KENNESAW, Ga. | Jun 18, 2019

University hosts meeting of international standards-setting body

This week, when Information Systems student Ryan Bishop speaks, the world will be listening.

Bishop joins Kennesaw State University faculty member Dr. Dominic Thomas among the participants of a three-day International Organization for Standardization meeting to establish systems and software maintenance guidelines in the maritime shipping industry.

^{IS Student Ryan Bishop}

From June 18-20, representatives from six countries – including officials from the largest shipping company in the world, Maersk – will meet in Prillaman Hall to discuss creating technology standards for devices on shipping vessels. These standards will give users easier access to diagnostic data, and will help secure ships against cyberattacks. The attendees are all part of the ISO’s TC8 committee, which establishes rules governing international ships and marine technology.

Kennesaw State University’s Modular Agile Development Lab, part of the Michael J. Coles College of Business, is hosting the meeting. Thomas, an Associate Professor of Information Systems, and Bishop, a student in his IS 3020 class, will provide expert support on behalf of the American National Standards Institute.

The ISO consists of 164 standards-setting bodies from around the world working together to develop consistent rules governing all aspects of international trade. ANSI, which represents the U.S., chose Thomas and Bishop to attend as experts in systems processes and data interchange.

“Taking part in such a grand project is so exciting,” says Bishop, who graduates next year. “I am serving as a representative for my peers and my mentors here at KSU. I hope my performance reflects the aptitude of those who attend this prestigious school.”

BIMCO, the world’s largest shipping association, recently submitted a draft to the ISO of proposed standards that would give users remote access to shipboard equipment statuses, allowing for real-time monitoring of everything from a ship’s radar and communications systems to its refrigeration units. Realizing the benefits, but also noticing some opportunities for improvement, Bishop and Thomas worked together for weeks to put together a series of recommendations.

The two also created a diagram outlining the potential flow of information, as well as a mock database for running simulations. They plan to present these items at the meeting.

“Dr. Thomas and I spent many hours discussing the possibilities of our recommended system,” Bishop says, “and I think the potential we envision will be realized by everyone that’s part of the project.”

^{Dr. Dominic Thomas}

Increased computerization in the shipping industry has created a pressing need for a single technology standard for logging and reporting critical shipboard information, says Steve O’Malley, Chairman of the ISO TC8 Committee.

“Shippers have to know exactly what software they are using,” he says. “Because if that software acts up, it’s going to affect everything they do. If they suffer a software crash, the ship is down for three days. That represents hundreds of thousands of dollars per day in lost income.”

O’Malley, who lives in Kennesaw and has a daughter enrolled in the Coles College, chose to hold the meeting at Kennesaw State after speaking with Thomas, who has worked on developing technology standards in other industries. Thomas recommended hosting it under the umbrella of the MAD Lab, an incubator for student researchers to develop new information system technologies.

Dr. Solomon Negash, Director of the MAD Lab, says the meeting will provide students – who are allowed to observe – with a unique look at the standards-creation process.

“The MAD Lab encourages hands-on learning for the KSU community,” he says. “Hosting the ISO standards meeting creates an opportunity for students, faculty, and staff to engage with industry practitioners.”

Along with the University’s growing prestige among the business community, the chance to inspire business students to develop an interest in standards was key to O’Malley’s choice to host the event at Kennesaw State. He says that young people rarely pay attention to the process, despite its significant importance to international business.

“The U.S. in general does not participate in international standards,” he says, “which puts us at a disadvantage. If you know what changes are going to happen, then you can change your business…I talked with Dominic about getting young people involved so they can understand where all the weird things they find in contracts actually come from.”

This week’s meeting is the first in what could be a months-long process to develop and release a full set of technology standards governing shipboard devices. O’Malley says the committee could hold future meetings at Kennesaw State, but there are no plans at this time.

Thomas is optimistic that the meeting at Kennesaw State will be instrumental to the overall process.

“The hope is that this meeting we will be able to get past general guidelines and arrive at the first releasable version for the standard that can enable a first wave of improvements,” he says.

-Patrick Harbin