What is Standards Manual?
Standards Manual is an independent publisher dedicated to preserving and reproducing historically significant graphic standards manuals. Their most famous title is the NASA Graphics Standards Manual (1976), widely regarded as one of the greatest works of design documentation ever produced.
What is it for?
- Design History: Explore how legendary brands and institutions defined their visual identity systems decades ago — many of which still hold up today.
- Standards Thinking: Understand what a thorough, rigorous brand standards system looks like from organizations that got it right.
- Inspiration: Draw from iconic visual systems when developing your own brand documentation and guidelines.
- Collectibles: Purchase archival reprints of iconic manuals as references for your studio or creative practice.