Today is part 2 of our Defining Policy and Procedures which will discuss standards.
Standards address the WHAT, making the policy above and procedures below more meaningful. It is possible that some standards are not even created by your entity, but are an international standard for your field. For example, the standard that the State Archives microphotography department uses in filming has not changed since the 1980’s, though internal policy and procedures have.
A standard is the level at which you must do something to accomplish the goals stated in the policy. Following the procedures results in meeting the established standard. The International Standards Organization says a standard is applied “consistently to ensure that materials, products, processes and services are fit for their purpose.” The standards can assign a quantifiable measure or detail how a policy must be implemented, but the standards will rarely change as time passes and technology and practices change.
