Trust framework development is mired in several fundamental misconceptions that prevent us from being successful. One crucial problem is that the model we are using as the fundamental scaffolding for trust frameworks is wrong. A second problem is that we have never properly defined terms, precluding our ability to ever achieve general agreement.
With regard to the model problem, work on broad, general-purpose trust frameworks has started with the assumption that identity is at the heart of trust frameworks. This has made trust-framework development more complicated just as plotting the orbits of the planets is much more complicated if we maintain a geo-centric focus.
As for the definition problem, almost any lengthy discussion of trust frameworks eventually circles back to some of the same debate topics that we have been having for years. While we are very busy creating solutions, we still haven’t defined our terms or our targets. Without these definitions, how will we aim the ship? And how will we know when we get there?
