Standardization News

What are our next steps?

That’s a question every task group, subcommittee, or main committee asks at one time or another. It’s an integral part of strategic planning and moving standards and related work forward. 

If you’d like support in strategic planning, research, stakeholder/staff connections, or the exploration and implementation of new programs and services, tap into the extensive knowledge and experience of ASTM International’s business development (BD) team. That’s what they’re here for. And they emphasize that no project is too small. 

The BD team encourages you and your group to make plans. Start with what will be useful to your industry and consider its needs both now and longer term in relation to research, industry collaboration, standards, certification, training, and other needs. What do you need a year from now, five years from now, and even further out? Consider your priorities and think about whether there are gaps.

Also, consider any related services that could be needed or helpful right at the beginning: training (courses or video), proficiency testing, product or personnel certification, partnerships. Remember to use that strategic planning to guide your work, but be flexible, however, as any planning or roadmapping might need adjustments.

BD can help with this process. 

In addition to planning, BD support — helping to provide solutions to your industry’s needs — can also help your committee or subcommittee think about:

• Attracting members to help develop standards;
• Research to Standards, which is shorthand for the process of thinking about the research needed to develop standards earlier, with innovative technologies and processes; 
• The marketplace, particularly in certain broad sectors such as aviation/aerospace and advanced manufacturing;
• Training courses and whether one or more might help users in applying a standard or standards;
• Standards-related videos that can show how a test method works;
• Educational certificates when workforce development can be a component;
• A certification program, in cooperation with ASTM affiliate SEI, the Safety Equipment Institute, which can demonstrate the quality of a product;
• Whether a Proficiency Testing Program might be appropriate; and
• Partnering with other committees or outside organizations.

On an ongoing basis, business development: 

• Researches possible new standards development areas; 
• Explores new committee possibilities (such as the new stormwater control measures committee, E64);
• Coordinates the Centers of Excellence (additive manufacturing and exo technologies); 
• Works with staff technical experts (such as in additive manufacturing); 
• Connects with staffers responsible for training and certification regarding new possibilities; and 
• Facilitates cross-committee efforts such as advisory committees and technical reports. 

Have a question? Interested in adding your industry sector to BD’s current priorities of aviation, exo, advanced manufacturing, and emerging technologies? Contact: Lissy Vélez, program manager, ASTM Business Development, tel +1.610.832.9518, bizdev@astm.org.

Regs Corner

The Regulations Governing ASTM Technical Committees guides how groups do their work. In the section, “Rules for Conduct of Business,” committee and subcommittee meetings are stipulated to be open to visitors when technical matters related to standards development are discussed. Executive subcommittee meetings may be closed to discuss other matters. In this section, the Regs also directs that meeting minutes, which summarize the status of standards, negative resolution, and action items, be sent to headquarters. And electronic recording of meetings is prohibited. (This section also addresses election of officers and proxies for voting, not covered here.) ■