The Standards Services Division (SSD) within the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) publishes information related to standards and conformity assessment as a service to producers and users of such systems-both in the government and in the private sector. This report provides a basic introduction to the U.S. standards system; explains what is meant by the term, "documentary standard;" and provides an overview of the U.S., international and regional standards systems. In addition, it describes the principles used in effective standards development efforts.