Resources around standards and standardization.
By ISO.org /iso /home /standards.htm
What is a standard?
A standard is a document that provides requirements, specifications, guidelines or characteristics that can be used consistently to ensure that materials, products, processes and services are fit for their purpose. We published over 21000 International Standards that can be purchased from the ISO store or from our members.
From ETSI.org /standards /what-are-standards
What are standards?
In simple terms, a standard is a document that provides rules or guidelines to achieve order in a given context.
Standards serve a variety of purposes
In the domain of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), which is ETSI's area of competence, standards have special significance:
- They address especially the needs for interconnection and interoperability. This is particularly important for open markets, where users, who are increasingly mobile, can ‘mix and match’ equipment and services, and where suppliers can benefit from economies of scale.
- Standards are equally important for ensuring safety, reliability and environmental care.
- They are also frequently referenced by regulators and legislators for protecting user and business interests, and in support of government policies.
Standards bring numerous benefits to business and society.
The power and authority of standards
Standards are produced for many different products and services, and may be created for company, national, regional or global application. They may be used on a voluntary basis, or made mandatory by company policy, national or international regulation, or by law.
In Europe there are three different categories of standard:
- international standard – a standard adopted by an international standardization organization
- European standard – a standard adopted by a European standardization body
- national standard – a standard adopted by a national standardization body and made available to the public
However, although ETSI is a regional standards organization with a traditional focus on Europe, it encourages global adoption of its standards where appropriate, and many ETSI standards are used worldwide.
To some degree, what is deemed Informal may be more in the eyes of the beholder than any - yeah... - Formal definition... Who thinks IEEE standards are infornal? (EU doc below.)
"The term formal standard refers specifically to a specification that has been approved by a standards setting organization. The term de jure standard refers to a standard mandated by legal requirements or refers generally to any formal standard. In contrast, the term de facto standard refers to a specification (or protocol or technology) that has achieved widespread use and acceptance – often without being approved by any standards organization (or receiving such approval only after it already has achieved widespread use)." [wikipedia]
From abstract in Standardization Through Formal and Informal Standard Development (Dec 9, 2014):
Formal de jure Standard Development Organizations (SDOs) coordinate the development of compatibility standards that ensure technological progress and welfare through interoperability. Informal SDOs, which are self-organized and not mandated by law, co-exist with formal SDOs to develop compatibility standards in a substituting or complementing way. As a result, the process of standardization evolves within and across multiple SDOs. An examination of the process of managing standardization across collaborating formal and informal SDOs can fundamentally change our theoretical understanding of governance of standardization.
From Standards and Standardization - A practical guide for researchers (EU):
1.5 Formal and informal standards
Standards are developed and published by many different groups and organisations using various degrees of consensus in their preparation and approval. Formal standards are standards that are approved or adopted by one of the National, Regional or international standards bodies, whilst informal standards are published by other Standards Development Organisations (SDOs), many of which are very well known and highly respected, e.g. ASTM International (previously the American Society for Testing Materials), IEEE (previously the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers), SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers), SEMI (Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International) and TAPPI (formerly the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry). Private standards are developed for internal use by companies.
The core components of the formal standards infrastructure are the National Standards Bodies (NSBs). These are government recognised, though not necessarily government approved, bodies that have responsibility for publishing national standards.
Stumbled upon the following when researching standards and open communications at csrstds.com:
| Classes of Standards |
Examples | Purpose | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Units | Meter length, ounce (metrology) | Sameness | Replication |
| 2. Similarity | AS[15] metal gauges, methodology stds, character sets, X.3 PAD | Repeatability | Compatible with like |
| 3. Compatibility | Group 3 facsimile, V.32 & V.34 modems, X.25 interface, NIUF ISDN implementation agreements, wireless air interfaces | Interworking | Transmitter compatible with receiver |
| 4. Etiquette | Aloha protocol, CSMA/CD, modem handshakes, WINForum spectrum etiquette | Expandability | Negotiate the variation |
Table 2. The four classes of standards
Even if examples are a bit old, table and suggestion to classification, is food for thoughts, to keep in mind when considering standards and standardization processes - many aspects to consider!
Also mentioned is the changes in standardizations that started in the 1980s:
"Until the 1980's, almost all of the implementation of wide area public networks [9] has been done by regulated public utilities. While regulated public utilities are public, in practice, current design, regulations and the associated bureaucracy severely limit the adaptability of such networks. The privatization of international telephone public utilities (British Telecom in 1984, DBT Telekom [Germany] starting in 1989) is an indication of the societal trend toward opening the public networks. Opening the public networks is often considered allowing competition. Opening the public networks also requires standard interfaces that support open communications."