1. Standards - their relevance to surveyors and FIG’s response Iain Greenway Chair, FIG Standards Network

2. Key questions n What are standards? n Why are they important? n What value can professionals add? n What is FIG doing about it?

3. The world of standards

4. What are standards? n ‘Accepted or approved example’ n ‘Level of excellence or quality’ n ‘Specifications... to be used consistently as... guidelines… to ensure fitness for purpose…’

5. Their growing importance n Globalisation n Competition laws n Consumer requirements n Technological developments n Intertwining of industries

6. Some figures n Breadth of coverage –430,608 pages in 13,544 ISO standards n Economic benefits –$15 billion per annum in Germany

7. Standardisation bodies n ISO n National bodies n IVSC n Governments n Companies n Other bodies n WTO

8. Shortcomings n Politics n Time n Ignorance

9. The relevance to surveyors n TC172 –survey instruments n TC211 (TC287) –> 30 standards –all aspects of GI –coming our way now n IVS’2000/01/02 –the white book –here now

10. FIG’s response

11. FIG Policy n Assisting in the process of creating workable and timely standards n Moving de facto standards to official standards

12. Roles for professionals n Proposing material for transformation n Assisting in the creation of workable and current standards n Creating guidance material

13. FIG work to date n Setting up a Task Force n Ascertaining the need n Gaining a profile n Offering material n Building links n Producing a Guide

14. The Guide n Introduction n Policy n Strategies –including current players, and how ISO works n Roles n Further information

15. Ongoing FIG work - its Network n Bringing Commission work together n Strengthening links with sister societies n Building links with ISO and IVSC n TC211 - Outreach, qualifications, etc n Promoting best practice n Communications

16. Why should FIG be involved? n Ensuring standards developers know members’ needs n Improved standards n Improved survey practice n Improved bottom line

17. Key points n Standards are important n Professionals can plug shortcomings n FIG has become a respected player n But…. there is more work to be done