
Standardization is a convenience often overlooked in society. Without a design that regulates widespread uses and practices, modern technologies would seriously falter. A good example of effective design are the concrete block specifications defined in the Masonry Society's "Building Code Requirements and Specification for Masonry Structures." From 1977 to 1989, professionals from the American Concrete Institute, American Society of Civil Engineers, and Masonry Society compiled a national standard that ensures best building practices. The book regulates the appropriate size and thickness of blocks and seismic design requirements, among other things.
"The basic irony of standards is the simple fact that there is no standard way to create a standard, nor is there even a standard definition of “standard.” There are, however, longstanding ways that industries and nations coordinate standardization efforts. In the United States, the system of voluntary consensus standards is coordinated by ANSI, the American National Standards Institute."
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