What is a standard?

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) defines a standard as a "document, established by consensus and approved by a recognized body, that provides – for common and repeated use – rules, guidelines or characteristics for activities of their results, aimed at the achievement of the optimum degree of order in a given context."

Standards can serve many purposes, including:

• Determining the fitness of an object or process for a specific for purpose, its compatibility and/interchangeability with other objects or processes.
• Safety.
• Protection of the environment.
• Product protection against climatic or other adverse conditions.
   

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More information on standardization from ISO, IEC, NIST, and ANSI:

• ISO Standards Development
• Types of ISO Publications
• IEC Standards Development
• Types of IEC Publications
• National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST)
• American National Standards Institute (ANSI)