This document provides detailed descriptions of statistical methods for proficiency testing providers to use to design proficiency testing schemes and to analyse the data obtained from those schemes. This document provides recommendations on the interpretation of proficiency testing data by participants in such proficiency testing schemes and by accreditation bodies.

The procedures in this document can be applied to demonstrate that the measurement results obtained by laboratories, inspection bodies, and individuals meet specified criteria for acceptable performance.

This document is applicable to proficiency testing where the results reported are either quantitative measurements or qualitative observations on test items.

NOTE       The procedures in this document can also be applied for the assessment of expert opinion where the opinions or judgments are reported in a form which can be compared objectively with an independent reference value or a consensus statistic. For example, when classifying proficiency test items into known categories by inspection - or in determining by inspection whether proficiency test items arise, or do not arise, from the same original source - and the classification results are compared objectively, the provisions of this document that relate to nominal (qualitative) properties can be applied.