Expert or charlatan? A standard clears things up

That's the standard for experts: real ones, not so-called experts. self-proclaimed which have become widespread in recent years, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The standard NF X50-110 Quality in expertise – General competency requirements for expertise has just been revised, a little over twenty years after its inception in 2003. It still covers all sectors of activity, without exception. But it has been adapted to changes in the societal context, starting with the possibilities opened up by the internet and big data. The very first meeting of the AFNOR standardization committee responsible for this subject took place in 2000. It was a time of health scandals, notably mad cow disease, explains Patrice Huver, head of the investigation and analysis division at the Naudet consulting firm and now co-chair of this committee. National agencies needed a shared and recognized standard to describe the principles and requirements of high-quality expertise that inspires confidence.

NF X50-110: all sectors of activity are concerned

The voluntary standard was created three years later and has enjoyed lasting success across all disciplines. We have changed it for several reasons, Patrice Huver continues. There is, of course, the evolution of society, with a series of controversies surrounding experts on television. They are called experts, and we see that this creates an echo chamber among other media outlets and the general public. There is also the rapid evolution of the technical and scientific environment. The internet has brought about a tremendous sharing of knowledge, with all information, whether accurate or erroneous, available in a matter of minutes. For someone like me, who carries out industrial assessments for insurers, the data now available on the internet, such as satellite images, has profoundly changed the way I work. All of this was still unthinkable in 2003. The NF X50-110 standard is a process standard, adds Patrice Huver. In some respects, it can be linked to the ISO 9001 quality management standard. The latter was revised in 2015 with significant changes in terminology. It was therefore important for us to evolve as well. The update process is standard in standardization, allowing voluntary standards to keep pace with the market. In 2024, ISO 9001 will once again be undergoing an update.

Third reason for revision: it was important for the commission to reiterate that X50-110 applies to all sectors, not just construction, as some may have believed. We have clarified the concept of expert, individual or collective expertise, and the scope of application of the standard, in order to make it clear that the standard is general in nature. , continues Patrice Huver. Clarification and adaptation, therefore, rather than revolution. The revision of X50-110 reflects those who wrote it: serious, nuanced, thoughtful. The standard has proven to be robust enough to become embedded in the processes of organizations such as the Technical Center for Wood and Furniture and national health agencies, particularly ANSES. It was not a question of reinventing everything, but of evolving intelligently. , comments Patrice Huver. At the heart of the text is Chapter 7, which focuses on the points to be observed, from planning to control of the delivered product.

At ANSES (the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety), Sylvie Loisel is head of cross-functional projects supporting expertise and co-chair of the AFNOR commission. She explains that the agency relies on NF X50-110 on a daily basis. We work on expertise in assessing health risks related to food, the environment, and work, as well as animal health and welfare and plant health, within a One Health approach. NF X 50-110 is used as a professional standard, enabling us to control the critical points of the assessment process, while adapting it to the context, issues, risks, and expectations of the agency's stakeholders. , she elaborates.

An ethical framework for dealing with uncertainty

This standard allows us to avoid the pitfalls of implicit and informal communication, continues Sylvie Loisel. In our line of work, it is essential that we be able to trust the expertise provided. This starts with the formulation of the request: have we understood the question correctly, and is it relevant and possible to rephrase it? In addition, ANSES formally appoints experts to its panels according to established criteria, ensuring their competence and preventing any conflicts of interest. At the end of the process, we must also ensure that we deliver accurate expertise that is understandable to risk managers and, where applicable, other stakeholders. 

The standard also enables expert organizations—and Sylvie Loisel emphasizes this point—to work more effectively both internally and with their partners. It is a valuable tool for any organization that adopts it, as experts set out the rules they undertake to follow and make them public, she explains. NF X50-110 is an anchor point that helps experts deal with uncertainty, an essential factor in our professions. Expertise generally involves complex situations with uncertainty, requiring professional judgment to supplement data analysis. It is therefore essential to control the risks associated with making a judgment, so that it is done within an ethical framework. For Sylvie Loisel, as for others, the revision of the standard is therefore very valuable. Want to know more? Attend an AFNOR member conference on the subject on May 28, 2024.