A quick guide to standards development

Standards impact our lives on a daily basis. From the appliances in our homes, to the structures and systems in our offices, to the bridges and roads to get between the two, standards help contribute to a safer, more sustainable world — the kind of world that CSA Group is dedicated to promoting. 

Standards development is the foundation of CSA Group, the largest standards development organization in Canada, with the widest subject area recognition. The group’s development process follows a well-defined, highly controlled method, following eight stages. When a proposal is submitted for the development of a standard, CSA’s rigorous process begins.

1. Preliminary stage: The application is evaluated and submitted for review and authorization to proceed. 

2. Proposal stage: The group publicizes its intent to proceed and assign the project to an existing or specially formed technical committee.

3. Preparatory stage: A working draft of the proposal is prepared and a schedule established. 

4. Committee stage: The assigned technical committee/subcommittee develops a draft using an iterative process.

5. Inquiry stage: Once a draft is complete, CSA Group puts the draft standard out for public review and comment. Then the technical committee reaches consensus and internal staff conduct a quality review. Finally, a pre-approval edit of the standard is completed.

6. Approval stage: The technical committee approves technical content of the draft via ballot or recorded vote. The group then undertakes an additional review to verify that all procedures were followed throughout the development process.

7. Publication stage: A final edit is conducted to verify conformity with CSA’s numerous editorial and procedural requirements. Once these final steps are completed, the standard is published and disseminated.

8. Maintenance stage: CSA Group standards are continually maintained to ensure they stay current and technically valid. To help ensure this, the group will periodically publish amendments and/or interpretation of clauses. All of the standards go through systematic reviews no less than every five years.

For information on how to get involved in standards development, contact CSA Group. 

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