1. Identify parameters of interest

1.1 Competing standards

First of all, it should be noted that the only change in the 2013 version of document X15-140 (apart from the bibliography) is in the prefix NF (French standard) which has become FD (fascicule de documentation).

• The standard: less than 1% of standards are mandatory; they are found in particular in the building, health and nuclear sectors. For the others, the requirements only become mandatory when it is decided to apply the standard in question.

• The fascicle: unlike NF status, the documentation fascicle is essentially informative; it contains no requirements, and may sometimes be presented as a guide designed to facilitate understanding or interpretation of a standard....