Standardization - May 2012 Issue

http://iq.callme.io/2011/04/18/9-call-center-metrics-that-can-lead-to-operational-success/

In light of AP tests coming up for high school students as well as the ACT test which was just recently administered, I’ve been thinking about the entire concept behind standardized tests. Why is it that we, as humans and intellectuals, want to standardize everything? We have units of weight, volume, distance, rank, rating, degree, etc. It’s interesting to think about because we, on an individual scale, appreciate that which can be defined and are fascinated with the abstract and theoretical. I personally believe that the reason that we choose to define and categorize things is so that we can venture closer towards the known and allow ourselves some lead way to explore the unknown.

Galileo once stated that “all truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them.” What I think this quote means is that the easiest things in life to comprehend are those which have already been calculated, measured, scripted, recorded, etc. In an essence, they are what we already know. The only difference is that they are manipulated in various ways to reveal newer utilities. But let’s look back at the topic, standardizing. We can see standards set up everywhere: personal ideals, societal norms, job requirements, test scores, international comparative values, the list is essentially endless.

In regards to test scores, going back to the inspiration behind today’s discussion, we can see how they are applied in everyday life. The SAT’s represent an individual’s ability or likelihood of succeeding at the college or university level, the PISA works to rank countries using a standardized test, the AIMS in Arizona works as a benchmark to determine the level of academic performance of students in Arizona; we live in a world that has been simplified by experiment and metrics. But the importance of this measurement of education cannot be stressed enough; it serves to compare, using quantifiable values, the progress of educational techniques and decisions. This allows strategists to compare the techniques used with the output – scores on the tests which correlate to achievement and attainment in an academic field. This comparison can then be projected to an international scale, demonstrating what we see as the world rankings in terms of math skills, comprehensive reading, and writing abilities. 

I have personally never seen many instances in which a standard was not applied; that which is above standards is viewed as extraordinary and exceeding expectations while that which falls below the line is deemed sub-par quality. When we turn our attention to societal norms, we can see the application of standards that we subconsciously adhere to. It is standard that when someone places their hand forward, you shake it, if someone sneezes, you say “bless you,” if someone offers you something, it’s common courtesy to deny it humbly and accept it if the person insists that you take it. We choose to follow these norms because society frowns upon those who choose not to abide by them; anyone who differs from the actions that the general public is participating in is seen as odd, and therefore a deterrent and an unproductive burden that society must correct.

Lastly, if we notice that standards are also employed in the working/career field, we can notice the true value behind them. Imaging someone in the situation where they have to rely on someone else for a service. It essentially becomes a matter of security and efficiency at that point: Can I trust person X to perform the task that I need them to efficiently and properly? In a world that is bent towards producing the most and the best, the fastest and in the greatest quantity, standards must be employed in order to maximize output. As populations escalate at a greater rate, we require larger amounts of services in the health care industry, agriculture fields, consumer services, computers etc.

In an essence, standards are literally our way of living. We require guidelines to base decisions and actions off of. These standards become our daily routines, our study habits, our goals. Until next time, think about how life would be if one standard were to change that would cause your schedule to accommodate that change.