Measurement Challenge: Specification and Design

Abstract

‘Measurement is not an end in itself …’ might seem to be a paradoxical way of introducing a book about measurement. But measurement is important to the majority since it gives objective evidence on which to base decisions. The need for quality-assured measurement has evolved and widened over the centuries. Quality-assured measurement remains a topic of burgeoning and increasingly multidisciplinary interest.

This book will deliberately not follow the many exposés already in the literature which set the subject of measurement in a historical context, however evocative that may be. In-depth accounts of how the ancient Egyptians or bold navigators struggled when pioneering quality-assured measurement will be mostly left to others to present.

There is a need and a challenge to formulate a unified view of measurement. To this end, most of this first chapter of the book—as well as the last—will paradoxically not deal directly with measurement, but rather the objects—products, services, concepts, etc. and their characteristics—which are the concern of many people, who then ask metrologists to measure them. The first and last chapters thus provide object-related ‘bookends’—supporting a description of quality-assured measurement which is the central issue.

Presenting measurement in relation to objects will allow measurements to be anchored in relevance and interest for third parties. As it turns out, the approach also provides the key to a unified presentation about quality-assured measurement across social and physical sciences where objects are probed by man as a measurement instrument.

This chapter, as for most chapters in the book, concludes with templates provided for the reader to complete the corresponding sections of the measurement task for their chosen case.

Exercise 1: The Product

1.1.1 E1.1 Describe the Product

	Your answers………………………………………
Please attach a specification sheet or similar about the product
What is the product used for?
Is the product part of a composite product?
Are you the producer, supplier or user of the product?
What is essential when choosing a certain product?
Why is this product so much ‘better’ than the others?
Is it better because of product development and/or increased demands from a particular application?
Which properties of the product are important?
What are the more important functions of the product?
Is it easy to understand how the product works?
Are certain functions or properties of the product regulated because of safety or similar reasons?
Specify the different costs for the product:
What does it cost to make/use the product?
Product price
How much does it cost to use/maintain the product?
What will be the consequences if the product does not work correctly?
Can a value be assigned to the consequence costs?
Other questions:

1.1.2 E1.2 Product Demands

	Your answers…………………………………………
What are the ‘optimal’ values of the product’s most important characteristics?
How large deviations from these optimum values can be tolerated?
How much will your costs vary with varying deviations in product characteristics?
Other demands:

1.1.3 E1.3 Definition of Test of Product, Based on Product Description §E1.1

	Your answers…………………………………………
A. Test of non-functional characteristics of product/system. Is the product ‘correctly’ made?—Describe the test
– Describe scope of product test (entity, characteristic, test range)
– Describe environmental tests on product
– How much does each product test cost?
B. Test of product/system function. Is the product right—Describe the test:
– Describe scope of product test (entity, characteristic, test range)
– Describe test of ‘hard’ and/or ‘soft’ functions of product
– Describe environmental tests on product
– Describe possible safety tests of product
– How much does each product test cost?
C. Initial verification of product—Describe the test:
– Choose verifications module (A–H)
D. Subsequent verification of product—Describe the test:
Others: