Did You Know? offers a quick look at the broad scope of activities underway within the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Federation of members and partners, highlighting recent accomplishments and new resources related to standardization.
NIST Workshops to Discuss the Inclusion of Standards in Digital Economy Courses
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), an ANSI member, has announced upcoming industry-academic workshops on interoperability standards and the digital economy, and how to introduce these topics in an academic setting.
Standards and the Digital Economy - Implications for Teaching and Policy will outline the relevant standards and how they are developing, and provide insight on bringing these concepts into the classroom. Attendees will hear from representatives in academia, government, and standards development. The workshop will also include an interactive standards simulation that reveals the challenges in standards development.
The free workshops will be held on September 8 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and September 9 from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm at Harvard University. Pre-registration is required.
To learn more and register, see the NIST website.
SES Mobile App to Digitally Distribute SES Content
SES - The Society for Standards Professionals, an ANSI member and accredited standards developer, has released a free app that brings SES content directly to mobile devices.
Content available through the new app includes summaries of SES activities, the organization's monthly newsletter, and the annual conference program. Interested stakeholders can also access this content through an online browser on a non-mobile device. SES members can view the Standards Engineering journal through the app as well.
Going forward, additional materials may be available through the app, including access to SES standards. Read more and learn how to access the app in the SES news item.
New RMA Tool Allows Consumers to Search for Tire Recalls
The Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA), an ANSI member and accredited standards developer, has launched an online search tool to help consumers identify recalled tires.
The tool brings together all tire recall information for the tires of its member companies, with recall data dating back to 2000. To use the tool, consumers enter the tire identification number (TIN) found on the sidewall of the tire. If the tire has been recalled, the website will display contact information where the consumer can learn more and access possible remedies.
"Consumer safety is the top priority of RMA member companies," said Anne Forristall Luke, RMA president and CEO. "Last year, RMA led the effort to pass federal legislation to require the nation's highway safety agency to create a searchable database of tire recalls. Until that is done, RMA will provide consumers with an online tool to help identify a recalled tire made by one of our members."
Learn more and access the online search tool through the RMA news item.
PMI Report Outlines the Role of Project Managers in Benefits Realization
A new report released by the Project Management Institute (PMI), an ANSI member and accredited standards developer, reveals that project managers play a significant role in benefits realization.
Benefits realization is a strategy to assure that time and resources are managed in such a way to make desirable changes, bridging the gap between planned changes and their intended effects. Pulse of the Profession In-Depth Report - Delivering Value: Focus on Benefits During Project Execution demonstrates how organizations without fully developed benefits realization practices put themselves at risk. Those who invest in benefits realization, however, profit from the involvement of project managers, whose duties include monitoring expected benefits and communicating with business owners about benefits-related issues.
Readers will also learn practical steps that organizations can follow to achieve expected benefits from investments more fully, particularly with the use of cross-functional teams including project manager expertise, business owner involvement, and executive management involvement.
Learn more an access the full report in the PMI news item.