The February 2010 ISO Focus+ explores an issue at the very heart of standardization: interoperability.

 

When interoperability fails, the resulting roadblocks create frustration, impair progress, generate inefficiency and raise costs.

 

Promoting the ability of products and services to interact with each other by building consensus among stakeholders is one of the key roles of standards – from those for the most basic of parts, like screws, fasteners or rolling bearings, to complex processes, like the standard for the exchange of product data (STEP) used in industrial automation.

 

Interoperability helps business become more competitive and optimize production processes, but also results in better products and services for consumers, at lower costs.

 

The February special report highlights some key examples of standards that are facilitating interoperability of products, services, processes and knowledge, such as for financial services or interfaces for universal remote consoles.

 

 

Exclusive interview with Sweden’s Minister for Trade

 

The issue also features an exclusive interview with Sweden’s Minister for Trade, Ewa Björling, who says “I believe that International Standards in general – and their use in technical regulations on products, production methods and services – play an important role in facilitating trade through the promotion of safety, quality and technical compatibility.”

 

Minister Björling gives her views on the benefits of participating in international standardization, and on standards and developing countries, trade, climate change and social responsibility.

 

Don’t miss this issue of the fully revamped ISO Focus+.

 

 

Comment

 

Jacob Holmblad, Vice-President (technical management)

Standards make the world go around

 

World Scene

 

International events and international standardization

 

Guest Interview

 

Ewa Björling, Sweden’s Minister for Trade

 

Special Report

 

Interoperability

Failure is not an option

A dream… The universal remote console

The challenging world of screw threads

Simple solutions for more transparent financial transactions

Reliable pallets – Carrying world trade on their backs

What you see is what you get – Getting e-communication right

Standardized standards? – The case of the multiple identifiers

Facilitating information and documentation systems in changing times

Data quality – The key to interoperability

Platform for progress – The ISO Concept Database

 

Centre-fold

 

Interoperability – Does it fit, will it work, and can standards help ?

 

Planet ISO

 

News of the ISO system

 

CDC

 

Consumers focus on financial services

Building confidence in conformity assessment

Standards supporting trade promotion institutions for export success

IT training for developing countries

ISO training 2010

 

Management Solutions

 

MSS underpin efforts for safe food supply chains

Portuguese school gives ISO 9001 top marks

 

Standards in Action

 

Lockheed Martin boasts big benefits from STEP

 

Developing “good” standards

 

New Releases

 

The risk management toolbox

Tackling environmental challenges with the ISO 14000 family