Viewed from the pinnacle of the traceability chain it may well be that understanding and implementing a technical standard/guide such as the Guide to the expression of uncertainty in measurement and its more recently released Supplements, constitutes scientific endeavour.

However, when viewed from the bottom of the same chain it is a totally different matter entirely.For so-called 'industrial' laboratories the task can best be considered challenging and in some cases impossible.

For those who spend their days in national metrology institutes in the pursuit of excellence and "shining the marble", understanding these documents just forms part of the day-to-day job.

However, in a commercial industrial laboratory the main concern is usually figuring out how quickly a particular device can be moved from the in rack to the delivery rack, and issues such as uncertainty of measurement, getting the lab's standards calibrated and of course accreditation are all considered impediments to getting the job done. Those responsible for developing such documents should bear this in mind and should strive to find a way to make them understandable to those who operate in these labs wherever possible.

Having spent the past 12 years in particular trying to bridge the gap between the top and the bottom of the traceability chain, the author will provide the raison d'être for those who are responsible for reviewing the GUM to keep this in mind whilst they undertake their task.