TED New Attribute Request Process
The structure of the uTexas Enterprise Directory (TED) has been designed to accommodate the future addition of new data attributes. The process governing the addition of new data attributes described below was established by the Abra Policy Steering Team. Its purpose is to enable TED to respond to the evolving needs of campus while ensuring that new data attributes are in alignment with the guiding principles of TED.
Assessment Criteria for New TED Attributes
Requests to add new data attributes to TED are evaluated on the following characteristics. Candidates with characteristics toward the "poor" side of these spectra should provide proportionately higher benefits to justify their implementation.
| Characteristic | Good Candidate... | Poor Candidate... |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Alignment with TED purpose and guiding principles | Strong alignment | Weak alignment |
| 2. Breadth and depth of potential use on campus | Wide/deep potential use | Narrow/shallow potential use |
| 3. Documented importance of data to requester | Strong business case | Weak business case |
| 4. Existence of source data | Well-defined source | Source not defined |
| 5. Accessibility of source data | Source data accessible | Source data difficult to access |
| 6. Volatility of source data | Low volatility | High volatility |
| 7. Tolerance of consuming applications for "stale" data | High tolerance | Low tolerance |
| 8. Compatibility with "current snapshot" paradigm | Current snapshot of data | Includes historical data |
| 9. Ambiguity or inherent meaning of data attribute | Unambiguous, stands alone | Requires other info to interpret |
| 10. Impact on existing data attributes and TED users | Low impact | High impact |
| 11. Access controls required | Uses existing access group | Requires new access group |
| 12. Relationship to established LDAP standards | Part of a standard | Not part of a standard |
| 13. Resources required to implement | Low effort required | High effort required |
New Attribute Request Process Overview
Part 1 - Preparation
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Requesting department prepares draft version of the Request for a New Data Attribute.
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Requesting department meets with the TED administrators to discuss the request.
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Requesting department consults with source data managers.
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Requesting department submits final Request for a New Data Attribute to TED administrators.
Part 2 - Review
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TED administrators review the request and consult with source data managers.
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If TED administrators and source data managers agree that the request should be approved, the request follows the Streamlined Review Process:
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TED administrators inform the Oversight Committee of the pending request with a deadline for review.
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Oversight Committee members can move the request to the Full-Review Process if they wish.
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If Oversight Committee takes no action by the end of the comment period, the request is considered approved.
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If TED administrators or source data managers do not agree that the request should be approved, or if the new data attribute affects existing TED users or attributes, the request follows the Full-Review Process:
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TED administrators put the pending request on the Oversight Committee's agenda.
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The Oversight Committee reviews the request for alignment with the TED Guiding Principles and issues its decision: approved, approved with conditions, or denied.
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Part 3 - Resolution
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If the request is approved, the TED administrators add the new data attribute to the TED enhancement work queue and inform the requesting department of the implementation schedule.
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If the request is approved with conditions, the TED administrators consult with the requesting department to determine whether the conditions are acceptable (in which case the new attribute will be scheduled for implementation) or not acceptable (in which case the request will be considered denied).
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If the request is denied, the TED administrators notify the requesting department. The requesting department can choose to resubmit an amended request if they choose.
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