Standardization

Standardization is an issue that applies to many areas of operation in society. Instead of creating differences that create problems for users who have to work with different systems, we should try to unify where possible. There are many examples of such differences such as:

• Statue of limitation for child abuse/assault is only 2 years in one state but 35 years in another state
• Traffic fines are $20 for going through a red light but $200 in another city
• Its legal to own endangered species in one city but illegal in another city
• Tenant and Landlord Rights in one city are in one stage of evolution and don't provide the necessary protection, while they are more evolved and advanced in another city
• Insurance fraud only has a fine of $2000 which is easily paid in one state or province but in another state laws exist for higher fines, victim compensation, possible prison time and the guilty parties being banned from being being involved in the insurance business again

For many of these examples, there's no reason to have separate or different standards, systems or laws. This may be needed only if something is specific to the area and those situations do exist at times but they have to be fully justified.

The reason why these different systems exist because every location is operating with its own laws with no regards to standardization. There's more work in creating different laws and maintaining separate systems so this is also done for job security so government officials have no interest in standardization.

There are many other examples that standardization could be applied to e.g. currency, language differences, driving (side of the road, road signs), AC socket voltages, education systems and so on. Many of these are difficult to change however standardization should always be a goal and we should start with what can be achieved first.

Standards can also be used in product design and manufacturing to improve the convenience and expense of product repair and interoperability. This also helps the environment.

Advantages of standardization include

• If one location has a better system, that can be duplicated to other places instead of having different locations with laws that are in different stages of evolution
• Users don't have to learn multiple systems and switch between them
• Its more economical and efficient to create and maintain fewer systems
• It helps unify places

It takes some work to analyze systems and move them towards a unified standard. That is one of the things our leaders need to be doing. Efforts to standardize require understanding other people's needs and the relevant facts, looking at the situation objectively, negotiation, compromises, planning and strategy.