T-Spec
T-SpecTM is is a term that the OSDV has coined to describe the approach to creating trustworthy digital voting technology, for use in purpose-built digital voting systems that are inherently reliable and trustworthy.
The T-Spec approach is an unusual combination of open source development with some approaches that are tried and true from the development high-reliability systems for NASA, DoD, energy, and other safety-critical situations. These approaches have been adapted for use with highly parallel, rapid, iterative, open-source source development. As a result, both the development process and the software and systems produced are open and transparent, as a fundamental part of their high assurance.
We believe that voting technology is just as important as safety-critical systems, and deserves the same reliability and trust benefits, fortified by being developed and assessed in the public eye and in the public trust.
The term T-Spec is intended to invoke two key concepts – Transparent and Trustworthy – as well as the concept of a very high grade of design, engineering, process, and system quality. The OSDV is, by its nature, focused on truly transparent, publicly-vetted, peer-reviewed/improved, and freely available voting technology specifications and standards – utilizing an “open source” approach. Thus, the chief differentiator and unique proposition of the OSDV is the idea of T-Spec, applied to digital voting technology with the transparency of open source methods. Accordingly, the OSDV is advancing a new concept: T-Spec for transparent, trustworthy systems with high- grade reliability and assurance.
More: learn more in the OSDV Wiki article on T-Spec.
