The making of verbatim reports of plenary sittings of both chambers of the Austrian Parliament according to the Rules of Procedure ï¿½ until their publication in print and by means of electronic media ï¿½ is a diverse process requiring IT-support.

In this document the technical realization of this process in the Parliamentary Administration will be described.

1.1 Field of application

The whole process will be explained in the light of plenary sittings of the Austrian National Council. On the basis of this IT-implementation records of

ï¿½ plenary sittings of the Federal Council

~~ï¿½~~ symposiums

ï¿½ joint sittings of the National Council and the Federal Council

ï¿½ ceremonial sessions

ï¿½ committee meetings and

~~ï¿½~~ other events taking place in the parliament

are produced as well.

1.2ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ Organisation

The Official Report Department is entrusted with the producing, printing and publication of the transcripts on the intranet as well as on the internet.

The different phases are described as follows:

ï¿½ writing down of interruptions, applause, the beginnings and ends of speeches, inclusion of the wordings of amendments and motions, incidents taking place in the plenary chamber during a plenary sitting by the parliamentary reporters

~~ï¿½~~ first draft of the transcript by the typist at the time the parliamentary reporter is still in the plenary chamber

ï¿½ revision of this first draft by the parliamentary reporter and stylizing of the speech; adding of interruptions, applause, motions, incidents having taken place in the plenary chamber to the text; production of a version ready for printing for ►

ï¿½ publication of the so-called Temporary Report on the intranet (= version without authorization by the speaker)

~~ï¿½~~ mailing of the individual parts of the report to the speaker for the purpose of authorization (only editorial corrections possible; check by the parliamentary reporter if corrections are admissible, in case of doubt: decision by the President of the National Council

ï¿½ production of the final version

ï¿½ publication in print (in the Official Report Department; duplication in the parliamentï¿½s printing works) and on the internet

1.3ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ Technical background

Here

ï¿½ the audio-recording

ï¿½ the administration of the sitting (navigator)

ï¿½ the administration of the speaking time and

ï¿½ the portal solution of the parliament

are available.

2 Official Report of the National Council

2.1 Rules of Procedure

The making of the reports is regulated by the GOG (Rules of Procedure) and is executed by the Official Report Department.

ï¿½ 52 (1) Official Reports shall be made of the public sittings of the National Council and published in printed form; these reports shall reflect the deliberations in extenso.

(2) Each speaker shall receive, before his/her statements are printed, a copy of the Official Report so that s/he can make editorial corrections. In case of doubt the President shall rule on the admissibility of such corrections. Unless objections are raised or the copy is returned within the period allowed for correction the report shall go to print.

(3) The Official Report shall list the items of business received during and/or since the last sitting.

The period allowed for correction ist 24 hours.

illustration 1: process: from the speech to the Official Report

2.2 In the plenary chamber of the National Council

illustration 2: course of events in the plenary chamber

Tabling of motions, urgent motions, debates on the Rules of Procedure, votes, and so on.

List of speakers

The entire sitting is recorded electronically by means of the audio system (ï¿½audio clientï¿½).

This recording is the basis for the making of the records in the next editing steps.

Furthermore the electronic speaking time administration is used; you can check precisely the speaking time of each MP.

Those elements, that cannot be recorded by the central audio system, are taken down by the parliamentary reporter in the plenary chamber respectively are inclosed in the report, for example: interruptions, incidents taking place in the plenary chamber and on the visitorsï¿½ gallery, motions and results of votes.

2.3 The typistï¿½s first draft

illustration 3: the typist's first draft

illustration 4: audio player

The audio data are electronically at the typistsï¿½ disposal within a short time delay. 10-minute-tapes are assigned to each typist in a fixed schedule in rotation.

illustration 5: fixed schedule

By means of the audio application the right tapes are assigned to the respective typist. These tapes can be listened to on the computer, like on a tape recorder or a dictating machine.

This is done with the usual devices like a pedal and headphones.

Each 10-minute-tape is typed in a document and is administered by the navigator. The sitting is shown in a tree structure where you can see the chronological structure.

illustration 6: navigator

When the document is typed, the items on the agenda and the speakers are administered by means of the navigator and are inserted into the document as well as into the data base.

While the speeches are being typed the subdivided structure in the navigator is already at the userï¿½s disposal. At this point the information of the speaking time administration is used as suggestion for the speaker.

illustration 7: selection of speakers

A first draft of the report is, so to speak, available in real time. Therefore the President who chairs the sitting has the possibility to call an MP to order immediately in case he/she has just used a word in his/her speech that is against the dignity of the parliament, which is ï¿½backed upï¿½ by the report.

2.4 Editing by the parliamentary reporter

illustration 8: editing by the parliamentary reporter

After the completion of the first draft by the typist that is typed when the parliamentary reporter is still in the plenary chamber, this document is then available for the parliamentary reporter for further revision:

Editing steps:

Check of spelling; clarification of proper names and quotations; production of a text that is ready for printing; text is stylized and edited. The content of the speech has to be logical when being read and in addition the sentences have to do justice to the rules of speech, style, grammar and punctuation, but you always have to stick to the speakerï¿½s style and should not change it, which means: handling with care, being cautious, instinctive feeling in order not to destroy the speakerï¿½s characteristics. But nevertheless the parliamentary reporter has to produce a well-legible product for the recipient describing the deliberations in extenso.

Further steps:

Getting hold of motion texts in electronic form, formatting and inserting these texts into the report (verbatim); adding of interruptions and results of possible nominal votes; structuring of the report (new topic = new heading) ►afterwards: transfer of all parts (10-minute-documents) into the intranet. This unauthorized version can already be retrieved during the sitting by all intranet users. About three to four hours after the end of the sitting the complete Temporary Report (in 10-minute-documents) is available on the intranet.

illustration 9: Word document

illustration 10: Temporary Report on the intranet ï¿½ time-related

2.5 Structure-related representation

illustration 11: structure of the navigator

After the publication of the single parts of the report (10-minute-documents) on the intranet, they are represented in a further editing step in a structure-related form, which means: speaker-related.

Behind each speech and each item on the agenda is the corresponding document. At the same time the representation on the intranet is updated accordingly.

illustration 12: representation on the intranet ï¿½ speaker-related

2.6 Mailing of the respective part of the Report to the speaker for the purpose of authorisation according to ï¿½ 52 (2) GOG-NR

ï¿½ï¿½ 52 (2) Each speaker shall receive, before his/her statements are printed, a copy of the report so that s/he can make editorial corrections. In case of doubt the President shall rule on the admissibility of such corrections. Unless objections are raised or the copy is returned within the period allowed for correction the report shall go to print.ï¿½

Mailing is done employing the person data base of the Parliamentary Administration.

The application of the administration of the sitting keeps a record of the single processing steps.

The MPs re-mail their speeches. These re-mails are assigned to each speaker and are visible in colour in the navigator.

illustration 13: mailing of the documents

Now the parliamentary reporters can by means of comparison of the documents discern altered passages and check these corrections if they are concurring with the Rules of Procedure: Is it an editorial correction or already one as regards the content? Do you accept or disregard it?

ï¿½ 52 (2) ï¿½ï¿½In case of doubt the President shall rule on the admissibility of such corrections. Unless objections are raised or the copy is returned within the period allowed for correction the report shall go to print.ï¿½ï¿½

All these alterations are reflected on the intranet.

illustration 14: comparison of the documents

2.7ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ Making and publication of the complete document

In a next step the complete document is made out of the single text parts. It is provided for with a table of contents and the respective page reference.

This complete document is subjected to a final check and is adapted in its layout.

The finished product is printed as single copy in the Official Report Department, is copied in the own printing works and at the same time published via internet.

illustration 15: Official Report

The complete document is available:

ï¿½ in total as PDF

ï¿½ per page as HTML

illustration 16: representation on the internet per page

and in other forms. In the HTML-form hyperlinks to other data of the portal of the parliament, e.g. biographies of the MPs, are set.

With the publication on the internet the Temporary Report of each sitting on the intranet is automatically deleted.

2.8ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ Archives of the sittings

The structure-related as well as the speaker-related documents are preserved in the navigator and the user of this application is entitled to use them permanently.

3 ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ Technical components

3.1 Network of the Parliamentary Administration

The network comprises all active components ensuring the connection between the different locations with the safe integration of the parliamentary groups and the internet.

In this network the desktops of the staff of the Parliamentary Administration (also those of the Official Report Department) are equipped with the necessary application for the completion of the process mentioned before. The necessary servers for the saving and publication of the data are available as well.

3.2 Survey

The technical realization or solution is based on the following main components that are being looked after by the Parliamentary Administration respectively by the computer firm working there.

3.3 Portal and data base

All internet- und intranet-applications in the parliament are based on the Oracle portal and the Oracle data base. The data bases are used for all applications in this way.

3.4 Audio system

The audio system is the central component of the whole system.

The main components are

ï¿½ the recording system

ï¿½ the data base

ï¿½ the user application

The audio system is integrated into the parliamentï¿½s infrastructure, but can also be run standalone.

3.4.1 Recording system

illustration 17: audio2 system concept

The recording takes place by speech digitalization by means of an audio converter and saving of the MPG data on a server.

Normally two servers are used and the recording is carried out twice in order to guarantee that no failure leads to a loss of data.

The selection which sound sources are recorded, takes place by the user application.

The system offers options for data back-up and putting data into the archives.

For the safe use access privileges are implemented.

3.4.2 Data base

The information on the sound sources, employees, access privileges and recordings in use lies on a data base. This data base can be external respectively is on the recording server.

3.4.3 User application (audio client)

This is a Windows-program running on W2000 und WXP.

The audio client obtains its information from the data base and reproduces the audio files by means of the audio player.

The following functions are available:

ï¿½ administration of the sittings with access privileges

ï¿½ administration of the sound sources and meeting rooms

ï¿½ administration of the user

ï¿½ beginning and ending of the recording

illustration 18: audio client: administration of the recording

For the typists sittings can be split logically into ï¿½tapesï¿½. A status administration shows the momentary working states. Sittings get names and dates, the users get access privileges.

illustration 19: audio client: recording details

Meeting rooms and back-ups are assigned to the respective sound sources.

illustration 20: audio client: administration of meeting rooms

With the back-ups several recordings can be started and stopped together. In case one sound source or server fails the back-up recording can be used.

Users get certain rights for each sitting.

illustration 21: audio client: user administration

The sound sources are administered by the persons who are entitled to do that.

illustration 22: audio client: recording status

3.4.4 Audio Player

The playing of the selected audio data is done by means of the audio player.

The audio player shows

- the sitting

- the real time of the speech

- the current speaker (as soon as he/she is classified)

illustration 23: audio player

With a pedal the user can start, stop, rewind and forward the audio recording.

3.5 Navigator

3.5.1 Survey

The administration of any sitting in cooperation with the audio system is mapped in the navigator.

The navigator offers a structure that is adapted to the explorer allowing the administration of diverse categories of sittings.

Within this structure the single sittings are created and assigned to the audio data. The navigator is integrated into the structure of the Parliamentary Administration, but is also available standalone and makes use of the data base of the audio system.

With the navigator the following functions are realized:

ï¿½ mapping and administration of sittings

ï¿½ access privileges concerning the audio system

ï¿½ status administration of the speeches respectively the tapes of a sitting

ï¿½ E-mail interface (at the moment with exchange for the mailing of the speeches and the receiving of the re-mails)

ï¿½ functions for the publication on the internet (this function is momentarily tailor-made for the infrastructure of the Parliamentary Administration)

illustration 24: navigator

3.5.2 Logical process

The navigator is optimized for the making of reports.

ï¿½ creating a sitting

ï¿½ optional creation of speeches during the sitting, if no speaking time administration is available

ï¿½ administration of the ï¿½tapesï¿½ of the audio system per hour in an one stage or two stage-pattern (typist - parliamentary reporter or just one person)

ï¿½ transfer of the documents from a time-related structure (tapes) into a speaker-related structure

ï¿½ mailing of the speeches and dealing with the re-mails

ï¿½ comparison of the mailed and received documents with the current version

ï¿½ status administration for all components (subdividing of the structure of the sitting in debates, items on the agenda, etc.)

ï¿½ insertion of other documents

ï¿½ making of the complete record with table of contents concerning all structural steps

ï¿½ support when converting the documents into PDF and representation on a web server

illustration 25: selection of speakers

A detailed documentation can be obtained from Rodlauer Computer HGmbH respectively on the internet: www.rodlauer.co.at/Sitzungsverwaltung.

4 List of illustrations

illustration 1: process: from the speech to the Official Report 6

illustration 2: course of events in the plenary chamber 7

illustration 3: the typist's first draft 9

illustration 4: audio player 9

illustration 5: fixed scheduleï¿½ 10

illustration 6: navigator 11

illustration 7: selection of speakersï¿½ 12

illustration 8: editing by the parliamentary reporter 13

illustration 9: Word document 14

illustration 10: Temporary Report on the intranet ï¿½ time-relatedï¿½ 15

illustration 11: structure of the navigator 16

illustration 12: representation on the intranet ï¿½ speaker-relatedï¿½ 17

illustration 13: mailing of the documentsï¿½ 18

illustration 14: comparison of the documentsï¿½ 19

illustration 15: Official Report 20

illustration 16: representation on the internet per pageï¿½ 21

illustration 17: audio2 system concept 23

illustration 18: audio client: administration of the recordingï¿½ 24

illustration 19: audio client: recording detailsï¿½ 25

illustration 20: audio client: administration of meeting roomsï¿½ 26

illustration 21: audio client: user administrationï¿½ 26

illustration 22: audio client: recording statusï¿½ 27

illustration 23: audio player 28

illustration 24: navigator 29

illustration 25: selection of speakersï¿½ 31

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