About I3A
I3A — the not-for-profit International Imaging Industry Association– is the nexus of the global imaging ecosystem, the global go-to organization for making images easier to create, view, work with, share, preserve or integrate into your offerings. I3A brings diverse industries and organizations together to address vital issues, establish effective standards and terminology, and develop meaningful solutions. Together, I3A members have the power to connect, create and collaborate with other leaders to address today's imaging challenges and chart a future of opportunity.
As the central forum for the development and advancement of open standards within the imaging ecosystem, I3A takes a broad view of the entire imaging market value chain. I3A works to identify strategic or economic barriers to market growth, where a strong industry consortium has the greatest potential for impact, then targets specific initiatives to reduce or eliminate those barriers. I3A uses a combination of technical and marketing activities to reach its goals of solving interoperability challenges, resolving infrastructure issues, minimizing overall market confusion, and optimizing consumer awareness.
The goal is to provide an environment conducive to collaboration and, ultimately, to foster growth of members' market sectors. Toward these ends, I3A has adopted a structure unique among consortia.
Unique Approach to Standards
The key to I3A’s unique approach to standardization is our portfolio of development techniques. I3A has the best of both worlds when it comes to standards development. Our Interest Group (IG) structure enables immediate participation in any one of a broad range of subject areas, allowing your company to focus its resources on only those portions of the ecosystem having the most impact on your bottom line. This focus provides for the rapid development of consortium standards when the market calls for a quick solution. At other times a more formal approach is necessary to ensure full worldwide participation and support for a standard – I3A has you covered there as well with our ANSI and ISO formal standards programs.
The IG initiative process encourages the rapid development of ideas into results through the formation of small, focused working groups. These initiative groups explore and propose potential new solutions for imaging markets, then transform those ideas into new technologies. Working in IG initiative groups minimizes overhead and eliminates lengthy delays common with formal standards processes. And, since member organizations can find everyone they need to partner with right here, work can begin sooner and results can be produced quickly.
I3A’s status as an accredited Standards Developing Organization enables us to take the formal approach when it is called for. As secretariat for the International Organization for Standardization Technical Committee 42 (ISO/TC42) on Photography and administrator for the USA Technical Advisory Group for this committee, I3A is well qualified in the world of formal international standardization. I3A provides a clear pathway from IG initiative into the ISO world. In short, I3A is a flexible body, designed to respond quickly to market opportunity while at the same time being capable of a global, deliberate and open approach to standards development.
Opportunity to Participate
With respect to opportunities within I3A, the organization’s two membership levels allow companies to choose the type of membership that best meets their needs. Find out more about membership.
