A key principle in the operation of the ISB, as laid out in the ISB Business Plan 07/08, is that “Any work that the ISB carries out or directs should be to provide optimum and immediate benefits to key stakeholders rather than ‘nice ideas for the future’.” In response, an ISB governance model has been developed that takes a view across the whole scope of standards adoption, that is the creation and approval of standards as well as the management of their adoption and delivering those standards into practice

Each group identified in this model has a key role to play in governing the effective adoption of standards:-

CIO Council – leads the development and implementation of a common, integrated information strategy across the education, skills and children’s services (escs) system; champions the benefits of using information and technology (IT) to best effect; and identifies opportunities to pool information assets and resources

CIOG Strategy & Architecture – ISB Secretariat facilitates the ISB strategy in its operational delivery and stakeholder engagement; is the “intelligent customer” for the TSS; and provides a point of escalation for standards issues that cannot be resolved by the ISB

Information Standards Board (ISB) – is the escs system-wide authority for all information and data standards; develop information standards to help front line delivery; improve the use of information to aid learner progression and transition; and ensure greater efficiency and better outcomes for children and learners

Stakeholder Panel

Technical Support Service (TSS) – co-ordinates and develops business led standards approval and adoption process on behalf of the ISB and escs system; support delivery of the ISB business plan; and assists the ISB with management of the wider escs stakeholder landscape

Systems Adoption Panels (SAP)] – ensures that standards support interoperability, improved outcomes and reduced burdens from a systemic perspective; ensures that sector-wide stakeholders are engaged and supportive of the ISB; and oversees the entire lifecycle for groups of and individual standards on behalf of the sector

Standards Working Groups (SWGs) – provides the link between the business, programmes and standards development to maximise benefits; ensures that standards support system-wide policy and are aligned to enabling IT programmes and projects; sponsor and accelerate adoption of; ensures that end user requirements are captured and associated benefits realised and communicated; and informs ISB strategy and TSS engagement

Special Interest Groups (SIGs) – provide specialized knowledge in various business categories across the escs system; participates in different standards working groups (SWGs) and will be the leading expert’s advisory group to TSS with regards to the information standards

Although the ISB in its operations must recognize and support this process of adoption it is clear that the ISB is not responsible for the adoption of standards out side of the ‘Approval’ activity.