowed

1. The Steering Division recognizes that competing interests sometimes prohibit a member’s ability to participate in person at all meetings. However, in the interest of encouraging the dynamic exchange of ideas, the Steering Division does not endorse/allow participation by proxy.
2. If an organization feels strongly enough about a particular topic to want to vote, that organization shall send adequate representation. Where possible, the co-chairs should accommodate schedules to ensure such representation can be present in the appropriate venue.

Statement of Position

1. Those wishing to establish a position in writing may do so subject to the notification requirements outlined in Section 3
2. Statements of Position received prior to or during the meeting will be shared by the co-chair as part of the discussion on the related topic.
3. The presiding co-chair has the responsibility to voice and represent theses positions during relevant discussion, through they are not under obligation to support or defend them.
4. These statements do not carry the weight of a vote and are included as informational item only for consideration by the committee.
5. All Statements of Position received in electronic form will be included as attachments to the minutes.

Roberts Rules of Order

1. The Steering Division shall rely upon Roberts Rules of Order in the event that formal guidance of parliamentary procedure is needed or requested.
2. In the interest of ensuring the effective and active engagement of all participants, the Steering Division shall follow its documented decision-making practices, referring to Roberts Rules of Order in the event of a question or concern. Since Robert’s Rules of Order provides formalism for addressing almost all matters of process, this provides a “backup mechanism” of formality in the event that it is required.
3. It is the responsibility of the presiding co-chair to guide the Steering Division to an efficient and effective outcome. The Steering Division shall follow, in this order of precedence, these Decision-making Practices (which cannot conflict with the HL7 Bylaws or Governance and Operations Manual), the HL7 Governance and Operations Manual, the HL7 Bylaws, and Roberts Rules of Order. The established decision-making practices can refine certain policies and procedures so long as they remain in accordance with the HL7 Governance and Operations Manual and Bylaws.
4. In the event that an issue arises where formality is required and no other guidance exists, Robert’s Rules of Order shall take precedence. This provides a “common denominator” to keep in-check the power of the presiding co-chair and to confirm the rights of all participants and members.

Document Revision History
Version Number	Adoption Date
3.0	January 10, 2011

Appendix A: Previous wording:

=Decision Making Practices=

This section documents the proposed set of decision-making practices for the '''''Foundation & Technology Steering Division (FT-SD)''''' of the HL7 Technical Steering Committee.

==Constituency & Voting==

* The Steering Divisions of the Technical Steering Committee are made up of the Co-chairs of a set of committees and SIGs that constitute that Steering Division (the "constituents" of the Steering Division).

* The committees assigned to each Steering Division are determined by the Technical Steering Committee.

* The Co-chairs of the Steering Division are the elected representatives (primary and alternate) to the TSC from that Steering Division.

* The Steering Division is tasked to coordinate and oversee the activities of its constituents and to represent their concerns in the HL7 Technical Steering Committee.

* Voting in Steering Division matters will be cast on a one-vote per constituent basis by the elected Co-Chairs of the constituents.

The FT-SD will lead by example, and adhere to a set of decision-making practices that ensure consensus, openness, and balance of interest. Furthermore, the practices as outlined here are designed to enable timely decision-making with an earnest attempt to ensure that input from all affected parties is considered. The Decision-making practices are intended to govern the standard operating procedures of the FT-SD and are not intended to conflict with rules governing ballot procedure as defined by ANSI and the HL7 Bylaws and Policies and Procedures.<br><br>

# '''Meetings are open to all interested parties including but not limited to members of HL7, HL7 affiliates, and guests of HL7 as referenced in the HL7 Bylaws – Article 3.02.''' <br><br>Meetings of the FT-SD are open to everyone to ensure that viewpoints of all affected parties have an opportunity to be shared and considered. Everyone may have an opportunity to speak; however, the chair may limit discussion to topics that have been identified during the setting of the meeting agenda, or due to time-constraints that may prevent completion of business. If discussion is truncated prior to resolution of the item under discussion, a future time for discussion will be set prior to moving to the next topic. Participants with submitted topics are expected to attend when the purpose or mode of the meeting require their input. Other HL7 members may be asked to attend to provide specific input regarding a particular issue. The following list identifies expected participation by meeting type. All FT-SD meetings are open; this list simply identifies the anticipated participants.

#* <u>Scheduled/Periodic conference call meetings</u> are attended by Co-chairs of the consituents of FT-SD.

#* <u>FT-SD Meetings during Working Group Meetings</u> may be attended by any working group meeting attendee. Participants are asked to introduce themselves and identify the nature of their affiliation with HL7.<br><br>

# '''Venues of Notification.'''<br><br>All activities will be conducted in a public light with efforts made to ensure ample notification of those interested. The FT-SD shall use the FT-SD<nowiki>'</nowiki>s portion of the TSC Wiki site as its primary vehicle for notifications.<br><br>Satisfaction of minimal notification requirements dictates that relevant announcements/materials/etc. be posted to the Wiki. The Wiki will be used for discussion threads, notifications, new and archived documents, whereas the web server will predominantly be used for archival and document resources (decision documents, minutes, papers, etc.).<br><br>Any use of the terms '''post''', '''posted''', or '''posting''' refers to notification subject to these constraints.<br><br>

==Notification of Meetings ==

# '''Notification of meetings and the intended agenda is provided prior to the meeting.''' <br><br>Binding decisions can be made only at meetings with the required advance notification; only recommendations and non-binding decisions can be made at special purpose meetings.<br><br>The chair of the FT-SD shall make every attempt to ensure that all parties with an interest in agenda topics are made aware of the meeting time and location subject to the documented notification requirements. As appropriate, FT-SD activities will be cross-posted to other HL7 Wiki sites, depending upon the topic and type of meeting as indicated in the following list. Certain meetings are subject to Bylaws guidelines for notification. Please refer to the Bylaws for additional information.<br>

#* <u>Working group meeting agendas</u> are posted in the meeting brochure. A preliminary agenda is developed by Wednesday of the prior working-group meeting and posted with the minutes within 2 weeks. The preliminary agenda is finalized on a scheduled conference call two weeks prior to the working group meeting and posted within 2 business days. Recognizing the dynamic nature of working group meetings, the agenda may require updates. Notification will be satisfied so long as at least two of the following venues are used:

#** <u>E-mail notification by 6:00 pm local time the evening before the event</u>

#** <u>Notification on the bulletin board (near the registration desk) at least 2 quarters prior to the event</u>

#** <u>Announcement in the general session or lunch session prior to the event</u>

#* <u>Scheduled/Periodic telephone conference call meeting agendas</u> are to be posted no later than 24 hours prior to the call. Preliminary agendas are to be determined at the close of each teleconference.

#* The agenda, for either a conference call or working group meeting, will include the purpose of each topic, anticipated discussion time and whether it is intended to set direction or to make a decision.

#* Should the FT-SD require <u>action between scheduled meetings</u> there are two alternatives. First, a Special Purpose Meeting may be called as defined in the Bylaws (Section 11.04), which requires 30 days notice. Alternatively, the issues may be discussed as an informal group, bringing forward recommendations to the list or as a discussion topic for the next regularly scheduled FT-SD meeting. Recommendations by the informal group are not binding decisions until acted upon by the FT-SD.<br><br>

#'''Decisions made at FT-SD meetings are recorded in meeting minutes and posted.'''<br><br>Minutes are recorded and posted for all FT-SD meetings including the date, time, and location of the meeting, a list of attendees, the intended agenda, a brief summary of discussion topics, and the outcome of proposals made (including vote tallies if votes were taken).<br><br>Minutes from a working group meeting will be posted no later than 2 weeks of the last day of the conference and in compliance with HQ deadlines; minutes from a conference call will be posted within one week of the call.<br><br>

# '''Decisions made at non-working group meetings (conference calls and special purpose meetings) are summarized during the next working group meeting.'''<br><br>In the interest of facilitating good communication among the FT-SD members, those decisions that were made between working group meetings will be summarized and available at working group meetings. This communication will contain, at a minimum, abbreviated summary of the issues involved and the decisions made by the FT-SD. Any FT-SD decisions are subject to the practices documented elsewhere in this paper.<br><br>

Quorum Rules

# '''Quorum for FT-SD meetings: The chair (or designate) and Co-chairs representing at least half of the constituents must be present. The chair may be counted as the Co-chair representing his/her constituent in the event no other Co-chairs of that constituent are present.'''<br><br>Attendance for all meetings is recorded in the meeting minutes, including the participant name and constituent(s) they represent. The recorder for the meeting is responsible for ensuring minutes are taken and posted. Due to the balanced makeup of the FT-SD, "Preponderance of Influence" is not viewed as a substantive issue for the FT-SD. The chair may cast a vote on behalf of the constituent the chair represents in the event that no other Co-chairs for that constituent are present.<br><br>In all circumstances, the FT-SD can have no more than one presiding chair. All other FT-SD members, act as regular members when not presiding. Note that the presiding chair can change within the course of a given session so long as a public statement recognizing the shift of control is made.<br><br>Although any issue may be discussed within FT-SD meeting venues at any time, binding actions cannot be taken without sufficient notification and quorum. Absence of either of these conditions allows the FT-SD to issue recommendations that must subsequently be ratified by the FT-SD subject to satisfying constraints placed upon binding decisions.<br><br>

==Decision Making==

# '''Decisions made by the Steering Division are reached using a simple majority vote. Votes are cast on behalf of the constituents (one vote per each constituent represented, either in-person or by proxy) as determined by the Co-chairs of each constituent in attendance. Individuals may cast one vote for each constituency represented. (for example, one person representing two committees may cast two votes). The FT-SD will always strive for consensus in decision-making'''<br><br>While decisions are made by simple majority vote, the FT-SD shall endeavor to make its decisions via a consensus process. For a decision to be called consensus, it must receive two-thirds (66%) majority support. While determining if consensus is being reached, a variety of techniques may be used informally to assess the position of the group, including but not limited to straw poll, Robert<nowiki>'</nowiki>s Rules of Order, seeking response to a hypothetical opposing view, and polling each participant to voice their position on the issue.<br><br>When formal votes are taken voting shall always be by constituent. For non-binding decisions only, all meeting participants may have the opportunity to vote at the discretion of the chair.<br><br>It is recognized that revisiting previously made decisions inhibits FT-SD progress and should be discouraged. That said, circumstances might exist that warrant re-opening of discussion on a previously visited issue. To dissuade this practice, such re-opening requires a formal motion, second, and simple majority affirmative vote of the FT-SD as subject to the quorum rules in this document; however, in order for the decision to be considered binding, advance notification, as defined in this document, is required<br><br>

==Proxies==

# '''If none of the Co-chairs of a constituent of FT-SD are able to participate in FT-SD activities in person, that constituent may vote by proxy.'''<br><br>

The Committee recognizes that competing interests sometimes prohibit the ability to participate directly in Steering Division activities. To address this concern, declared committee members may issue a formal proxy to allow their voice to be heard in their absence. Note that all responsibilities to faithfully represent and execute the proxy fall solely between the proxy issuer and holder. One individual may represent multiple constituencies.

<br>

The chair shall be sensitive and considerate when attempting to accommodate schedules to ensure that involved constituencies can be represented at the appropriate venue. The Foundation & Technology Steering Division recognizes two forms of proxy voting: Time-Limited and Issue-Limited, enumerated below. The Foundation and Technology Steering Division does not accept “Statement of Position” proxies.

<br>

* '''Time-limited Proxy''' A Time-limited Proxy empowers another individual or organization to speak on behalf of the committee they are representing. Time-limited proxies empower the proxy participant to represent the originating organization for the period of time designated in the proxy. (for instance, a scheduled Steering Division Meeting or call). Proxy-holders may participate and vote on all issues subject to the constraints in the proxy. Time-limited proxies are restricted to individuals in attendance at the meeting.

* '''Issue-limited Proxy.''' Contrasted with a time-limited proxy, an issue-limited proxy empowers the proxy participant to act on behalf of the issuing constituency for all matters pertaining to the issue designated. Proxy holders may participate and vote in all matters concerning the issues designated in the proxy and subject to any constraints in the proxy. For instance, if an organization proffers a proxy on all issues related to HL7 Balloting, the acting proxy participant may engage only on those issues pertaining to balloting. <br>

** '''Time-limited Proxy'''. A Time-limited Proxy empowers another individual or organization to speak on behalf of the committee they are representing. Time-limited proxies empower the proxy participant to represent the originating organization for the period of time designated in the proxy. (for instance, a scheduled Steering Division Meeting or call). Proxy-holders may participate and vote on all issues subject to the constraints in the proxy. Time-limited proxies are restricted to individuals in attendance at the meeting.

** '''Issue-limited Proxy.''' Contrasted with a time-limited proxy, an issue-limited proxy empowers the proxy participant to act on behalf of the issuing constituency for all matters pertaining to the issue designated. Proxy holders may participate and vote in all matters concerning the issues designated in the proxy and subject to any constraints in the proxy. For instance, if an organization proffers a proxy on all issues related to HL7 Balloting, the acting proxy participant may engage only on those issues pertaining to balloting. <br>

* Proxies are not transitive. A proxy holder cannot re-delegate that proxy to another.

* Proxies are not commutative. An issued proxy to a designee does not in turn allow the converse. A second proxy back to the first constituent would be required.

* Proxies must be provided to, at a minimum, the Steering Division list. During Working Group Meetings, this notification may be either on paper and physically signed by the member (facsimiles are accepted), or received electronically from the registered e-mail address in the HL7 Membership Directory. Also acceptable is a paper proxy presented to the Steering Division Chair with one Steering Division witness, or to an HL7 staff member.

<br><br>

==Robert<nowiki>'</nowiki>s Rules of Order==

# '''The FT-SD shall rely upon Robert<nowiki>'</nowiki>s Rules of Order in the event that formal guidance is needed or requested.'''<br><br>The FT-SD intends to ensure the effective and active engagement of all participants. To ensure fair and just participation, the FT-SD shall follow its documented decision-making practices, falling-back upon Roberts Rules of Order in the event of a question or concern. Since Robert<nowiki>'</nowiki>s Rules of Order provides formalism for addressing almost all matters of process, this provides a "backup mechanism" of formality in the event that it is required.<br><br>It is the responsibility of the chair to guide the FT-SD to an efficient and effective outcome. The FT-SD shall follow, in this order of precedence, these Decision-making Practices (which cannot conflict with HL7 Policies and Procedures or the HL7 Bylaws), HL7 Policies and Procedures, the HL7 Bylaws, and Robert<nowiki>'</nowiki>s Rules of Order. FT-SD-established decision-making practices can refine the HL7 Policies and Procedures and Bylaws so long as they remain in accordance with those documents.<br><br>In the event that an issue arises where formality is required and other guidance exists, Robert<nowiki>'</nowiki>s Rules of Order shall take precedence. This provides a "common denominator" to keep in-check the power of the chair and to confirm the rights of all FT-SD members.

===Quorum Examples===

Based upon PIC<nowiki>'</nowiki>s Decision Making Practices Document version 1.3, adopted December 1, 2003.

The following examples are based on a Steering Division with nine (9) constituent bodies, as did the FT-SD in September 2007.

# Simple scenario<br>''6 persons, representing five constituents, attend a meeting, including the chair (or their designate).''<br><br>Quorum is established and the FT-SD can conduct its business as usual. Five participants may vote, because one constituent is represented by two attendees.<br><br>

# Tie scenario<br>''6 persons, representing six constituents, attend a meeting, including the chair (or their designate).''<br><br>Quorum is established and the FT-SD can conduct its business as usual. In the event of a tie the item will fail because a simple majority is not reached.<br><br>

# Non-representative scenario<br>''6 persons, representing four constituents, including the chair (or their designate).''<br><br>Quorum is not established.<br><br>