Why Study Standards?

or: How standards relate to employer expectations for Engineers.

Business Basics

To succeed and prosper, businesses have to do four things:

1. Meet or exceed the requirements expected by the Customer

2. Meet or exceed the requirements imposed by Governments

3. Maintain awareness and respond to new demands for “responsible operation” as expressed by Society through:

– Courts of Law – Industry Observers and Pundits (e.g., Universities) – Consumer Advocates – Non-Government Organizations (NGOs)

4. Make a profit.

Documented knowledge and experience with a given subject at a given point in time.A definition of performance expectations – “what” is minimally acceptable. A design specification that defines how some aspect of performance must be accomplished. An agreement between parties on how things can or should be done.Usually established by a “consensus” process between subject matter experts and compiled voluntarily but may also be “dictated” or “imposed” by higher authority.

In simple terms, “Standards” are a derivative form of a specification:

Regulations and Standards apply to everything business does at all levels

Business

Products

Systems

Operations

Parts & Components

Materials

Why knowledge of Standards?

They represent baseline “state of the art”

Use of appropriate standards speeds time to market

Avoid unnecessary risk in regard to product liability

Avoid unnecessary and more expensive regulation

Demonstrate social responsibility

Provide access to a supply base of readily available and affordable components

Create or maintain a market advantage over competition or maintain a level playing field for competition

Reduce Cost

All of the above create a compelling case for knowledge of standards!