The Role of Standards in Innovation
Robert H. Allen and Ram D. Sriram
Presented by:
Bidisha Sengupta
Agenda
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Standards: Definition and Types
Innovation
Natural relation between Innovation and Standards
Case examples
Conslusion
Understanding ‘Standards’
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Defined as “documented agreements containing technical guidelines to
ensure that materials, products, processes, representations, and services are
fit for presentation”
Types:
a) Metric Standard: Used against which quantities are measured
ex: Kgs, Meters, liters etc. Typically useful for consumers.
b) Process Oriented or Prescriptive standard: Provide methodology
to perform tests and processes in a consistent and repeatable way.
ex: American Society of Testing and Material for determining the
methods and materials to carry out friction tests on floor surfaces
c) Performance based standard: Ultimate performance is specified,
not the process. Based on product experience. Ex: ASCE requires
mobile homes in Hurricane prone areas to be wind resistant
up to 160 Kmph
d) Standards for Interoperability among systems: To standardize
the data used by various systems like CAD, to ensure smooth
inter system operations ex: STEP ( Standard for Exchange for
Product Model Data) facilitate exchange of data representation
Innovation
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Defined as “Introduction of new idea, method or device to a
product or enterprise to impart them uniqueness in form,
function or behavior”
Types:
a) Fundamental: Innovation resulting in new products and
ideas, not thought to be or required prior to innovation
b) Adaptive: Need generated innovation
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Business innovations must create new enterprise or product
It should diffuse and create new market
Edison- Great inventor but unsuccessful business innovator!
A good innovator uses his/her experiences and idea in ways
that are unfamiliar. Ex: Gutenberg combined a coin punch and
wine press to develop printed page concept
Relationship between Innovation and Standard
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How does Standard affect evolution of Ideas and Innovation??
Case 1: QWERTY Keyboard
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Avoid jams in typewriter while typing fast, by placing unrelated
letters together and slowing down typing speed
Slower the typing rate, less frequent is the Jam
Contd.
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Dvorak Keyboard : 20% faster typing speed
Movement of hands reduced to 1/16th
Despite the advantages, 99.99% keyboards are QWERTY based
QWERTY’s de facto standard for 20 years, hindered the innovation for
the society, even if it improved performance!
Contd.
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Case II: Product Data Exchange
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Design and Manufacturing process various computer application
systems
Computer Aided Design (CAD)- Design parts
Process Planning System- Establish manufacturing process
Manufacturing and Designing possess data in their own format
CAD needs to translate each exchange of data, which is cost
intensive
Standardization of data formats, reduces this cost to minimum
Contd.
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Ex: Boeing 777
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Customers required various configuration of machines, engines
designs etc.
CAD tools of manufacturers differed with that of Suppliers
100s of systems Boeing needed to exchange to design customized
products
Translation number shot up
Standardization of data formats by STEP, reduced the translators to
reducs from n(n-1) to 2n (n is no. of systems)
Contd.
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Data Standards ensured the data interchange to become easy
Innovation in Boeing designs to be a succes
Conclusion
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Standards and Innovation, very uniquely and complexly related
Value of having standards in place is critical for economic
advancement
Global standards facilitate exports and international trade
Standards, at times inhibit innovation by codifying inefficient
technologies (ex: QWERTY Keyboards)
However, they also form a baseline by setting common
standards for new technologies to evolve….