Problem: Standards provide a substantive, internationally supported framework through which information can be managed, developed, reviewed, tested, maintained in a content-management system, and published in a variety of forms. Research question: Why are standards and standards development important for information development and management? Key concepts: (1) The International Organization for Standardization defines a standard as “a document that provides requirements, specifications, guidelines or characteristics that can be used consistently to ensure that materials, products, processes and services are fit for their purpose.” (2) Several types of standards exist, such as unit standards (which describe measures), private standards reached by consensus and that most participants in an industry agree to, and public, de jure, or legally mandated standards. Standards exist for authoring and publishing tools. (3) Using a standard managed and controlled by a standards organization means gaining the insights of experienced individuals working through an internationally recognized body. 4) Standards are developed by consensus under the auspices of a major organization, such as IEEE, ISO, or OASIS. (5) Major standards affecting information development include technical standards for authoring and publishing, including portable document format, eXtensible markup language, Hypertext Markup Language, and content standards, such as Darwin information typing architecture (DITA), DocBook, and S1000D. Key lessons: (1) Use standards to manage content development. (2) Use standards to acquire services to support the development of content. (3) Use standards to review and test information. (4) Use standards to manage agile information development. (5) Use standards to manage the development of documentation through the software-development life cycle. (6) Use standards to select and implement a content-management system. (7) Hire information developers who understand the importance of using standards. Implications to practice: Standards provide a means for information developers to ensure that they are managing and developing content effectively. Implementing standards in an organization helps to ensure that technology choices made today will not restrict future technology developments.

In the process of working with a variety of corporations to design and produce standards and procedures, the author discovered that, while the need for comprehensive standards and procedures is great, many companies have failed to establish systematic methods for developing them. To help these companies establish a standards and procedures methodology, analysis techniques were instituted that had been developed by and for the data-processing community. It is argued that these techniques, which include top-down analysis of process flow, are effective because they encourage the companies to examine their top-level processes before analyzing their desk procedures. They also encourage the analysis of manual processes that can result in greater procedural efficiencies throughout the organization. The author looks at written standards and procedures, development and at the problems associated with the current state of procedure writing. Two case studies are presented.

A description is given of the EPICS program at the Colorado School of Mines, which teaches problem solving and communication as one. The design of the program's curriculum is discussed, as is the author's experience with the program.