Structured Authoring
IEC/IEEE 82079-1, Preparation of Information for Use (Instructions for Use) of Products
Overview
What is IEC/IEEE 82079-1?
IEC/IEEE 82079-1 is the international standard for preparing information for use (instructions for use) of products. Developed and published jointly by IEC, IEEE and ISO, it sets general principles and detailed requirements for every kind of instructions, for products ranging from paint to large industrial machinery, turnkey plants and buildings. The current version is Edition 2.0, published in May 2019, which replaced the first edition, IEC 82079-1:2012.
Where to get the document
Key Features
- Applies to instructions for any product, not one industry
- "Information for use" as the generic term; step-by-step instructions are a subset
- The preparation process and empirical evaluation are normative
- Covers the competencies needed to prepare information for use
- Edition 2.0 (2019) is current; Edition 3 is in development
Also written as: IEC 82079-1 · IEC/IEEE 82079-1:2019 · IEC/IEEE 82079-1 Edition 2.0
Who IEC/IEEE 82079-1 Applies To
IEC/IEEE 82079-1 is a horizontal standard under IEC Guide 108: it is written mainly for the committees that prepare product standards, and its contents do not apply unless a publication refers to it or includes it. In practice it reaches a manufacturer three ways: a product standard or contract cites it, a regulator's expectations for instructions are easiest to meet by following it, or a documentation team adopts it as its own method. Regulations decide what a product's instructions must say; this standard describes how to prepare information that does that job well.
What Edition 2.0 Changed
The 2019 edition was a technical revision of IEC 82079-1:2012. It reorganized the document to make it easier to apply, and made "information for use" the generic term, with "instructions for use" as a synonym and step-by-step instructions as a subset of it.
It also moved the preparation process into the normative text, described empirical methods for evaluating information for use, covered the professional competencies needed to prepare it in more depth, and added requirements for complex systems of systems and for products the user assembles. An informative annex gives guidance on meeting the requirements.
Edition 3
A third edition is in development. A committee draft was registered in February 2023 under ISO/TC 10/SC 1, and it will replace the 2019 edition when published. Until then, Edition 2.0 is the version to cite, and its stability date of 2026 is the signal that revision is due.
IEC/IEEE 82079-1 Revisions & Designations
The number has carried two prefixes, and a third edition is coming:
- IEC 82079-1:2012
- The first edition, an IEC publication. Canceled and replaced by the 2019 edition.
- IEC/IEEE 82079-1:2019
- Edition 2.0, published May 2019 and developed jointly by IEC, IEEE and ISO. The current version.
- IEC/IEEE CD 82079-1
- Edition 3, at committee draft stage since February 2023. Not yet a citable standard.
Where IEC/IEEE 82079-1 Programs Go Wrong
- Treating the standard as a template. It sets principles and requirements, not a chapter layout, so copying another manufacturer's manual structure and calling it compliant misses the point: the requirements are about the reader's tasks and the product's risks.
- Skipping evaluation. Edition 2.0 made empirical evaluation part of the normative text. Instructions reviewed only by the engineers who wrote the product are the ones that fail in the field.
- Writing safety information last. Warnings and residual-risk information belong in the plan from the start, tied to the risk assessment, not added once the procedures are written.
- Producing one language first and translating later without control. Unconstrained source text multiplies cost and error in every target language.
How It Relates to Other Standards
- ASD-STE100
- The standard tells you the information has to be understandable to its audience; a controlled language is one proven way to get there, and the two are often used together for products sold worldwide.
- DITA
- Method and machinery. 82079-1 says what good information for use requires; DITA is one way to author and reuse it as topics, which helps when the same instructions ship for many product variants and languages.
IEC/IEEE 82079-1 Questions
What is IEC/IEEE 82079-1?
The international standard for preparing information for use (instructions for use) of products. It sets general principles and detailed requirements for every kind of instructions, for anything from paint to industrial machinery, turnkey plants and buildings, and it is published jointly by IEC, IEEE and ISO.
What is the current edition of IEC/IEEE 82079-1?
Edition 2.0, published in May 2019, which replaced the first edition, IEC 82079-1:2012. A third edition has been in development since a committee draft was registered in February 2023; until it is published, the 2019 edition is the one to cite.
Is there an ISO standard for technical documentation?
Yes, two depending on the product. IEC/IEEE 82079-1, which ISO co-publishes, covers instructions for use of products in general. ISO/IEC/IEEE 26514:2022 covers the design and development of information for users of software. Industry specifications such as S1000D or ATA iSpec 2200 sit on top of these for aerospace and defense content.
Is IEC/IEEE 82079-1 mandatory?
Not on its own. It is a horizontal standard, so it applies when a product standard, a contract or your own process adopts it. Regulations set what a product's instructions must contain; following 82079-1 is a sound way to prepare instructions that meet those requirements, but the legal obligation comes from the regulation, not the standard.
What is the difference between IEC/IEEE 82079-1 and ISO/IEC/IEEE 26514?
Scope. 82079-1 applies to information for use of any product. 26514 is specific to software: it covers how to establish what information users of software need and how to design, develop and present it. A product with embedded software can reasonably draw on both.
Where to Get IEC/IEEE 82079-1
IEC/IEEE 82079-1 is a paid standard, sold through the IEC webstore, the ISO store and national standards bodies. There is no official free copy.
Where IEC/IEEE 82079-1 Applies
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