Promoting U.S. Innovation an

I d ti l Industrial C titi ompetitiveness th 

ro

Documentary Standards

Belinda L. Collins, Ph.D.

Director, Technology Services Services

June 9, 2009
Outline

What is a Documentary Standard? What is a Documentary Standard?How do these standards support techand innovation? and innovation?Who are the players?Wh t NIST l ? What are NIST roles?What are the major issues?What does the future hold?
What is a Documentary Standard

A documentary standard is a document that defines a prodprocess or system

What is

a Documentary Standard

process, or systemIt is NOT a measurement standard or an ethics code or a limitTypically, a documentary standard is developed through a in which interested and affected users determine their neecollectively, and often consensually, write a document to anee

d

s

– A consensus standard meets requirements for balance of int

consensus, transparency, due process and an appeals proceas policies for intellectual property as policies for intellectual property

The United States uses more than 100,000 standards, incindustry unique, consortia-developed, government uniqueconsensus
Types of Standards

HCI U

USB 

SEMI M6-0707 Specification

ANSI/ASHRAE 90.1-2007 (IP)Energy Standard for Buildings 

SEMI M6 0707 Specification

for Silicon Wafers for Use as Photovoltaic Solar Cells

SAE AS 

ANSI INCITS 423.2-2008Information technology -Conformance Testing Methodology

SAE AS Insert, SHelical Perform

g gy

Standard for Biometric Data 
Standards are the Brid

ge Betwee

R h d l b i ht id St d d t 

Research and Products

Researc

h

develops a 

b

right idea; Stan

dar

ds 

tra

that idea into reality

 Provide structure to build

p , roducts, s

ystems an

services

 Define products, materials, specifications Provide platform stability fo

r innovation

 Enable interconnectivity and interoperability

Protect health, safety and the environment Provide quality management practices
Standards can Become Barriers to 

Innovation and Trade when:

Platforms competeTechnology frozen prematurelyConsensus fails; standards competeRegulatory mandates differ Regulatory mandates differDeliberate trade barriers enacted
Who are the Players? Who are the Players?

Multiple players In the United States

• 400+ formal Standards Developing Organization• Numerous consortia, Industry specific standards

government unique standards government unique standards

System designed around sectoral approachLoose coordination Loose coordination

• American National Standards Institute (ANSI) ac

SDOs; represents the United States in ISO/IEC

• NIST coordinates federal use of standards and c

assessment with the private sector
What are NIST Roles in Standard

Coordination and Policy Guidance

ff

What are NIST Roles in Standard

– Execute NTTAA responsibilities to coordinate Federal standards effor– Execute OMB A119; Provide guidance to NIST and Federal agencies– Provide guidance on procedures (using consensus standards)– Provide conformity assessment guidance Provide conformity assessment guidance– Operate National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program

Participate in technical committeesSupport the standards-related provisions of the TActs 

–

O

p y; 

erate Notif

y U.S.; National Center for Standards and Certification i

– Train foreign officials and experts on U.S. standards and conformity a
The Role of the NIST Laboratorie

Transfer research results into documentary sta

Standards

Transfer research results into documentary sta

including test methods, interoperability specificabuilding and fire codes, protocols, etc

– 400 NIST technical staff participate in 1300 standards comm

activities 

NIST staff 

p p rovide leadershi

p for technical com

– Serve as chair, secretariat, etc

NIST staff provide leadership at the Board level SDOs

– Serve as Chair, Vice Chair, etc. 
U S Standards System is Comple

No central authority

U.S. Standards System is Comple

No central authorityMultiple, competitive playersG t i ti i t t i Governmen

t is parti

cipan

t, no

t primary 

Strong bottoms- up system with active engagemen

t

Strong industry input

 Difficult to start and sustain engagement
U S Standards System: Strength

Desirable characteristics:

U.S. Standards System: Strength

– Voluntary, consensus-based– Open, transparent, balanced– Sector

-specific

– Strong industry, consumer input

S t uppor

t:

– Speed, flexibility, market responsiveness– Communication (producer/user/public) Communication (producer/user/public)– Competition and innovation 
U S Standards System: Weaknes

The U.S. system is not in sync with the majority 

U.S. Standards System: Weaknes

other nations 

– Decentralized versus centralized approaches– Diffuse authority and lack of accountability Diffuse authority and lack of accountability

U.S. can be disadvantaged by lack of adequate leadership high costs duplicate efforts leadership, high costs, duplicate efforts

– Failure to learn/meet user requirements– Difficult

y g in addressin

g cross-sectoral needs

– Competition among SDOs, nationally and globally– Heavy reliance on sales of documents
What are the Challenges?

U.S. industry wants globally accepted standardsU S government needs standards to meet critical nation

What are the Challenges?

U.S. government needs standards to meet critical nationNo clear way to work across sectors, technology and cointerestsApparent competition and duplication among U.S. SDOs other and with ISO and IEC

– Finances and intellectual property for SDOs create conflict with ind

Finances and intellectual property for SDOs create conflict with ind

users

– Testing products and services complicated by overlapping standa

Strong foreign competition Strong foreign competitionDifficulty in ensuring that U.S. technology is incorporated standards used globally

– P l f t li it d Pool of experts li

mit

e

d
Opportunities for U S Standards

Standards continue to be based on broad technical input

Opportunities for

U.S. Standards

technical input

– Duplicative standards eliminated

Stronger central responsibility Stronger central responsibility

– Government better defines its requirements– Leverage NIST strengths more effectively

U.S. standards and products get fair treatment in a level global playing fieldStandards development and delivery reengineered to take advantage of IT tools