If you’re like the vast majority of readers, your company has probably gotten certified to one or more management system standards because someone told you to do so.

(NIST: Gaithersburg, MD) -- The U.S. Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has awarded $34.12 million in grants for measurement science and engineering research.

(UL: Northbrook, IL) -- Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL), a world leader in product safety testing and certification services, announces that it has acquired Compliance Certification Services (CCS) of Fremont, California.

Besides penning a column periodically for Quality Digest Daily, I also write for a number of other newspapers and publications.

(Mitutoyo America: Aurora, IL) -- Mitutoyo America Corp. announces availability of the new QuantuMike line of micrometers.

(Extensible CAD Technologies: Raleigh, NC) -- Extensible CAD Technologies announces the release of their new product, InspectionXpert for Pro/ENGINEER.

(IQS: North Olmsted, OH) -- IQS announces the availability of IQS Problem Solver module that enables organizations to standardize problem solving processes with easy-to-use questioned-based reasoning software.

How unique is unique? The answer to this riddle is central in determining which work breakdown structure (WBS) methodology most accurately explains project deliverables and how they should be estimated, controlled, and completed.

The year 2009—it was a year to be relegated quickly into obscurity. Nothing seemed to go right. Automotive sales were in the dumper. Home foreclosures continued to be in the news wreaking havoc on millions of people.