DIN checks whether or not the scope of the proposed DIN SPEC is already covered by standards.

The business plan informs the public of the new project and invites further project participants. It contains information on

• project partners,
• objectives of the project,
• the work programme,
• organization of the "workshop" to work on the project, 
• resource planing.

The business plan is posted on DIN's website for four weeks, allowing anyone interested to submit comments and/or express interest in participating. All those who have expressed an interest in participating in the project by the set deadline is invited to attend the kick-off meeting.
 

Once the business plan is published, DIN reviews all comments received and decides whether or not to approve the project. Once a contract has been signed by DIN, DIN Media and the initiator of the DIN SPEC, the project is deemed approved.

The "kick-off" is the constituent meeting of the DIN SPEC "workshop" (i.e. those drawing up the document). During this meeting participants express their interest by adopting the published business plan, officially becoming members of the workshop. A workshop leader is then elected. Workshop members decide whether any additional members will be accepted or not.

Work on the DIN SPEC can now begin. DIN makes its infrastructure available for this. The responsible DIN Project Manager coordinates the administrative processes of the project, supports the experts by functioning as a contact partner for all aspects of the work, and moderates meetings together with the workshop leader. Decisions are made in voting procedures (simple majority).

If desired, a draft of the DIN SPEC can be published so that the public can make comments. Such drafts are published on DIN's draft standard portal where they can be accessed and commented on for free for two months. A meeting is then called to discuss all comments submitted. Everyone who has commented on the published draft will be invited to this meeting. However, the final decision on the processing of the comments received is made by workshop members only.

The finished manuscript is approved by simple majority. All those who approved the manuscript are named as authors. The approved manuscript is released for publication by the Chairman of DIN's Executive Board. DIN Media then publishes the DIN SPEC.

DIN SPECs are reviewed no later than three years after publication. After that, they are reviewed every year.