Standards Comparisons/Equivalence To view documents, Adobe Acrobat's Reader is required. This software may be downloaded without charge. If you are unable to use the Adobe Acrobat Reader Software and require a copy of a PDF document, please request a copy to be sent to you from ncsci@nist.gov . The U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology, National Center for Standards and Certification Information (NCSCI) does not provide analyses or comparisons of documentary standards, nor does it establish equivalence among documentary standards or technical regulations.
Documentary standards include:
- Product standards and specifications to establish qualities or requirements for a product
- Process standards to specify requirements to be met by a process
- Performance standards to describe desired functions
- Design standards to define product specifications
- National standards developed and promulgated through a national standards body
- International standards developed by international organizations
For more information, see: A Guide to Documentary Standards (NISTIR 6802)
This Guide is intended to provide information on the U.S. standards system, entities within that system, and different types of documentary standards. It includes descriptions of performance and design standards; voluntary consensus standards; defense standards; mandatory standards; National Institute of Justice (NIJ) standards; Federal standards; de facto standards; industry standards; consortia standards; and, international standards. In addition, the Guide includes information on the implementation of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act (NTTAA) and on the link between standards and conformity assessment. |