1  WHAT ARE STANDARDS?

Standards are part of our daily lives yet they often go unnoticed.  This course explains what standards are and uses examples of the various types of standards to illustrate the many ways that we use and rely on standards. Upon completion, the student will be able to:

• Explain the general concept of a standard

• Recognise the various types of standards

• Distinguish between design and performance standards

• Differentiate between de-facto and de-jure standards

• Describe the relationship between voluntary and mandatory standards

Standards are used for a variety of reasons.  This course examines the benefits of standards for consumers, explains why industry uses standards, and explores the use of standards by government authorities. The objectives of the course are to:

• Explain the benefits of standards to consumers

• Illustrate why industry uses standards

• Explain the government use of standard s

• Describe the benefits of standards for society in general

Who develops standards?  Hundreds of organisations around the world produce standards.  This course identifies the various industry groups and government agencies that are involved in the development of standards. The objectives of the course are to:

• Identify the types of organisations that develop standards

• Explain why companies use internal standards

• Differentiate between the various categories of standards developing industry groups

• Provide examples of government agencies that develop standards

Standards are developed by a variety of organisations worldwide.  Despite their diversity, most standards organisations follow similar processes to develop standards.  This course describes the most common processes used to develop industry, national, and international standards. The objectives of this course are to:

• Explain the process for developing standards using examples of industry, national and international procedures

• Describe the globally recognized principles for standards development

• Consider the options for financing the standards development processs

• Identify resources for assistance in developing standards

What is the role of standards in the global marketplace?  The link between standards and international trade is examined in this course, which will:

• Demonstrate the importance of standards to global trade

• Describe standards harmonisation and illustrate the concept, using examples

• Detail the benefits of using international standards to facilitate global trade

• Explain the relationship between standards and trade agreements

What is conformity assessment and how does it relate to standards?  This course provides an overview of testing, certification, and other related elements of conformity assessment.  The objectives are to help you:

• Define conformity assessment and related terms

• Distinguish between the various methods of determining conformity

• Explain the principles of conformity assessment

• Describe your national conformity assessment system and its relationship to regional and international programs

• Illustrate how harmonization of procedures and mutual recognition agreements facilitate global trade

7  STRATEGIC STANDARDISATION

Standards are as much of a business issue as a technical one.  This course examines the benefits of adopting a strategic approach to standardization by companies and government agencies.  The objectives of this course are to help you:

• Explain the importance of having a standards strategy

• Identify the reasons for using standards

• Demonstrate why it is beneficial to participate in standards development

• Determine how to implement strategic standardization in your organisation

• Apply recent research about the economic benefits of standardisation

Standards users frequently require assistance in finding the standards appropriate for their needs.  This course addresses the problems that standards users have in identifying the standards they need and in obtaining the required documents. This course will help you to:

• Make use of a variety of sources to identify standards

• Locate suppliers for purchasing standards

• Find services to help you keep your standards collections up-to-date

• Choose the appropriate format for obtaining standards