RDFa Working Group Charter

The mission of the RDFa Working Group, formerly known as RDF Web Applications Working Group, is to support the developing use of RDFa for embedding and handling structured data in Web documents in general. In June 2012 W3C published the RDFa Core 1.1, RDFa Lite 1.1, and XHTML+RDFa 1.1 Recommendations; the RDFa Working Group is chartered to complete the family of RDFa Specifications by finalizing the HTML+RDFa 1.1 specification (which is currently a Working Draft published by the HTML Working Group) as a Recommendation. No substantive changes of the core RDFa specifications are planned.

Join the RDFa Working Group.

End date	30 September 2013
Confidentiality	Proceedings are public
Initial Chair	Manu Sporny (Digital Bazaar, Inc.)
Initial Team Contacts	Ivan Herman (10%)
Usual Meeting Schedule	Teleconferences: every two weeks Face-to-face: none planned.

Background

RDFa 1.1 is specified as a core set of features (specified in the RDFa Core 1.1 Recommendation), and a lightweight subset of these features (specified in the RDFa Lite 1.1 Recommendation). This core can be adapted to the needs of particular Host Languages. The XHTML+RDFa 1.1 Recommendation describes the use of RDFa 1.1 with XHTML1.1 as a host language.

Work on HTML5 as a Host Language for RDFa 1.1 has previously been pursued in the HTML Working Group, through an active cooperation with the RDFa (RDFWA) Working Group. The HTML+RDFa specification was published as a Last Call Working Draft in May 2011, with a subsequent Working Draft published in March 2012.

With the stronger interest in and expertise around the RDFa specifications now residing outside the HTML Working Group, this charter directs that the HTML+RDFa 1.1 specification be advanced to Recommendation by an RDFa Working Group with review by the HTML Working Group.

Scope

The Working Group is chartered to define how RDFa Core 1.1 is to be used with HTML5 and XHTML5 as Host Languages. The processing rules defined for these host language would also apply to HTML4 and XHTML documents when interpreted according to the HTML 5 specification.

The Host Language specification may take into account some of the structured data related mechanisms defined in HTML5, e.g., the interpretation of the datetime attribute to generate typed literals. The inclusion of such mechanisms will depend on the available use cases and current RDFa deployment (e.g., by schema.org usage or by the Open Graph Protocol). Overall, adding markup beyond what is defined in RDFa 1.1 Core is a non-goal.

The Working Group may issue Edited Recommendation for the RDFa Core 1.1, RDFa Lite 1.1, or XHTML+RDFa 1.1 documents if the errata identified for these specifications make it necessary. The Working Group must not add new features to these specifications.

Success Criteria

Clear processing rules defined for HTML5+RDFa 1.1
At least two independent and mutually interoperable implementations

Out of Scope

The working group is not chartered to add new features to RDFa Core 1.1, RDFa Lite 1.1, or XHTML+RDFa 1.1, or make other changes that extend beyond addressing errata.

Deliverables

HTML+RDFa 1.1, Recommendation: This document establishes HTML5 and XHTML5 as Host Languages for RDFa Core 1.1
RDFa Core 1.1, Edited Recommendation: Folding in possible editorial errata into RDFa Core 1.1. This deliverable is optional.
RDFa Lite 1.1, Edited Recommendation: Folding in possible editorial errata into RDFa Lite 1.1. This deliverable is optional.
XHTML +RDFa 1.1, Edited Recommendation: Folding in possible editorial errata into XHTML+RDFa 1.1. This deliverable is optional.

Milestones

Specification	FPWD	LC	CR	PR	Rec or Edited Rec
Note: Dates are based on a charter starting in September 2012. The group will document significant changes from this initial schedule on the group home page.
HTML+RDFa 1.1 (Rec)	September 2012	January 2013	February 2013	March 2013	May 2013

Timeline View Summary

“T” in this timeline is currently planned to be in September 2012; “T+n” means “n” months later.

T: First teleconference
T: First Public Working Draft for the HTML+RDFa 1.1 Recommendation track document. This document is based on the current editor’s draft worked on at the HTML5 Working Group
T+4: Last Call Working Draft for the HTML+RDFa 1.1 Recommendation track document
T+5: Candidate Recommendatation for the HTML+RDFa 1.1 Recommendation track document
T+6: Proposed Recommendation for the HTML+RDFa 1.1 Recommendation track document
T+8: Publication of the HTML+RDFa 1.1 Recommendation

This schedule does not include Edited Recommendations for the existing RDFa 1.1 Recommendations, which will be issued if and when needed.

Dependencies and Liaisons

Dependencies

Internationalization Activity: To ensure that all features introduced to HTML5+RDFa 1.1 are in line with the requirements of Internationalization on the Web.
Protocols and Formats Working Group: To ensure that all features introduced to HTML5+RDFa 1.1 are in line with the requirements of Web Accessibility.
HTML Working Group: To ensure that the HTML5+RDFa 1.1 document takes into account all relevant technical changes on the HTML5 specification.

Liaisons

Hypertext Coordination Group: To ensure that the correct coordination actions are taken with all HTML related issues.

External Groups

OASIS Open Document Format for Office Applications (OpenDocument) TC: To synchronize on the RDFa usage in ODF 1.2

Furthermore, RDFa Working Group expects to follow these W3C Recommendations:

Participation

To be successful, the RDFa Working Group is expected to have 5 or more active participants for its duration. Effective participation in the RDFa Working Group is expected to consume one work day per week for each participant; two days per week for editors.

Participants are reminded of the Good Standing requirements of the W3C Process.

Communication

This group primarily conducts its work on the public mailing list public-rdfa@w3.org (with a publicly visible archive) .

Information about the group (deliverables, participants, teleconferences, etc.) is available from the RDFa Working Group home page.

Decision Policy

As explained in the Process Document (section 3.3), this group will seek to make decisions when there is consensus. When the Chair puts a question and observes dissent, after due consideration of different opinions, the Chair should record a decision (possibly after a formal vote) and any objections, and move on.

This charter is written in accordance with Section 3.4, Votes of the W3C Process Document and includes no voting procedures beyond what the Process Document requires.

Patent Policy

This Working Group operates under the W3C Patent Policy (5 February 2004 Version). To promote the widest adoption of Web standards, W3C seeks to issue Recommendations that can be implemented, according to this policy, on a Royalty-Free basis.

For more information about disclosure obligations for this group, please see the W3C Patent Policy Implementation.

About this Charter

This charter for the RDFa Working Group has been created according to section 6.2 of the Process Document. In the event of a conflict between this document or the provisions of any charter and the W3C Process, the W3C Process shall take precedence.

The charter of the group has been extended on the 24th of January, 2012 to the 31st of July 2012 and then, subsequently, on the 6th of September, 2012.

Ivan Herman, W3C staff, with input from Manu Sporny

$Date: 2012/08/30 08:38:42 $