  The quantum-mechanical framework in which observables are associated with
Hermitian operators is too narrow to discuss measurements of such important
physical quantities as elapsed time or harmonic-oscillator phase. We introduce
a broader framework that allows us to derive quantum-mechanical limits on the
precision to which a parameter---e.g., elapsed time---may be determined via
arbitrary data analysis of arbitrary measurements on $N$ identically prepared
quantum systems. The limits are expressed as generalized Mandelstam-Tamm
uncertainty relations, which involve the operator that generates displacements
of the parameter---e.g., the Hamiltonian operator in the case of elapsed time.
This approach avoids entirely the problem of associating a Hermitian operator
with the parameter. We illustrate the general formalism, first, with
nonrelativistic uncertainty relations for spatial displacement and momentum,
harmonic-oscillator phase and number of quanta, and time and energy and,
second, with Lorentz-invariant uncertainty relations involving the displacement
and Lorentz-rotation parameters of the Poincar\'e group.
