INDUSTRY STANDARDS FOR PROFESSIONALS, PART 2 STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT: HOW TO EFFECTIVELY PARTICIPATE
How to read and comment on draft standards and provide input in standards development processes.
By MANDY STEWART , CEO, Experiential Resources, Inc.; and KEITH JACOBS, CEO, Experiential Systems, Inc.
Professionals working in the aerial adventure industry need to be lit - erate regarding standards that are applicable to their job and jurisdic - tion. In the interest of working with the best standards possible, we should all contribute to the devel - opment and maintenance of these standards, too. Contributing can mean everything from sitting on a committee to simply making time to read, comment, or vote on draft standards as they’re released. Unfortunately, many professionals, especially those new in their careers, run into barriers to participation in standards development processes. They often don’t know how or when there is opportunity to weigh in on a standard. And even if they do know, it can be intimidating—how do they know if their feedback is valuable to the process and the professional community? This is problematic. Fortunately, any interested profes - sional can overcome these barriers with a little education, some proactive outreach, and a bit of collaboration with peers.
OPPORTUNITIES TO CONTRIBUTE
general address and ask to be connect - ed to the correct party. If the organiza - tion writes many types of standards, cite the topics or standards that you’re interested in. Your outreach should be welcomed—these organizations run on the help of volunteers, after all. Public comment periods. Contrary to the smaller group work, once a draft standard is released for feedback there is usually no limit to how many people can participate. Some organi - zations even require a critical mass of stakeholders to respond to the draft language for it to be adopted. At this feedback stage, the biggest barrier is simply knowing how and when a draft standard is released, how long you have to respond, and how you submit feedback.
All standards developers—ASTM, ACCT, PRCA, ISO, etc.—have some form of timeline to ballot, comment, or vote on draft standards language. Some standards developers do much of this work primarily by committee only, and others, such as ASTM, use a more open- to-the-public process. How much input you might have prior to a draft standard being released for feedback will depend on your depth of involvement within a specific standards-writing organization. Committees and working groups. If you would like to get involved at the draft language development stage, you will need to join a committee or working group. Depending on the organization, opportunities to help write and word - smith draft language can sometimes be limited, but they do exist, so be proac - tive. Reach out directly to the standards writing organization to see if volunteers are needed or if seats are opening within a working group or committee.
REVIEWING AND COMMENTING ON DRAFT LANGUAGE
Once you understand how to partici- pate in a particular standards develop - ment process, you need to be prepared to review, interpret, and evaluate draft standards language.
If you’re unsure of whom to contact, don’t overthink it. Send an email to a
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