A framework for viewing the process of standard setting

The standard-setting literature is filled with contributions in which issues associated with standards are discussed and various methods for setting standards are presented and reviewed. Almost no attention has been given to guidelines for helping standard-setting groups or committees address the issues and technical matters that arise in selecting and implementing a standard-setting method and finally setting a standard (or standards). This article was prepared to describe sets of context-setting variables and technical matters associated with standard-setting to assist groups or committees desiring to set standards in a systematic way.