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 post-divestiture 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

IN CIn d u s try N u m b erin g

C om m ittee

O B FO rd erin g & B illin g

F oru m

N IIFN etw ork In te rcon n ec tion

In te rop erab ility C om m ittee

TF P CTe lecom m u n ica tion s F rau d

P reven tion C om m ittee

C LCC arrier L iaison C om m ittee

ATISAlliance for Telecom m unications Industry Solutions

www.atis.org

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 forumforum process suggestionsprocess 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

• 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 EtiquetteAs 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

• 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

• 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

ATIS/OBF Web Site

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

DocumentDescription

DocumentDownload

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

All CommitteeLeadership

Contacts Are ListedOn This Web Page

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