What are standards, specifications, and codes?
- A standard is an approved set of criteria defining the performance or design of a product or defining the process of constructing a product.
- A specification is a set of conditions and/or requirements used primarily for procurement and manufacturing purposes. Standards may be referenced or included in specifications.
- Codes are organized collections of mandatory standards that have been made into law by a governmental authority.
Who produces standards?
Scientific and professional organizations, trade organizations, and governments create standards, both nationally as well as internationally. In the United States, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) coordinates many standards producing organizations.
What types of standards exist?
Different standards-granting organizations publish different types of standards, e.g.:
- ANSI: basic, design, management systems, process, product, test methods, and others
- ASTM: specification, test method, terminology, practice, guide
- ISO: product, test methods, codes of practice, guideline, management systems
