“Standardisation is an activity of establishing, with regard to actual or potential problems, provisions for common and repeated use, aimed at the achievement of the optimum degree of order in a given context.
In particular, the activity consists of the processes of formulating, issuing and implementing standards.
Important benefits of standardization are improvement of the suitability of products, processes and services for their intended purposes, prevention of barriers to trade and facilitation of technological cooperation.”
(definition from the standard EVS-EN 45020:2008 “Standardisation and related activities. General vocabulary”)
For example, the measurements of an A4 sheet of paper, which is broadly used in a daily basis, are agreed by the standard EVS-EN ISO 216. The agreement laid down in the standard benefits, e.g.:
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paper manufacturers, who prepare paper of the agreed measurements (e.g. A4);
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printer manufacturers, who prepare the equipment to use paper of the agreed measurements (e.g. A4);
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consumers, who acquire the necessary paper from the paper manufacturer, which is suitable for use with the equipment prepared by the printer manufacturer.
The history of paper sizes can be found here.
According to EVS-EN 45020:2008, a standard is:
“A document, established by consensus and approved by a recognized body, that provides, for common and repeated use, rules, guidelines or characteristics for activities or their results, aimed at the achievement of the optimum degree of order in a given context.”
Standards are drafted and published on three levels of standardisation: international, regional and national. Standards drafted on different levels primarily vary with regard to the number of those who have accepted the content as a standard.