Since early this year, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) has been using its new Online Standards Development (OSD) platform, a fully web-based environment for drafting and reviewing international standards. Built around structured content authoring, OSD integrates Fonto as its core XML editor, enabling technical experts from around the world to collaborate on standards in a browser, no software installation required.

Recently, DKE (Deutsche Kommission Elektrotechnik), the German counterpart of IEC, published an interview with Klaus-Wolfgang Klingner, chair of the IEC committee SC23K “Electrical Energy Efficiency Products”. Klaus-Wolfgang Klingner is one of the early adopters of OSD. His experiences shed light on how web-based, structured authoring transforms the way standards are created.

Focus on the content, not on the structure

“What’s fascinating is that I can focus entirely on the content, the structure takes care of itself.”

This simplicity is exactly what OSD aims for. Authors no longer have to worry about complex document templates or formatting rules. Instead, they work directly with structured elements that automatically fit IEC’s publishing and data exchange requirements. Behind the scenes, XML ensures consistency, interoperability, and machine readability. All without burdening the author with technical details.

Create and amend content anywhere

“The fact that I can open my document anywhere, even on my tablet, and continue where I left off, that’s a game changer.”

Collaboration is another major benefit. With OSD, multiple experts can edit, comment, and review simultaneously, seeing each other’s updates in real time. This replaces the old workflow of exchanging Word files and reconciling changes manually, saving time and reducing errors.

Focus on domain knowledge, not on document management

“I was surprised how intuitive it feels. After a few minutes, it just works.”

That user experience lies at the heart of the OSD design philosophy. By combining structured content with a familiar, Word-like interface powered by Fonto, OSD enables experts to focus on their domain knowledge, not on document management.

Practical insights from the chair of an IEC committee

Read the full interview on the DKE website, or learn more about the Online Standards Development platform in our case study.