The different procedures and methods are designed to be used to produce survival data after microorganisms are exposed to antimicrobial agents in order to calculate values that can be used to analyze and rationalize the effectiveness of antimicrobial agents when tested using other, often applied test methods.

The data from these test procedures may be used in the selection and design of other tests of effectiveness of antimicrobial agents, some of which may be required by regulatory agencies to establish specific claims. Basic kinetic information about killing rate often serves as the initial information on which a testing program can be built.