Recently, ANSI responded to questions from Congressman Bart Gordan, chair of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology, relating to standards and standardization. You can see the original questions HERE, an overview of ANSI’s response HERE and the details of their response HERE.
In this post, I summarize some key points and my observations to these responses.
Q: How important are technical standards?
ANSI response: Standards are the backbone of trade, the building blocks for innovation, and the basis for quality, safety, and interoperability. Voluntary consensus standards and compliance activities are essential to the U.S. economy. Market driven and highly diversified, standards support technological innovation, build bridges to new markets, and create gateways for businesses in this increasingly complex world of global access. If innovation is the fuel of economic engines, then standards are a critical element of the formula. In some cases, a standard will precede innovation by establishing a baseline for design and performance that will satisfy user requirements. Other times, an innovative idea that finds its place in the market becomes the foundation of a new standard, which then becomes the physical documentation of an agreed-upon solution that has already been time-tested and proven. This relationship between standards and innovation is one of the greatest advantages of our national standards system. We have found that a market-driven and sector-specific approach to standards setting is most effective because there is no single entity that predetermines the best standard or solution.
My thoughts: I agree to the above especially to the belief that sometimes an innovative idea may come first and the concept may only be retrospectively standardised. This helps innovation to work with standardization.
Q: Do you think a comprehensive review of our standards-setting process is timely and worthwhile?
ANSI response: The United States Standards Strategy (USSS) describes our national standards system and offers strategic initiatives and guidance that can be applied within the various sectors of our national economy. This sector-specific approach allows interested parties to address their own issues and develop working methods that fit the problems at hand, since no single standards system can satisfy all needs. When cross-sectoral issues arise, sector definitions change, or in venues where a single national voice is required, the infrastructure provided by ANSI provides facilitation and mediation.
My thoughts: We are increasingly seeing cross sector standards (Smart Grids, Health care etc). The rate of change has also increased with Web standards. There is need for change and review.
Q: With the globalization of technology development and business, is it time to assess an international standards system developed 50 years ago?
ANSI response: ANSI believes that the current international standards system is working well. It would be helpful to have an opportunity to better understand any concerns that you may have about the system so that we may work to address them.
My thoughts: Yes. The world now has multiple centres of economic power and this needs to be reflected in standards as well.
To conclude: It is good that such an initiative is undertaken. The insights gathered through this process will help us to evolve the standardization process going forward.
