1. Introduction
1.1 Scope and purpose
The organization and basic procedures of the IEEE-SA Standards Board are covered by the IEEE-SA Standards Board Bylaws. The following material supplements the provisions of the IEEE-SA Standards Board Bylaws, which shall be the prevailing document in the event of conflict. The purpose of this document is to specify the procedures that shall be followed in the standards-development process in use within the IEEE.
1.2 Types of IEEE standards
IEEE standards include but are not limited to:
- Lists of terms, definitions, or symbols, applicable to any field of science or technology within the scope of the IEEE.
- Expositions of scientific methods of measurement or tests of the parameters or performance of any device, apparatus, system, or phenomenon associated with the art, science, or technology of any field within the scope of the IEEE.
- Characteristics, performance, and safety requirements associated with devices, equipment, and systems with engineering installations.
- Recommendations reflecting current state-of-the-art in the application of engineering principles to any field of technology within the scope of the IEEE.
IEEE standards are classified as:
- Standards: documents with mandatory requirements.[1]
- Recommended practices: documents in which procedures and positions preferred by the IEEE are presented.
- Guides: documents in which alternative approaches to good practice are suggested but no clear-cut recommendations are made.
- Trial-Use documents: publications in effect for not more than two years. They can be any of the categories of standards publications listed above. (See 5.7.)
The IEEE standards development process may result in one or more of the following documents:
- New: A document that does not replace or modify another standard.
- Revision: A document that updates or replaces an existing IEEE standard in its entirety.
- Amendment: A document that contains new material to an existing IEEE standard and may contain technical corrections to that standard.
- Corrigendum: A document that only contains technical corrections to an existing IEEE standard.
- Erratum: A document that contains only grammatical corrections to, or errors introduced during the publishing process of, an existing IEEE standard.
IEEE Standards Project Editors can assist Sponsors in determining whether an amendment or revision is appropriate.
IEEE standards may be in one of four states of activity:
- Developing: Standards projects that have not yet been approved as standards.
- Active: Approved standards that are subject to the requirements for regular maintenance. (See clause 9).
- Stabilized: Approved standards that
- a)
- Are not health or safety standards
- b)
- Address mature technologies or practices
- c)
- Are required for use in connection with existing implementations or for reference purposes
- d)
- Contain no identified significant erroneous information
- e)
- Are not likely to require revisions. (See 9.3).
- Withdrawn: Standards that are no longer maintained and may contain significant obsolete or erroneous information. (See 9.4).
1.3 Standards documentation
All IEEE-SA draft standards, meeting minutes, Sponsor ballot materials, and Sponsor ballot comments shall be in the English language.
