NISTIR 7935 FACTS: A Framework for Analysis, Comparison, and Testing of Standards

Open and consensus standards play a critical role in enabling globally-distributed manufacturing. A close connection between standards development and implementation strategies is critical to ensure widespread adoption. Ideally, the development and implementation of standards is based on a clear understanding of information requirements, the modeling of concepts, and different levels of abstraction from multiple stakeholder viewpoints. Towards this goal, we propose a Framework for Analysis, Comparison, and Testing of Standards (FACTS). Based on the Zachman Framework, FACTS-derived information models explicitly model standards from various perspectives and at different levels of abstraction, providing a unified approach for standards development and implementation. In this paper, we explain FACTS and analyze several standards with respect to the different stages of a standard’s lifecycle and information modeling abstractions. We outline the role of FACTS in providing implementation and testability strategies for standards. Finally, we explain FACTS using a set of standards in a sustainable manufacturing case study. We envision that FACTS can lead to the development of a CASE-tool-like environment for standards development and implementation.