USEM Network Day 2009
A need for more exchange with the USEM trained users was the reason that a network day was organised. This special workshop was held on October 29th 2009 at the CEN / CENELEC premises in Brussels.
Staying constantly in touch by electronic means such as e-mail is rather difficult. Furthermore people with different origins have different cultural backgrounds and operate in rather diverse work environments. Having only met once in an intensive course on standardisation is not really sufficient to establish long lasting relationships. Therefore the network day aimed to bring the USEM trainees together again.
It was also felt by the USEM consortium that ANEC and EDF should be involved in this event. The route of participation in standardisation work at European level often involves EDF and ANEC. It was also seen as being beneficial that EDF and ANEC meet the trained users and to get to know them better.
The USEM consortium was keen to receive feedback from the trainees regarding their experiences after the training event in Bonn.
Therefore this "Network Day" workshop was organised to receive feedback from the trainees, to enhance the networking among the users and between users and the USEM partners and last but not least to get acquainted with the standardisation efforts by ANEC and EDF. It was also felt that an update of the status of standards regarding users with disabilities was relevant.
- Ten highly motivated USEM trained users participated in the event
- Four “routes” to enter standardisation processes were identified:
- via the National Standards organizations’ initiatives: becoming a member and being appointed as a national delegate,
- via intervention of ANEC as an organization which has the right to send a representative to any EU standards committee,
- via a call for experts and search for a particular expertise (in a special domain),
- via taking the initiative for creating a standard, as for example Dutch trainees at the Network Day mentioned for medical equipment and people with disabilities (think about large/short, heavy/very thin people and treatment chair/operating table etc.). The Dutch members explained very well how they have been in contact with relevant organisations and how NEN had been involved.
- A presentation about the current state of the Mandate 376 Phase II (Standard on the public procurement of accessible ICT in Europe) was given.
- The role of ANEC/EDF and the work they do was clarified and appreciated very well.
- The feedback and experience reported on ISO issues gave rise to interesting duscussions: Meeting each other in person was appreciated very much and in the time allotted to give USEM the feedback the importance of being a user-with-disability as partner in standardization was discussed.
- At the end the participants expressed their desire to have more network days with the mix of topics as were addressed at this particular day. Possibly, the Stand4All consortium could take this up as a suggestion and maybe CEN for a separate workshop in their annual "StandarDays".