What is essential about the role of standards in planning?

The role of standards in planning is fundamentally about achieving a balance between resources and demand. Standards provide benchmarks that help organizations or individuals assess their capabilities and available resources against what is required to meet specific goals or objectives. By aligning resources with the anticipated demand, standards help ensure that planning is realistic, effective, and efficient. This means that planning can proceed with a clear understanding of what is necessary to meet the needs identified, ultimately leading to better outcomes in various contexts, such as project management, education, or service delivery.

In contrast, strict adherence is not always feasible as flexibility may be needed based on changing circumstances. Similarly, if standards were regarded as optional guidelines, it could lead to inconsistencies and inefficiencies in implementation. Moreover, while individuals can influence or create certain standards, the most effective standards are typically established through collective agreement or industry benchmarks rather than arbitrary individual determination. Thus, the importance of standards in planning lies in their ability to provide a structured approach that aligns available resources with actual needs.