www.standards.org.au

Standards Australia is the nexus for Australian industry. It is internationally renowned for its role in the development of standards and is recognized by the Government as the peak, non-government standards body in Australia. Standards Australia is dedicated to setting benchmarks to meet the growing expectations of the Australian community, industry and government. It remains committed to enhancing the social, environmental and economic well-being of all Australians. Standards Australia ensures the effective development of standards and recognition of other standardization bodies by providing an active forum for discussion, debate and consensus. Through its activities, it encourages growth in export of Australian products and services and proudly promotes excellence in Australian design and innovation through the Australian Design Awards.

Standards Australia has undertaken a significant business transformation in order to ensure that its activities and those of its technical experts on standards committees can sustainably continue well into the future to serve the Australian community at large.

With effect from October 2008, Standards Australia implemented its New Business Model. The central concepts to the new model are Net Benefit and choice of pathways. Net Benefit can be summarised as ‘having a positive effect on relevant communities’. Quite simply, all projects now developed under the Standards Australia banner must deliver demonstrable Net Benefit to the Australian economy.

All project proposals are assessed by the same criteria. Delivery of standards and related consensus documentation into the marketplace can be fast-tracked by adopting one of the five ‘Alternative Pathways’ now available to stakeholders. The ‘Pathways’ provide flexibility and choice, acknowledging that stakeholders may be able to assist with the resources required to develop standards.

The model ensures that the limited resources of both stakeholders and Standards Australia are utilised to the very best effect. This is consistent with our status as the peak standards body and the Memorandum of Understanding that we hold with the Commonwealth.

For the area of health informatics, an area of significant priority for the Commonwealth in Australia and indeed in the international sphere, the robust selection framework afforded by implementation of the New Business Model will allow Standards Australia resources to be focused and invested where they can add maximum benefit. In many respects, the base template for the Standards Australia New Business Model is founded in the methodology and discipline of the IT 014 committee, as demonstrated by its activities, behaviour and conduct over 13 years since its formal constitution.

Therefore, under the auspices of work conducted by Standards Australia committee IT 014, the model ensures that new work items proposed for development will continue to deliver the maximum net benefit to Australia.

Operational and strategic functionalities have been separated within the Standards Australia structure. This allows for greater engagement and focus. Relationship Management is a new function within Standards Australia. It gives stakeholders access to individuals with whom they can plan a strategic approach in order to deliver standards solutions that are fit for purpose and dynamic.