Disclaimer: The
"interim ICTSB response" is a collection of opinions
which does not necessarily represent a consensus view of
the ICTSB
| Generic
Consumer Requirements in ICT standardization extracted from the ANEC report |
Interim ICTSB response |
|---|---|
| 1. Test methods should be standardised to provide data to consumers for easy comparison before purchase, e.g. energy consumption, cost in standard mode, necessary equipment/knowledge, restrictions, safety, instructions. | Each standard with a specification has a precise scope which clarifies what is standardized and to what it applies. Conformance testing is specified to verify whether a products meets the provisions given in the specification. Standards addressing safety or energy consumption fulfil already the ANEC requirements. However, these standards will not translate energy consumption into cost. |
2. Suitable tools for life-cycle analyses, which integrate the
different quality characteristics: ISO 9126 defines different
quality sub-characteristics, which are important in assessing
the quality of a product. These characteristics are:
|
Here again,
if the quality characteristics are part of the specified provisions,
testing should cover them. Interoperability is often a key
requirement for standardization. The specified provisions
for this are often not visible for the users. The development
of (test) tools does not concern standardization. As long as parameters and their values with tolerances and limits are unambiguous and the measurement uncertainty is well understood, tests could easily be performed.As soon as the characteristics are specified with subjective terms, testing for mutual recognition of test results becomes difficult. |
| 3. These technical functions should be complemented with 'human factor functions', which describe the different qualifications, ages and cultural background of the users/consumers. ICT should either support the different user/consumer categories, or should describe which qualification (ability) is needed to use a product; Who will judge on the usability of chopsticks in comparison with a fork? The user's origin, the user's skill and the meal are important factors as well. | Who will judge on the usability of chopsticks in comparison with a fork? The user's origin, the user's skill and the meal are important factors as well. |
| 4. To this end, it would be useful to test the usability of products with different types of users/consumers during the design stage of a system and upon its completion. | This is
not in the scope of standardization.Stiftung Warentest might
be addressed here They certainly do not want to use standardized
test methods. |
| 5. Results from research and development (R&D) projects should
be considered and integrated in all new drafts in the area of
ICT standardisation |
Independently
from consumer requirements, R&D and standardization are
committed to work together. This may work but also fail as the
R&D results may not be acceptable for standardization. |
| 6. Standards for eliciting consumer requirements and integrating
them into the systems design process should be developed. |
ICT
standards for design or design processes are not addressed by
standardization. Design and design processes are usually covered
by very general horizontal standards. |