Types of standards

Standard that has a wide-ranging coverage or contains general provisions for one particular field
NOTE: A basic standard may function as a standard for direct application or as a basis for other standards.

Standard that is concerned with terms, usually accompanied by their definitions, and sometimes by explanatory notes, illustrations, examples, etc.

Standard that is concerned with test methods, sometimes supplemented with other provisions related to testing such as sampling, use of statistical methods, sequence of tests

Standard that specifies requirements to be fulfilled by a product or a group of products, to establish its fitness for purpose
NOTE 1: A product standard may include in addition to the fitness for purpose requirements, directly or by reference, aspects such as terminology, sampling, testing, packaging and labelling and, sometimes, processing requirements.
NOTE 2: A product standard can be either complete or not, according to whether it specifies all or only a part of the necessary requirements. In this respect, one may differentiate between standards such as dimensional, material, and technical delivery standards.

Standard that specifies requirements to be fulfilled by a process, to establish its fitness for purpose

Standard that specifies requirements to be fulfilled by a service, to establish its fitness for purpose
NOTE: Service standards may be prepared in fields such as laundering, hotel-keeping, transport, car-servicing, telecommunications, insurance, banking, trading.

Standard that specifies requirements concerned with the compatibility of products or systems at their points of interconnection

Standard that contains a list of characteristics for which values or other data are to be stated for specifying the product, process or service
NOTE: Some standards, typically, provide for data to be stated by suppliers, others by purchasers.