Specification development process

Zhaga creates interface specifications for LED light engines with the goal to promote interchangeability of light engines made by different manufacturers.

Different lighting applications need different light sources. Zhaga cannot, therefore, simply specify a single light engine.

On the other hand, Zhaga does not want to create too many light sources with arbitrary variations.

The Zhaga consortium has defined a 5-phase process to balance the need for differences with the need for uniformity.

Phase 1: Collecting proposals

The members make proposals for light engine interfaces that they would like standardized by Zhaga.

Phase 2: Merger of proposals

In this phase, the members study the differences between proposals for similar light sources and try to merge them into a single proposal. The goal of this phase is to avoid unnecessary and arbitrary variations.

Phase 3: Specification development

The members draft and review the specification of a light source. They build prototypes and verify interchangeability.
At the end of this phase, the members vote to approve the specification.

Phase 4: Maintenance by Zhaga

A Zhaga work group creates revisions of the specification. These revisions clarify the specification and fix problems reported by the members while maintaining compatibility with earlier revisions of the specification.

Phase 5: Maintenance by a Standards Development Organization (SDO)

Zhaga has the intention to transfer Zhaga specifications to a formal SDO such as, for example, the IEC. That transfer will take place once a Zhaga specification is stable and broadly used.