Integration – What Does it Really Mean in the Test and Process World?

Integrate. I’ve heard this word a lot over the last 20+ years that I’ve been involved in the testing industry. But what does it really mean, and what does it mean to me, in my role?

Webster defines the verb “integrate” as follows:

1. to combine (two or more things) to form or create something
2. to make (something) a part of another larger thing
3. to make (a person or group) part of a larger group or organization

The first two equate directly with how the word is often used when managing a project. “Find a solution and integrate it with the control system” or “Integrate the systems support utilities with the overhead bridge crane.”

But it’s the third definition that I feel is the heart of what matters most when designing test facilities or process equipment. It’s the end users and how their data, their work environment, and their safety must become part of the overall strategy our clients are investing in. As integrators, individual members of our internal design team need to be aligned to the client’s common goal. That’s true integration!

Integration requires focusing on the big picture as if I were the client. When this happens, the client lets me know. They are the ones smiling.

Learn more about ACS’ Integration Services