A technical specification is a normative document issued while a subject is still moving, before the committee is ready to publish a full standard. It does contain requirements, and a product can be built to it. It is reviewed sooner than a standard, and it may later be promoted or withdrawn.
In European electrotechnical work, The European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC) publishes these specifications beside its standards. The specification is binding on a product that claims it. It is not yet the long-lived standard.
When a Committee Chooses a Specification
- The subject is new. Implementations exist, and a full consensus standard would be premature.
- Requirements are included. Unlike a report, a product can conform.
- A short life. The text is reviewed on a shorter cycle and may become a standard.
Specification and a Full Standard
| Compared | A Technical Specification | A Full Standard |
| Requirements | Yes | Yes |
| How settled the subject is | Still moving | Stable enough for a long text |
| Later fate | Promoted, revised, or withdrawn | Stays until a full revision |