There are standards for most products and services. Sometimes dozens of them. Examples of standards for products: - Standards for connection to another product. - Safety standards. - Standard dimensions. - Standards with test methods to be able to demonstrate the quality of the product. Examples of standards for services: - Standards that lay down what service the customer may expect. - Requirements for staff training. - Standard procedures. Application of standards is sometimes compulsory or virtually compulsory because the law specifies this or because the customer requires it. But it may also be the company’s own choice to use standards, for example to save costs or to serve the customer better. Standards can determine whether a product or services flops or is a mega-success (click here for examples). Standards can provide a steer for a company to capture new markets and achieve better operating results. Click here for benefits of standardization for producers and buyers. The importance of standards and standardization continues to increase. If you would like to know how this comes about, click here. Searching for standards is difficult, as there are so many of them. The danger is that you can no longer see the wood for the trees. Set out below you will find a systematic approach for searching for standards for products and services. We assume that there is already an overall design of the product or service.

hdl.handle.net/1765/31689
Erasmus Research Institute of Management

de Vries, H., & van der Zwan, J. (2008). What standards do I need for my product or service?. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1765/31689