standard (Compliance)

A standard is an agreed-upon way of doing something. The standard provides sufficient detail that adhering to the standard produces consistent, repeatable results. Standards are developed collectively by consensus. For example, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has developed over 18,500 International Standards on a variety of subjects and some 1100 new ISO standards are published every year.

Typically, standards are designed for voluntary use and do not have the legal force of regulations.

Compare regulation and initiative.