Codes, standards and third-party certification are extremely important in modern construction. This cannot be over-emphasized. Material and performance standards have been developed to ensure protection of public health and safety. Third-party certification to these standards provides an invaluable system of quality assurance. The end users can be assured that the products or construction can be relied upon and trusted. Standards and third-party certification have become the backbone of the construction industry.
If you go back in history, prior to the industrial revolution, products were manufactured individually without any standards, testing or certification. Products were made by skilled tradesmen who often belonged to a guild having served as an apprentice under a master of the trade. The manufacturing itself was a traditional handcrafted method of production. This resulted in some great complex products such as delicate watches, telescopes, porcelain ware, printed books, guns and ships such as Spanish galleons and Portuguese carracks.