What is a Standard?

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO Links to an external site.) defines standards as documents: 

 

...established by a consensus of subject matter experts and approved by a recognized body that provides guidance on the design, use or performance of materials, products, processes, services, systems or persons.

 

Standards include specifications and guidelines for materials, products, processes and services. They establish a language engineers, researchers, businesses, and students can use to communicate and create.