a note on voluntary standards and policy related standards

A voluntary standard is written with one set of assumptions - and these
assumptions affect how the working group words and structures the standard.
Standards that may be enforced or referenced in regulations operate under a
different set of assumptions and must be worded and structured with this in
mind.  Citing a voluntary standard in a way that would be mandatory
(required for conformance) in another standard that may be regulated must be
done with great care - or it may violate some of the assumptions made when
the voluntary standard was created.  It should only be done if all of the
provisions in the voluntary standard have been walked through with the idea
of mandating them in mind.   Also important in doing the walk through would
be the interpretation of what is "Valid" - and whether that means passing a
validator or it means using all aspects of the standard exactly as
documented in the voluntary standard.  

 

 


Gregg

------------------------

Gregg C Vanderheiden Ph.D. 
Professor - Depts of Ind. Engr. & BioMed Engr.
Director - Trace R & D Center 
University of Wisconsin-Madison 
< <http://trace.wisc.edu/> http://trace.wisc.edu/> FAX 608/262-8848  
For a list of our list discussions http://trace.wisc.edu/lists/

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