Standards Development

Scope

This BSI Flex gives guidance on how data are to be used in the development of all types of standards, including data used to create standards, data used to decide which standards to develop, what to include and exclude from standards, and to inform development decision making. This BSI Flex covers:

• the ways data are selected, assessed and used in standards development, including different data types and processing;
• how to deal with gaps in and/or limitations of existing data when developing inclusive standards;
• analysis of types of human bias;
• how cognitive biases can change the way data are interpreted and incorporated into decision-making processes;
• how data can introduce bias or exclusion into the standards development process; and
• the impacts of data bias or exclusion and the communities affected – this can include impacts related to protected characteristics, as well as non-protected characteristics.

It does not cover:

• specific aspects of product or service design; or
• data privacy or security.

This BSI Flex is for standards makers and organizations that develop standards, which might include small and medium-sized enterprises, and organizations that do not have National Standards Body status.

This BSI Flex could also be used by government and other organizations for the development of policies, procedures and regulations.