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ZDNET Highlights
- Standard organizations look for more ideas and talent.
- Participation in standards creation puts you ahead.
- Open relationships with industry leaders.
Every device, system, or application we touch at work and at home is designed and enabled to conform to the standards. Who comes up with these standards? They are staffed by technology or domain experts, many of whom work either on a volunteer basis or through their own companies, who are committed to advancing the capabilities of their chosen technology areas in a constantly changing economy.
The many standards bodies that unify and advance common standards are always on the lookout for interested professionals willing to contribute their time and insight. In turn, they provide a great way to expand one’s network and knowledge, investigate technical problems, and work collaboratively to develop common solutions.
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International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), long known as an engineering-driven organization, is actively trying to broaden its depth in artificial intelligence, robotics, human-brain interfaces, and even human rights by encouraging more input from a broader constituency of developers and non-technical subject matter experts. “At one time we had mainly engineers,” said Gilles Thonet, deputy secretary general of the IEC. “We are now seeing ethicists, social scientists, and legal experts joining the standardization work.”
The career benefits of being active in a standards organization cannot be underestimated. “If the standard or specification you’re working on is relevant to your employer’s future plans or your career path, you’ll gain advance knowledge of what it will ultimately become, which can be strategically beneficial,” said Thomas Earle, CEO of Architura Education Inc. and author of several books on technology standards and patterns.
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“My work with standards bodies has had a significant impact on my career,” said Nick Cale, principal engineer and product architect at Cisco Systems, who has been involved with several security standards organizations. “It broadens your perspective, exposes you to approaches that other organizations are testing, and keeps you ahead of the curve rather than reacting to it. It also builds trust because people see that you’re contributing to something bigger than just your role.”
works with black Coalition for Safe AI (COSAI), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Computing Machinery Association (ACM), and Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).
“Joining IEEE made my career,” said Karen Panetta, professor and dean at Tufts University and an IEEE Fellow. “It gave me access to experts and a front row seat to all the emerging technologies.”
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Standards bodies are often organized by working groups to which professionals can directly apply their specific knowledge and interests. Heather Bassett, MD, chief medical officer of Exsolis, is contributing her experience with governance through her company’s AI Model Card and AI working group. NCQA“I am able to contribute from a position of experience, what is working, what is not working, and how organizations can operationalize trustworthy AI in real clinical settings,”
learning leadership skills
Getting involved with standards bodies can also help to develop one’s leadership skills. AVETA Principal Scott Debo is a longtime member of American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), serving a dual leadership role as Director at Large and Trustee of its charitable arm, the ASSP Foundation. “My involvement with ASSP has been a very special part of my career,” he said.
Early in his career, Debo was a safety technician “in an era when safety was thought about in terms of claims management. I didn’t have a strong professional development system, and I wasn’t being taught about guidelines.” With her involvement with ASSP, she had the opportunity to learn about and implement new standards, ultimately giving her the opportunity to teach others in her industry. “Implementing these voluntary standards in this area has resulted in me significantly exceeding my security metrics and shown me just how meaningful they are. Now, I am able to not only help develop these standards, but also guide customers through them.”
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Thomas Coughlin, president of Coughlin Associates, IEEE Life Fellow, and 2024 IEEE President, also credits his association with IEEE for improving his leadership abilities. “It has allowed me to form many long-term relationships with people I met at IEEE, some of whom I have even found work with,” he said. “IEEE has helped me stay current in my profession and expand my abilities beyond initial training. To me, IEEE is a community of technical professionals who help each other stay current, develop leadership skills, and work together to make this a better world today and for our descendants.”
getting involved
Here are some ideas for joining a standards organization:
- See if your employer already joins – or urge your employer to join. Some standards bodies are made up of participating companies who want to create common ground on which to build their market. Many people have subscription plans ranging from corporate to individual levels. If your employer is already a member, you can usually create an account under their membership, Earle advised. “If not, your company may need to join first.”
- Bring passion to the project. Working with standards organizations is not for everyone. “I remember the first time I attended an in-person technical committee meeting for a new proposed reference model,” Erle said. “There was a lot of discussion about semantics and high technical details. To really enjoy this level of detailed collaboration you have to have a real passion for what the proposed specification is or what it will be used for.”
- Think long term – this could prove to be a career-defining journey. Coughlin found IEEE resources in every city he entered in his career. “I initially joined IEEE as a graduate student,” Coughlin said. “I had a BS in Physics and joined the IEEE to get an exemption to attend IEEE conferences. After graduation I continued my membership and attended IEEE conferences and local IEEE events, first in the Minneapolis area and Boston, then after moving to Silicon Valley.”
- Review any legal implications. Since standards organizations are public bodies, any development must be free of any intellectual property issues. “You or your employer will need to sign some type of partnership agreement that addresses intellectual property rights,” Erle said. “This is to ensure that your contributions can be used by others without patent disputes. You should definitely review these agreements before signing, especially if you are already active in the same industry as the committee.”
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Other major information technology standards bodies include:
