pmrm — archive

PMRM TC: possible simplifications in the original PMRM Services

From: Susan Landau
To: [email protected]
Date: Sat, 20 Aug 2011 17:27:00 -0000

Some suggestions inline. I hope they are useful. Susan On 8/18/11 6:39 PM, Michael Willett wrote: [email protected] type= cite > John S and I have assembled a number of comments from PMRM TC members over time and have discussed at length possible simplifications in the PMRM Services that may address some of your concerns (and confusion). The objective is to make the Methodology/PMRM as simple as possible, but not any simpler (to quote Einstein). In the original work that led to the current 10 Services, the Agent, Usage, and Access services were ‘different’ in their nature, being services that largely invoked other services. Consideration: - Agent: Acts as the ‘persona’ for the underlying Actor/system. Consider expanding the Interaction service to include the Agent capability. - Usage: handles ‘subsequent’ handling of PI. Consider absorbing that capability into the Control service. - Control: Manages agreements/permissions re: PI. But, the term ‘control’ is already over-loaded; eg, we talk about privacy ‘controls’, which are at a different logical level in the architecture. Consider changing the name of Control to something else: one possibility is Usage, expanded meaning (above). Anyone have a better name suggestion? “Manage” is way too broad. How about Data Manager ? Or Attribute Manager ? [email protected] type= cite > - Access: Grant subject access to PI held by other Actors. One consideration is to collapse Access into Interaction. But, Access is a fundamental function. Let’s keep it distinct for the moment. - Security: Elevate Security to Service status. - Audit: Manages the ‘log’. Absorb Audit into Enforcement. I think this is problematic, unless by absorb, you mean as a separate entity explicitly defined within Enforcement. If so, makes sense. [email protected] type= cite > Net: New Services – Core Policy Services . 19 Agreement 19 20 Usage (new = Control + Usage) Security Privacy Assurance Services 21 Validation . 21 Certification . 22 .............................................................................................................................. Enforcement 25 (absorb Audit) Presentation and Life Cycle Services . 26 Interaction . 26 (including Agent) Access Now, consider the 7 function-category set under each Service: 1. DEFINE [SVC] operational requirements 2. SELECT [SVC] (input, process, and output) information and parameters 3. INPUT [SVC] information and parameter values in accordance with Select 4. PROCESS [SVC] information and parameter values within Functions 5. OUTPUT [SVC] information, parameter values, and actions 6. LINK [SVC] to other (named) Services 7. SECURE [SVC] with the appropriate security functions Define and Select are all part of setting up the invocation of the Service, whose calculation is included in the (multiple) Process calls/invocations. Think like programmers: Services are “called” by other Services (like programming ‘procedures’ in my day). So, Link is part of what the privacy management system does among Services. I'm confused, but it might just be a simple issue. Shouldn't one of the inputs to services 1-7 be time? [email protected] type= cite > And, given that Security is a Service, any Service can ‘link’ to Security. That is, Security need not be called out explicitly. I'm really confused here. I would think we would want Security explicitly called out. Perhaps I am missing the picture of what is happening. [email protected] type= cite > Net: The fundamental Function categories under each Service are (just like for procedures) : - Setup - Input - Process - Output Do you have a better word for Setup? Maybe, Configure? How about Initialize ? [email protected] type= cite > We solicit your opinions on any/all of the suggestions above? Yea? Nay? Better ideas? While I have your attention: We use the terms Actor, Touch Point, and System. Can someone suggest a precise definition for each that shows their mutual relationships? The challenge: make them distinct. Actor: Active people, devices, systems that initiate actions. Touchpoint: The invocation of a service by another service; the invocation includes transfer of PII.