The workshop is being organized jointly between ITU-T and the SDL Forum Society. The SDL Forum Society is a non-profit organization with the objectives:

• to promote the ITU specification and description language (incl. Message Sequence Charts) and related System Design Languages (SDL);
• to provide and disseminate information on the development and use of SDL;
• to support education on SDL;
• to plan and organize the "SDL Forum" and other events that relate to SDL.

Since it was formed in 1995, the SDL Forum Society has been closely linked with the ITU-T Study Group responsible for the ITU System Design Languages. The main function of the Society was initially to act as a legal entity behind the SDL Forum series of events: that is the SDL Forum (held every 2 years since 1983) and the SAM workshop (held every two years since 1999). In addition, the SDL Forum Society has been involved in standardizing ITU System Design Languages and is approved by ITU-T for communication under Rec. A.4.

The ITU System Design Languages are:

• Specification and Description Language (Z.100 series ITU Recs.);
• Message Sequence Charts (Z.120 series ITU Recs.);
• Abstract Syntax Notation One (X.680 series ITU Recs.);
• Testing and Test Control Notation (Z.160 & Z.170 series ITU Recs.).

NOTE: Although UML is not an ITU language, it also within the scope of the workshop with respect to its use within telecommunications.

The workshop addresses modelling, specification, and analysis of distributed systems, communication systems, and real-time systems. The Board members of the SDL Forum Society decided on acceptance based on quality of submission, the number of available time slots, and the overall workshop programme. There will be presentations and discussions on the following topics:

• application of ITU System Design Languages and UML;
• model-driven development;
• evolution of development languages;
• language profiles;
• tool support.

The objective is to provide a constructive dialogue between universities, companies and standardization parties from around the world. As well as promoting the existing System Design Language standards, a possible outcome is to combine efforts and skills towards further collaborative innovation of standards, methods and tools.

Participation is open to SDL Forum Society Members, ITU Member States, Sector Members and Associates and to any individual from a country that is a member of ITU who is working, studying or teaching in area related to the System Design Languages. The workshop is free of charge (but note that no ITU fellowships will be granted). Presentations and discussion will be in English only. The number of places available at the workshop is limited so the organizers reserve the right to select participants if necessary.