FHISO is an information standards-setting organisation.
We bring together stakeholders from the genealogy and family history communities for the purpose of developing open, international, technology standards and supporting documentation and services to benefit the communities. All members ascribe to, and the Organisation operates in accordance with, the Code of Conduct — we organise ourselves and operate without prejudice or bias toward any product, service, individual, ethnic group, culture or country.
The Board of Directors is the organisation’s governing body. It establishes FHISO’s goals and policies, which are more fully developed and implemented by standing committees. The board manages the organisation, including work to ensure proper funding and compliance with state and federal authorities. The board supports, but does not manage, the work of the operating committees.
The Technical Standing Committee is responsible for the work to achieve FHISO’s technical goals, as expressed by the board, and it oversees all Technical Projects. The committee determines the requirements for and initiates or approves all Technical Project work, maintains requisite Project Team directives, and it may appoint coordinators and team members.
Decision-making is based on a requirements-driven, consensus-building model. Standards established in the FHISO process become published and made publicly available. Following publication, the organisation provides education and other support to encourage adoption and use of the standards.