guideline
Recommended course suggestion
A guideline is a recommendation or principle intended to guide decisions or actions without being strictly mandatory.
Guidelines suggest how something should be done while allowing flexibility: The company issued guidelines for remote work.
Unlike rules, guidelines can be adapted to circumstances.
Often plural: Follow the safety guidelines.
Standard for comparison
- yardstickThirty-six-inch ruler
- criterionStandard for judgment
- normAccepted behavioral standard
- baselineStandard for comparison
standard · reference · model · template · touchstone · gauge · measure · bar
Fundamental truth or standard
- tenetHeld principle or doctrine
- preceptRule governing behavior
- doctrineEstablished body of teachings
- philosophyStudy of fundamental truths
ethos · values · ethics · canon · creed · axiom · fundamental · ideal
Prescribed conduct rules
- procedurePrescribed sequence of actions
- methodologyFormal procedural framework
- processSteps toward a result
- roadmapDetailed plan forward
blueprint · checklist · flowchart · workflow · step-by-step · outline · manual · handbook
Adopted principle of action
- regulationOfficial rules governing conduct
- ruleGoverning principle or standard
- mandateFormal authoritative directive
- directiveFormal command or instruction
recommendation · advisory · instruction · prescription · edict · decree · ordinance · protocol
benchmark
Standard for comparison
baseline · standard · reference · model · template · touchstone · gauge · measure · bar · canon
principle
Fundamental truth or standard
philosophy · ethos · values · ethics · canon · creed · axiom · fundamental · ideal · belief
protocol
Prescribed conduct rules
- procedurePrescribed sequence of actions
- methodologyFormal procedural framework
- processSteps toward a result
roadmap · blueprint · checklist · flowchart · workflow · step-by-step · outline · manual · handbook · playbook
policy
Adopted principle of action
- regulationOfficial rules governing conduct
- ruleGoverning principle or standard
- mandateFormal authoritative directive
directive · recommendation · advisory · instruction · prescription · edict · decree · ordinance · protocol · code
recommendation
Advised course of action
suggestion · pointer · tip · steer · consultation · briefing · coaching · mentoring · advisory · input
- normsnorm, norms, standard, social norms, rule
- routineroutine, regularity, habit, pattern, daily routine
- ruleslaw, rule, bylaw, standard, norm
- standardsstandard, standards, norm, norms, criterion
- policy documentspolicy memo, policy statement, policy review, policy agenda, white paper
- regulationsrules, rule, regulations, regulation, law
guidelinelaw
Binding principle or regulation
rule · mandate · requirement · regulation · commandment
guidelinefree rein
Unrestricted freedom to act
carte blanche · chaos · free-for-all · directionlessness · autonomy
- health guidelinesOfficial recommendations for wellbeing
- community guidelinesRules for group behavior
- safety guidelinesInstructions to prevent harm
- brand guidelinesRules for company presentation