What is a Standard?
In quality management, manufacturing, and international trade, the word standard forms the baseline for consistency, safety, and compliance. But what exactly defines a standard?
According to popular dictionaries:
- Oxford Dictionary: Defines a standard as “a level of quality or attainment; a required or agreed level of quality or attainment; something used as a measure, norm, or model in comparative evaluations.”
- Merriam-Webster: Defines it as “set up and established by authority as a rule for the measure of quantity, weight, extent, value, or quality.”
While dictionaries cover general usage, industrial standards are developed by recognized national and international bodies to harmonize specifications, ensure safety, and facilitate fair trade. Standards generally fall under two primary categories: Product Standards and Industry Standards.
1. Product Standards
Product standards define the minimum safety, technical, and performance criteria that a specific physical product must fulfill to be legally sold or marketed as a certified standard product.
- Statutory Authority: These are typically regulated by national standards bodies, such as the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in India, ANSI in the United States, or BSI in the United Kingdom.
- Marking & Certification: Each qualifying product undergoes evaluation and is awarded a specific certification mark (such as the ISI mark in India or the CE mark in Europe) to assure consumers of its quality and safety.
- Focus Area: Dimensions, physical properties, safety parameters, material grades, and performance tolerances.
2. Industry Standards
Industry standards are developed collaboratively by industry groups, technical experts, and international consensus bodies to standardize processes, management practices, and technical protocols across entire business sectors.
- Global Consensus Bodies: The most recognized global developer of industry standards is the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
- Broad Scope: With over 24,000 international standards developed by ISO alone, standard frameworks touch nearly every sector—from information technology and aerospace to agriculture and environmental safety.
- ISO 9000 Family: Among these, the ISO 9001 Quality Management System (QMS) family is the most widely adopted framework worldwide, providing a universal foundation for operational excellence regardless of company size or industry. International stadards organization is instrumental in Managing more than 36000 International standards (both Product and Industry Standards)
Comparing Product Standards vs. Industry Standards
| Feature | Product Standards | Industry Standards |
| Primary Scope | Specific physical goods and materials | Operational processes, management systems, and protocols |
| Governance Body | National bodies (e.g., BIS, ANSI, BSI) | International bodies (e.g., ISO, IEC, ITU) |
| Objective | Consumer safety, product interchangeability | Operational efficiency, risk management, continuous improvement |
| Example |
BIS IS 14543 (Specification for Packaged Drinking Water) |
ISO 9001:2015 (Quality Management System Requirements) |
Why Standards Matter to Businesses
Establishing and adhering to standardized frameworks provides key competitive advantages:
- Ensures Interoperability: Guarantees that components, equipment, and services from different suppliers function together seamlessly.
- Builds Customer Trust: Demonstrates that a company’s offerings meet internationally recognized quality benchmarks.
- Reduces Waste and Rework: Standardized operational processes minimize variations, leading to lower operating costs and consistent output.
Tags – Standardization, what is Standard, ISO Standards, BIS, Product Standards, Industry Standards, Quality Management, Compliance, product standards vs industry standards, definition of standard, ISO standards definition, Bureau of Indian Standards BIS
Learn what a standard is, from dictionary definitions to product and industry standards like ISO and BIS, explained by Quality Expert Ravi Prakash—Quality Expert (38+ yrs exp). Connect on LinkedIn or Contact Us.
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