#Get2KnowSC4 (1):

Chair ISO/TC 184/SC 4 – Industrial Data

Facts:

Name: Kenneth A. Swope

ISO Position: Chair ISO/TC 184/SC 4 – Industrial Data

Day Job: Boeing: Business Capabilities Integration/Engineering Process & Tools Leader

Other Positions: Chair Global Product Data Interoperability Summit

 

Work Questions:

How did you get pulled into the world of standards and ISO?

This is an interesting question.  In 2016, my technical team who had been participating in standardization for many years asked me to consider getting involved.  At that time, new policies were being deployed at the ISO level leading to a large change of personnel in various positions.  Boeing hosted the fall plenary of ISO/TC 184/SC 4 in 2016 and I sat in on the session.  I was hooked from that point.  It connected to earlier work in my career when I was involved in manufacturing research at Boeing and I was involved in how the then new STEP standards would affect factory programming of machine tools.

 

Why do standards and standards development matter to you?

Standards matter, particularly in technology, as the pace of change is so fast and increasing daily.  In many industries, the ability to access data seamlessly outside of the application that authored it is mandatory yet the applications don't prioritize the longevity of the data they produce.  Some do, to be sure, yet many do not.  This leads to obsolescence issues and orphaned data.  It also leads to additional costs on end users who have to come up with creative, sometimes expensive ways of maintaining access to that data.  Standards provide a stable foundation upon which to build innovation through the use of the data rather than the remanufacture of the data.

 

What is SC4 responsible for? What do they do?

SC4's title is Industrial Data.  From its charter, SC4 is responsible for creating and maintaining the international standards for the content, meaning, structure, representation and quality management of the information required to define an engineered product and its characteristics at any required level of detail at any part of its lifecycle from conception through disposal.  In addition, SC 4 delivers standards that define  the interfaces required to deliver and collect the information necessary to support any business or technical process or service related to that engineered product during its lifecycle.  SC 4 maintains over 750 standards to deliver on this mission and has 35 - 40 in work at any given time.  SC 4 is fortunate to include the participation of experts from 18 countries around the world and an additional 13 countries that observe in the development effort.

 

How is your ISO position different then you thought it would be first coming in? How is it the same?

When the opportunity was first presented to me to serve as Chair to SC 4, the argument given to my leadership was one of attending a couple of meetings a year, coordinate on a few things and it will be fine.  Well, it has turned out to be a lot different than that!  In a good way, I am far more involved in the operations of ISO and ANSI than I thought at the beginning.  And this is due to the outstanding history of SC4 in continuous innovation, growing, and adapting to new business requirements and industry expectations.  I have participated in coordination activity on Smart Manufacturing, led efforts on defining the concept of Digital Twin, and provided council to ISO strategy on the need for so called SMART standards.  I am grateful for these opportunities and humbled by how much our experts have brought to the table here. 

As far as being the same, I would say that anytime a diverse group is brought together, there will always be that dynamic of leveraging the best from a team.  Our team brings so much expertise and insight to the space, I want to ensure every voice is heard and we are building the best possible product for our industry stakeholders.  Consistently over the time I have been in this position I have been delighted by the contributions that everyone makes and the hard work that all put into these standards. 

 

What are you proudest to have accomplished with ISO so far?

One of the primary objectives I set out to achieve when I started was how to accelerate and bring value to stakeholders quicker.  I don't believe in the adage that standards take forever.  Standards are just like any other product of the intellect and techniques like roadmaps, shortened cycles, and refined scope have been embraced by the committee.  I asked the committee to focus on the shortest development cycles available in the ISO system and they did!  While we continue to work this plan, the team has started releasing standards to this shorter cycle and we are improving quality at the same time.  I am proud of the entire team's willingness to follow this direction and support the effort necessary to get us there.

 

What are the failures that you most cherish?

Ah, an interesting question and one that I would characterize as my most significant learning rather than a failure I cherish.  In this spirit, I would say that SC 4 has growth potential in the approach to standardizing the definition of product.  With the advent of technology and sophistication available now, we are leaving a lot on the table with respect to how product is defined and manufactured.  I am seeing a proliferation of MBD formats that are on the market now, many with unique use cases that are creating silos within their domains.  Each one brings something to the table and our approach of harmonization is not working as I might expect.  I think we have a lot of work here as concepts like digital twin will drive out the need for these product definitions to be consistent with each other.

 

Personal:

How are you surviving the pandemic?

I'm doing pretty well, all things considered.  While it is true I miss traveling and being with our experts where they are, I have been thankful that virtual operations was something that we were able to grow quickly into.  I and my family have stayed close to home and have done pretty well.  Socially distance, mask up and pay attention to your personal health situation!  It works, I am grateful that, so far, my family has escaped the clutches of the virus.

 

Dogs or Cats? Neither?

Both.  We have a Golden Retriever named Sima.  That is Scottish for listener, though I'm not sure the name fits!  She listens when convenient to her.  Then we have two cats, Cora and Lexi.  They are sisters and own their territories in the house.  All of us being home all the time has certainly affected them.  Typically, the daytime is pretty quiet with all at work or school.  Now, with everyone home, they see a lot more of us.

 

What keeps you motivated?

I delight in the challenge of big problems.  I have always been optimistic about the future and that any problem can be solved with enough creativity, patience, and perseverance.   I grew up on a small farm in rural America and one learned from an early age that results are personal.  Problems don't go away and they have to be addressed eventually.  I get satisfaction in finding a creative solution that addresses complex problems in new and different ways.

 

What’s more important to be smart or work hard (can’t be both!)?

Ah, work hard and be smart about it.  It is a curious statement that I have heard used many times and I tend to work hard and let the smart reveal itself.  One thing that I have noticed throughout my career is that outcomes generate additional learning and sometimes, one simply doesn't know the best way until an outcome is revealed.   From this perspective, I try a lot of things in order to set a course and see what learning occurs. Then, with that learning, I commit to more aggressive goals.  Trying things a lot with discipline is the work hard part.  Setting the best course based on the learnings is the work smart part.

 

What are you most curious about to come next (in life or work)?

This pandemic has really challenged our basic assumptions about both work and social interaction.  I am confident that a vaccine will prevail and needless suffering will abate due to this pandemic.  That said, the societal response is something that I think will persist for quite some time.  I am very curious what the new normal will be for interacting with others and how we communicate and collaborate.  I have read numerous articles that speak about the acceleration of digitalization and, while true, I wonder what that will look like five or ten years from now.