Viðmiðun

Viðmiðun is an Icelandic noun meaning a reference point or standard used to judge, measure, or compare something. It denotes a fixed norm, benchmark, or target against which results or performances can be evaluated. A viðmiðun can be a legal standard set by authorities, a scientific reference value, or an internal target in planning and assessment.

In practice, viðmiðun figures in many fields. In education and public policy, it can establish expected outcomes or compliance criteria. In science and engineering, it serves as a reference value for calibration, measurement, or thresholding. In business and quality assurance, organizations use benchmarks to compare processes, products, or services with established norms.

The term is closely related to viðmið, which broadly means standard or norm, and to guidelines or protocols that describe how comparisons should be made. The exact interpretation of viðmiðun can vary by field, so it is important to understand the specified reference point within a given document or context.