# International Committee for Information Technology Standards

The InterNational Committee for Information Technology Standards (INCITS), (pronounced "insights"), is an ANSI-accredited standards development organization composed of Information technology developers. It was formerly known as the X3 and NCITS.
INCITS is the central U.S. forum dedicated to creating technology standards. INCITS is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and is affiliated with the Information Technology Industry Council, a global policy advocacy organization that represents U.S. and global innovation companies.
INCITS coordinates technical standards activity between ANSI in the US and joint ISO/IEC committees worldwide. This provides a mechanism to create standards that will be implemented in many nations. As such, INCITS' Executive Board also serves as ANSI's Technical Advisory Group for ISO/IEC Joint Technical Committee 1. JTC 1 is responsible for International standardization in the field of information technology. INCITS operates through consensus.

## Governance

INCITS is guided by its Executive Board. The INCITS Executive Board established more than 40 Technical Committees, Task Groups and Expert Groups that are constantly developing standards for new technologies and updating standards for older products.

## Mission

An open, collaborative community that enhances the competitiveness of U.S. organizations and brings technological advancement to society through the development and promotion of consensus-driven U.S. and global Information Technology standards.

## Standards development

More than 2000 standards have been created and approved through the INCITS process, with many more in development. American National Standards are voluntary and serve U.S. interests well because all materially affected stakeholders have the opportunity to work together to create them. INCITS-approved standards only become mandatory when, and if, they are adopted or referenced by the government or when market forces make them imperative.
Given the responsibilities and the expenditures associated with U.S. participation in international standards activities, INCITS considers participation as a "P" member of ISO/IEC JTC 1, as a declaration of support for the international committee's technical work. INCITS policy is to adopt as "Identical" American National Standards all ISO/IEC or ISO standards that fall within its program of work, with exceptions as outlined in our procedures. Accordingly, INCITS will adopt as "Identical" American National Standards all ISO/IEC or ISO standards that fall within its program of work. Similarly, INCITS will withdraw any such adopted American National Standard that has been withdrawn as an ISO/IEC or ISO International Standards.

## History

INCITS was established in 1961 as the Accredited Standards Committee X3, Information Technology and is sponsored by Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), a trade association representing providers of information technology products and services then known as the Business Equipment Manufacturers Association (BEMA) and later renamed the Computer and Business Equipment Manufacturers' Association (CBEMA). The first organizational meeting was in February 1961 with ITI (CBEMA then) taking Secretariat responsibility. X3 was established under American National Standards Institute (ANSI) procedures. The forum was renamed Accredited Standards Committee NCITS, National Committee for Information Technology Standards in 1997, and the current name was approved in 2001.