| "It is one thing to enact legislation, quite | | | | |
| another to enforce it." | | | | But my biggest concern in terms of standards |
| | | | is their enforcement. I think we are now at a |
| - Bryce's Law | | | | point in the I.T. industry where we must |
| | | | admit standards are useless without some form |
| Not long ago Shane "Locutus" Shields wrote an | | | | of automation to substantiate adherence to |
| interesting blog entitled, "What is the use | | | | them. Over the years I have seen numerous |
| of standards?" whereby he expressed his | | | | attempts at standardization in the I.T. field |
| disillusionment with standards in the | | | | and those that are simply enforced by human |
| Information Technology (I.T.) field. His | | | | judgment, such as through a bureaucratic |
| discontent is not without precedence. Most of | | | | processes, inevitably dies a slow death. |
| us have at one time or another yearned for | | | | Without some form of automation to validate |
| standards in our work effort, only to be | | | | conformity to standards, the human being will |
| thwarted by the grim realities of an industry | | | | find a way to avoid complying with them. Sad, |
| that doesn't like to embrace standards. We | | | | but true. |
| all admit standards are a good idea and we | | | | |
| should all be heading in that direction, | | | | One of the benefits of growing older is that |
| someday... but that day never seems to come | | | | your hindsight becomes clearer. Although I |
| because there are forces at play deliberately | | | | have seen numerous attempts at |
| resisting such efforts. | | | | standardization in the I.T. field, it is hard |
| | | | to find any true standards as vendors have |
| First, the primary reason for standards is to | | | | all put their own unique spin on it. For |
| seek some sort of conformity in our work | | | | example, COBOL was intended to be the first |
| effort. Such uniformity simplifies product | | | | universal programming language but this never |
| development, maintenance, usability, and, God | | | | happened as hardware manufacturers |
| forbid, the interchangabiity of component | | | | implemented their own nuances in their |
| parts. Standards materially improves | | | | compilers, thereby creating multiple |
| communications between people and saves time, | | | | interpretations of COBOL. Perhaps the only |
| simply because everyone has accepted and | | | | true standard I've come across in this |
| adapted to the standard, thereby causing them | | | | industry was ASCII text which was invented by |
| to communicate on a common level (aka, "on | | | | Robert W. Beamer. |
| the same page"). Imagine where the | | | | |
| entertainment industry would be today if | | | | Back in 1970 my father first called for |
| there were no standards in musical | | | | industry-wide standards for the development |
| composition. People would have to reinvent | | | | of systems. This was done at the annual |
| the expression of music with each new song. | | | | convention of the old Data Processing |
| But because we took the time to develop | | | | Management Association (DPMA; now the |
| standards, musical composition can be read | | | | Association of Information Technology |
| and written by anyone on the planet. This | | | | Professionals - AITP). At the time, DPMA was |
| also means standards can be taught and | | | | a powerhouse in terms of size and resources |
| applied on a universal basis. | | | | and could have easily undertaken such an |
| | | | effort but, unfortunately, balked at doing |
| Standards also provides a means to measure | | | | so, as has numerous other industry |
| work effort, which is one reason why some | | | | associations. |
| people object to them. Instead of performing | | | | |
| in a uniform manner that can be compared and | | | | One recent attempt has been the "Business |
| contrasted to others, some I.T. people prefer | | | | Analysis Body of Knowledge" (BABOK) by the |
| nonconformity to cloak their work effort in | | | | International Institute of Business Analysis |
| secrecy, thereby clouding comparisons. The | | | | (IIBA), which is an interesting set of tips |
| excuse from such people is that they do not | | | | and techniques, but is certainly no means a |
| want to be "encumbered" or "stifled" by | | | | body of standards. For example, there is no |
| standards. In reality, they are just trying | | | | defined conceptual foundation or glossary of |
| to protect their job. | | | | terms defining such fundamental concepts as |
| | | | "system," "business process," "procedure," |
| Without standards, cooperation and | | | | "software," "information," "data," etc. These |
| communications between parties breaks down. | | | | are all taken for granted and it assumes |
| From this we can deduce that standards is an | | | | everyone has the same interpretation (which |
| inherent part of teamwork. Instead of the | | | | they most certainly do not). Although it is |
| chaos involved in a heterogeneous environment | | | | well meaning, it misses the mark. Without a |
| (where everyone is allowed to "do their own | | | | conceptual foundation, the techniques |
| thing"), standards offers the tranquility of | | | | embodied in the document, are like trying to |
| a homogeneous environment where people are | | | | build an atomic bomb without first knowing E |
| all "rowing on the same oar" in a concerted | | | | = MC2. |
| manner. From this perspective, it could | | | | |
| easily be argued that standards promotes | | | | CONCLUSION |
| productivity in the workplace. This means | | | | |
| standards require an intuitive manager who | | | | Standardization offers the benefits of |
| understands the value of teamwork and | | | | uniformity, predictability, |
| uniformity in work effort. Unfortunately, | | | | interchangeability, and harmony. If this is |
| most managers today still prefer "rugged | | | | not of interest to you, than there is little |
| individualism" instead, representing the | | | | point in trying to participate in a standards |
| antithesis of teamwork. | | | | program. But if you do wish to participate, |
| | | | understand there is more to implementing |
| Another problem facing standards is the | | | | standards than to just say "that's just how |
| reality that whoever dominates market share | | | | it is going to be done." There has to be some |
| becomes the de facto standard and jealously | | | | sound rationale for their governance. In |
| defends it from intruders. We have seen this | | | | addition, you must address the enforcement |
| on more than one occasion in the I.T. field | | | | issue. Standards will be adhered to by the |
| and frankly there is little we can be do | | | | degree of discipline instilled in the staff; |
| about it. We could turn to government | | | | If well disciplined, your chances for success |
| agencies to act as arbitrators, but they have | | | | are good, but if discipline is lax, |
| not proven to be an effective vehicle for the | | | | automation is required to assure standards |
| establishment of standards, at least in the | | | | are being followed. |
| I.T. field. Instead, a coalition of industry | | | | |
| related companies would perhaps be a better | | | | If you would like to discuss this with me in |
| alternative, with maybe some government | | | | more depth, please do not hesitate to send me |
| prodding to move things along. | | | | an e-mail . |