A community approach to standards development

The Global Alliance for Genomics and Health (GA4GH) is an international standards development organization focused on advancing human health and medicine through genomic data sharing and interoperability. Founded in 2013, the organization has evolved over time and has adapted to unexpected challenges. Three themes have emerged as critical to the organization's success: (1) community needs must drive development; (2) agility is necessary to create global equity and opportunity; (3) developing an idea into a widely adopted standard requires multiple levels of consensus. By applying these principles, GA4GH has demonstrated how an adaptable approach to organizational structure allows for iterative change and swift progress.