Standardization: A Failing Paradigm

Carl Cargill, Director of Standardization, Sun Microsystems, and Sherrie Bolin

1/01/2005
(Original Publish Date: 2000)

Standards, like the poor, have always been with us. Also like the poor, there have been, from time to time, well intentioned attempts to create programs that will make them whole (or at least better). This is a proposal for one of these programs. The basis of this proposal is the ill defined feeling that standardization is failing to serve the interests of the sponsoring organizations, the public, the industry, and the nation, and that the failure of standardization (as a useful management tool) will have complex and far-reaching consequences to all of the participants. It is very important to note that the paper considers primarily voluntary standards - that is, standards that do not have regulatory standing. The minute a specification becomes required by legislation, it passes out of the voluntary arena and enters into a separate, but unequal, universe not considered in this paper. This paper is focused on, and draws its sources from, the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry. It is based upon experiential data, rather than research data, gained from constant and substantial activity within the Standards Setting Organizations (SSOs) of the ICT industry. Both authors have substantial experience as embedded, empowered, and, occasionally neutral (and, for at least one author, bitter) participants in ICT standardization.