STANDARDIZATION AS FORMALIZATION
Shifrin Michael A.
NN Burdnenko Neurosurgical Institute (NSI), Moscow
Annotation. Standardization is treated as formalization of declarative knowledge about some kind of activity or products of activity. The idea of adequacy of standardization to its goals is discussed.
The Law of the Russian Federation "On Standardization" the following definition of standardization:
"Article 1. The notion of standardization
Standardization - an activity for the establishment of asles, regulations and characteristics (hereinafter - the requirement) to ensure:
security products and services for environment, life, health and property;
technical and information compatibility and interchangeability of products;
quality products and services in accordance with the level of science, engineering and technology;
traceability;
saving all kinds of resources;
security management objects, taking into account the risk of natural and technological disasters and other emergencies;
defense and mobilization readiness of the country. "
Standardization, like any real activity, poorly fit into the framework of definitions. Thus, this definition says the appointment of standardization, but says nothing about how to standardize the information process - which it undoubtedly is. Review of some aspects of standardization as an information process is what this post.
Standardizing = formalization. The analogy between standardization and formalization becomes clear if we follow this definition, formalization (again, one of many possible):
Formalization - a representation of some area of knowledge or its fragment as a combination of a finite system of concepts and relations between them.
If in this definition to replace the word "formalize" the word "standardization", you get quite plausible, but too general, not taking into account the specifics of the process and its application definition.
Standardization - a representation of the requirements for a certain activity or to the product of a finite system as a set of concepts and relationships between them.
Another transformation is based on the fact that the concept of formalization has been introduced.
Standardization - is the formal submission of claims to some form of activity or product activity.
In other words, it is a description of what asles should be this or that kind of activity, what are the requirements for the operation and type of product. In other words, the standards declare the terms and conditions of work, but the way of its implementation. On this basis, we can formulate the final (for this message!) Definition of standardization.
Standardization - is a formalization of declarative knowledge about some activity or product activity.
Taking this definition, we affirm that standardization is a special kind of formalization.
Aims and adequacy standards. Standardization, is interpreted as a formalization, inherits all the basic features of this activity. In particular, it should be very clearly described the objects to which the one or the other standardization process. To assess the quality standards necessary to clearly articulate its purpose and to check whether this goal is achieved as a result of standardization. If standardization allows to reach a goal, then it can be called adequate to this purpose. Adequacy is the main criterion of quality standards.
Some of the possible targets are presented in summary form, the definition of the Law "On Standardization". If you look at these goals, it is easy to see that for the same species may take a few standards: for example, one to provide information compatibility, and another - to meet safety requirements. This situation is typical for creating formal descriptions of complex systems in general: there is no sufficiently complex system, especially live, can not be formally described in one way, suitable for all occasions.
example. Standard HL7. Widely known and commonly used to exchange medical documents HL7. The object of standardization - an electronic document format. The aim - to ensure interoperability of software systems, working with medical records. The standard describes, above all, the events that lead to medical records and the need for exchange between different systems. Examples of such events - this is the receipt and disposal of patients from the facility, applying for research, etc. In conjunction with the events defined document types. The internal stascture of documents is regulated only to the extent necessary for identification of the document itself, its destination, the sender and the recipient patient. In particular, the highly elaborated formats demographic data. The format of the same medical content of documents is almost not regulated.
The adequacy of the HL7 is the fact that he adopted and used by an overwhelming majority of manufacturers of medical software systems. Among the requirements for medical software systems appear as a asle, the ability to import / export data in standard format, HL7. And, despite the fact that the officially recognized version of HL7 is used outdated in terms of modern software technology, a way of representing data, it remains adequate goals.
Conclusion. Review of the standardization process as a formalization is intended primarily to draw attention to the following two circumstances. First, the developer of the standard should clearly articulate what is the object of standardization and what created the standard. Secondly, the most important criterion for evaluating the standard user is its adequacy of the developers of the objectives, rather than challenges the user. The best standard would be uncomfortable if used for purposes other than those for which it was intended. We did not criticize the car because he was a bad swim!
Source: www.medafarm.com