5.1. Introduction — Standardization

Introduction

Your current or anticipated participation in the standardization of terminology may be the main reason you were interested in this tutorial. In this module, you will learn about what standardization is, how it is achieved, how terminology standardization projects are managed, how terminology standardization committees work, and how standards are distributed and implemented. Hopefully this information will help you feel more comfortable as a member of a terminology committee.

You may not be participating in terminology standardization at this time, but this module will make you aware that sound terminology work is taken very seriously on national and international levels. You will also learn about the important role that terminology plays in various standardization activities.

Objectives

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• Establish or participate in terminology standardization committees.
• Identify terminology standards and distinguish them from other kinds of standards.
• Identify standardization organizations, especially those that standardize terminology.
• Understand how agreements and decisions are reached during the development of standards.
• Apply project management principles to terminology standardization projects.
• Understand the duties of standardization committees.
• Justify the development of a terminology standard.
• Identify the phases of standard development.
• Identify methods of disseminating standards.
• Identify methods of verifying that organizations and individuals are respecting standards that apply to them.
• Identify methods of developing standards in multiple languages.