This document specifies principles, methods, and best practices for terminology management across organizations and domains. It provides a standardized approach to the creation, collection, storage, processing, and dissemination of terminology resources, applicable to all terminology management activities regardless of subject field, industry, or organization size.
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This document specifies principles, methods, and best practices for terminology management across organizations and domains. It provides a standardized approach to the creation, collection, storage, processing, and dissemination of terminology resources, applicable to all terminology management activities regardless of subject field, industry, or organization size.
The Enosema Foundation (“ES”) is the premier non-profit standardization organization for terminology standardization and terminology related processes such as management. It facilitates the education, standardization, research, promotion, definition, and usage of terminology resources and management practices globally.
ES works with international partners and experts across the globe, reflecting the international nature of its mission. More information about ES is available on the official website ().
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described in the ES Directives.
In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the different types of ES documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of the ES Directives.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent rights. ES shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be provided in the Introduction.
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This document was prepared by Technical Committee Terminology.
Terminology, the collection of terms and their definitions within a specific domain, forms the foundation of effective communication in specialized fields. Terminology management refers to the systematic handling of terminology, including the creation, collection, recording, processing, and dissemination of terminological information across organizations and domains.
In our increasingly globalized and specialized world, the consistent use of terminology has become essential for clear communication, accurate knowledge transfer, and effective content management. Poorly managed terminology leads to misunderstandings, inconsistencies in documentation, increased translation costs, and potential safety and compliance issues in regulated industries.
Several international standards provide the foundation for terminology work, including ISO 704 (Terminology work — Principles and methods), which establishes the basic principles and methods for terminology work; ISO 30042 (Management of terminology resources — TermBase eXchange (TBX)), which specifies a framework for representing terminological data; and ISO 10241-1 and ISO 10241-2, which provide guidelines for terminological entries in standards and the adoption of standardized terminological entries.
Despite the existence of these standards, organizations often struggle with implementing effective terminology management practices due to a lack of practical guidance, organizational commitment, and understanding of the principles and methods involved. Inconsistent terminology usage continues to be a significant challenge across industries, leading to confusion, inefficiencies, and increased costs.
This document addresses this gap by providing comprehensive guidelines for terminology management based on established international standards and best practices. It outlines the core principles, consistency approaches, requirements, and presentation rules necessary for effective terminology management.
The guidelines presented in this document are designed to help organizations:
Establish consistent terminology across all content and communications
Implement efficient terminology management processes
Build and maintain terminology resources that meet international standards
Improve the clarity and quality of content
Reduce translation and localization costs
Facilitate knowledge transfer and communication across boundaries
By following these guidelines, organizations can improve the clarity and consistency of their communications, enhance their content quality, reduce costs, and better serve their global audiences.
This standard builds upon the significant contributions of terminology experts worldwide and the foundational work established in ISO standards. The Enosema Foundation recognizes the critical importance of terminology management in today’s knowledge-based economy and is committed to advancing terminology standardization and related processes.
This document specifies principles, methods, and best practices for terminology management across organizations and domains. It provides a standardized approach to the creation, collection, storage, processing, and dissemination of terminology resources.
The guidelines specified in this document apply to all terminology management activities, regardless of the subject field, industry, or organization size. The standardized approaches enhance terminology consistency, improve communication clarity, and ensure compliance with international terminology standards.
This document provides practical guidance for implementing effective terminology management processes based on established international standards, including ISO 704, ISO 30042, ISO 10241-1, and ISO 10241-2, with examples illustrating the application of these principles in various contexts.
This document is intended for:
Terminology managers and terminologists responsible for developing and maintaining terminology resources
Content creators, technical writers, and documentation specialists who need to apply consistent terminology
Translators and localizers who work with specialized terminology across languages
Standards developers who need to ensure terminological consistency in their documents
Subject matter experts contributing to terminology resources
Managers and decision-makers responsible for content quality and strategy
The guidelines specified here complement the principles and methods described in ISO 704, the data exchange formats defined in ISO 30042, and the rules for terminological entries established in ISO 10241-1 and ISO 10241-2.
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
ISO Online browsing platform: available at
IEC Electropedia: available at
set of designations belonging to one special language
verbal designation of a general concept in a specific subject field
management of terminology resources through the systematic collection, description, processing, and presentation of concepts and their designations
database containing terminology data
unit of knowledge created by a unique combination of characteristics
data related to concepts or their designations
representation of a concept by a sign which denotes it
In terminology work, three types of designations are distinguished: symbols, appellations and terms.
representation of a concept by a descriptive statement which serves to differentiate it from related concepts
part of a terminological data collection which contains the terminological data related to one concept
field of special knowledge
activity leading to the establishment of a correspondence between two or more closely related or overlapping concepts in order to eliminate or reduce minor differences between them
set of concepts structured according to the relations among them
process of identifying and collecting term candidates from a corpus by manual, automatic, or semi-automatic means
series of coordinated terminology activities
structured collection of terminological data
Effective terminology management is founded on a set of core principles derived from international standards and best practices. These principles ensure that terminology work is systematic, consistent, and of high quality, serving the needs of all stakeholders.
The principles outlined in this section build upon the fundamental principles of terminology work established in
Terminology management shall be based on concepts rather than terms. A concept is a unit of knowledge created by a unique combination of characteristics.
This principle dictates that:
Concepts should be clearly defined before terms are assigned
Each concept should be placed within its appropriate concept system
Relationships between concepts should be explicitly documented
One concept should correspond to one terminological entry
Instead of creating separate entries for similar terms such as “backup,” “back-up,” and “back up,” a concept-based approach would create a single entry for the concept, documenting these terms as synonyms or variants.
Definitions and terms shall be clear, precise, and unambiguous within their subject field.
This principle requires:
Definitions that clearly distinguish a concept from related concepts
Terms that accurately represent the concept they designate
Avoidance of ambiguity and vagueness in both definitions and terms
Appropriate use of defining characteristics based on the concept type
Poor definition: “database — a collection of data” Better definition: “database — structured collection of data that is stored on a computer system and can be accessed, managed, and updated in various ways”
Terminology shall be developed and managed within the context of its subject field.
This principle emphasizes:
Organizing terminology within clearly defined subject fields
Understanding and respecting the conceptual structures of each field
Using field-specific classification systems where appropriate
Involving subject matter experts in terminology development
All terminological data shall be properly documented with reliable sources.
This principle requires:
Citing authoritative sources for definitions, contexts, and other data
Documenting the origin and evolution of terms
Maintaining bibliographic information for all external sources
Indicating the reliability and relevance of sources
Terminology shall be managed systematically following established processes and workflows.
This principle involves:
Establishing clear procedures for terminology collection, creation, validation, and dissemination
Implementing appropriate technology solutions for terminology storage and retrieval
Defining roles and responsibilities for terminology management tasks
Regular review and updating of terminology resources
The level of detail in terminological entries shall be appropriate for the intended use and users.
This principle means:
Determining the appropriate amount of information to include in entries based on user needs
Balancing comprehensiveness with usability
Providing sufficient context for proper understanding and application
Adapting the level of technical specificity to the target audience
Terminology management shall involve relevant stakeholders throughout the process.
This principle emphasizes:
Identifying and engaging key stakeholders (subject experts, translators, content creators, etc.)
Establishing collaborative processes for terminology development and review
Considering the needs and perspectives of different user groups
Creating feedback mechanisms for continuous improvement
Terminology management shall include quality assurance measures at all stages.
This principle requires:
Establishing clear quality criteria for terminological data
Implementing validation and approval processes
Regular review and updating of terminology resources
Monitoring the application of terminology in content
Terminology shall be harmonized within and across subject fields when appropriate.
This principle involves:
Identifying and resolving inconsistencies in terminology use
Aligning terminology across related domains and disciplines
Reconciling differences in term usage across departments, companies, or regions
Balancing standardization with domain-specific needs
Terminology consistency refers to the uniform and coherent use of terminology across all content within an organization or specific domain. Consistency in terminology is essential for effective communication, clear documentation, efficient translation, and improved user experience.
This section outlines approaches and strategies for achieving and maintaining terminology consistency, in accordance with the principles described in ISO 704 and the requirements for terminological entries in ISO 10241-1.
Consistent terminology reduces ambiguity and confusion in communication. When the same concept is consistently represented by the same term, readers can focus on understanding the information rather than deciphering terminology.
Content with consistent terminology appears more professional and authoritative. Inconsistent terminology can undermine reader confidence and diminish the perceived quality of the content.
Consistent source terminology significantly improves translation efficiency and quality. When terms are used consistently, translation memory systems can achieve higher match rates, reducing costs and increasing consistency across languages.
Consistent terminology makes it easier to find and retrieve information in documentation, knowledge bases, and other content repositories. Users can search for specific terms with confidence that all relevant information will be found.
In regulated industries, consistent terminology is often a requirement for compliance. Inconsistent terminology in safety-critical documentation can lead to misunderstandings with potentially serious consequences.
Organizations shall establish an authoritative terminology resource that serves as the single source of truth for approved terminology. This resource may take the form of:
A terminology database (termbase) following the TBX standard (
A terminology management system
A controlled vocabulary or glossary
All content creators and translators should have access to this resource and be required to use it as the authoritative reference.
Organizations shall establish formal workflows for terminology management, including:
Term identification and extraction
Term research and definition
Term approval and validation
Term dissemination and implementation
Term maintenance and updating
An effective terminology workflow:
Content authors flag potential new terms during content creation
Terminologists research the terms and propose definitions
Subject matter experts validate the terms and definitions
The approved terms are added to the terminology database
Content authors are notified of new approved terms
Translation teams are informed of terminology updates
Terminology consistency shall be integrated into the content creation process through:
Terminology validation during content authoring
Terminology checks in content review processes
Automated terminology verification tools
Style guides with clear terminology guidelines
Organizations shall conduct regular terminology audits to:
Identify inconsistencies in terminology usage
Detect unauthorized terms or definitions
Evaluate compliance with terminology guidelines
Prioritize areas for terminology improvement
Terminology consistency can be measured quantitatively through:
Term compliance rate: percentage of terminology usage that complies with approved terminology
Term coverage: percentage of concepts in a domain that have approved terms
Term usage frequency: how often approved terms are used correctly compared to unapproved variants
Qualitative assessment of terminology consistency may include:
User feedback on terminology clarity and consistency
Subject matter expert evaluation of terminology appropriateness
Translator assessment of terminology translatability
Content reviewer reports on terminology issues
Terminology consistency requires ongoing attention through:
Regular review and updating of terminology resources
Soliciting and incorporating user feedback
Monitoring term usage patterns
Adapting to evolving subject field knowledge
When terminology changes are necessary, organizations shall implement change management processes that include:
Documentation of the rationale for terminology changes
Communication of changes to all stakeholders
Version control of terminology resources
Guidance on transitioning to new terminology
Update of existing content to reflect terminology changes
Organizations shall provide appropriate training and awareness programs to promote terminology consistency, including:
Introductory training on terminology principles and practices
Regular updates on terminology changes and additions
Guidance on using terminology tools and resources
Recognition of good terminology practices
Terminology requirements define the technical and procedural specifications for establishing and maintaining effective terminology resources. These requirements ensure that terminology resources meet quality standards, serve their intended purpose, and comply with relevant international standards.
The requirements outlined in this section are derived from established standards, including ISO 30042 for terminology data exchange and ISO 10241-1 for terminological entries in standards.
Terminological entries shall include the following core components in accordance with
Entry identifier
Subject field
Definition
Term(s)
Source information
Additional components may include:
Grammatical information
Context examples
Notes
Multimedia representations
Cross-references to related concepts
Administrative information
Sample terminological entry structure:
Entry ID: TM-0023 Subject field: Terminology management Term: terminology database Definition: database containing terminology data Source: ISO 30042:2019 Grammatical information: noun, singular Context: “The terminology database should be regularly maintained to ensure its relevance and accuracy.” Related concepts: terminology resource, termbase
Terminology resources shall be concept-oriented, meaning that:
Each entry represents one concept
All terms designating the same concept are included in the same entry
Relationships between concepts are explicitly documented
Each entry is assigned to at least one subject field
Terminology resources shall use a consistent set of data categories for terminological information in accordance with
Data categories should be:
Clearly defined
Consistently applied
Compatible with international standards
Appropriate for the intended use
Documented in a data category registry
Terminology resources shall include appropriate metadata to facilitate management and use, including:
Resource identification information
Creation and modification dates
Version information
Responsibility information
Usage rights and permissions
Processing history
Terminology resources shall provide effective search and retrieval capabilities, including:
Multiple search criteria (term, definition, subject field, etc.)
Flexible matching options (exact, fuzzy, wildcard, etc.)
Filtering by various attributes
Sorting options for search results
Search history and saved searches
Terminology resources shall support data exchange through:
Import from common terminology formats
Export to standard exchange formats, particularly TBX (
Batch processing of multiple entries
Selective import and export by criteria
Data conversion utilities
Terminology management systems shall include user management functions:
Role-based access control
Customizable user permissions
Authentication mechanisms
User activity tracking
Collaborative features
Terminology management systems shall support established workflows:
Task assignment and tracking
Status tracking for terminology entries
Approval processes
Notification mechanisms
Integration with content creation systems
Terminology resources shall implement validation mechanisms to ensure data quality:
Format validation for specific data categories
Mandatory field checking
Consistency checking across entries
Duplicate detection
Reference integrity checking
Terminology resources shall maintain revision history:
Change tracking at the entry level
Version comparison
Rollback capabilities
User attribution for changes
Timestamp information
Terminology resources shall support compliance with terminology policies:
Automated term verification in content
Consistency checking against approved terminology
Reporting on terminology usage
Identification of deprecated terms
Detection of unapproved synonyms
Terminology resources shall be accompanied by comprehensive user documentation:
User guides for different user roles
Tutorial materials
FAQ documents
Best practice guidelines
Quick reference materials
Terminology resources shall include administrative documentation:
System architecture and design specifications
Data models and schemas
Configuration parameters
Backup and recovery procedures
Integration specifications
Terminology management processes shall be documented:
Terminology workflows and procedures
Decision-making processes
Quality assurance protocols
Change management procedures
Implementation guidelines
Terminology resources shall integrate with content authoring systems:
Real-time terminology verification
Term suggestion capabilities
Context-sensitive terminology lookup
Direct access to terminology resources from within authoring tools
Automated terminology extraction from draft content
Terminology resources shall integrate with translation tools:
Compatibility with translation memory systems
Support for multilingual terminology management
Term recognition in translation interfaces
Terminology consistency checking during translation
Terminology extraction from aligned bilingual content
Terminology resources shall integrate with content management systems:
Shared authentication mechanisms
Synchronized metadata
Terminology status aligned with content lifecycle
Terminology reporting within content management analytics
Automated terminology updates across content repositories
Terminology presentation rules establish standardized formats for displaying terminological data in various contexts, ensuring clarity, consistency, and usability. Proper presentation enhances the accessibility and effectiveness of terminology resources for all users.
The presentation rules outlined in this section are based on the guidelines provided in
The layout of terminological entries shall follow these general principles:
Each entry shall be visually distinct and clearly separated from other entries
Core components shall be presented in a consistent sequence
Typographical devices shall be used consistently to distinguish different data categories
The layout shall facilitate quick identification of key information
Example of a well-structured terminological entry:
terminology database
database containing terminology data Terminology databases may contain additional information such as definitions, context examples, notes, and multimedia representations.
Terms shall be presented according to these rules:
The preferred term shall be highlighted or presented first
Synonyms shall be clearly marked and distinguished from the preferred term
Deprecated terms shall be marked as such with appropriate labels
Term status shall be indicated using consistent markers
Terms shall be presented in their basic form unless otherwise required
Preferred term: terminology database Synonym: termbase Deprecated: term bank [DEPRECATED]
Definitions shall be presented according to these rules:
Definitions shall be clearly distinguished from other entry elements
Definitions shall be presented as a single coherent unit
The first word of a definition shall not repeat the term being defined
Definitions shall follow a consistent grammatical pattern based on the concept type
Cross-references in definitions shall be clearly marked
Subject field information shall be presented:
In a consistent location within the entry
Using standardized subject field designations
With appropriate hierarchical indication when necessary
In a way that clearly associates it with the concept rather than with individual terms
Sources of terminological information shall be presented:
Using a consistent citation format
With clear indication of which element the source applies to (term, definition, etc.)
With sufficient information to locate the original source
Using standard abbreviations when appropriate
With date information to indicate currency
Terminological entries in standards shall follow the specific rules established in
Placement in a dedicated “Terms and definitions” section
Sequential or systematic ordering
Consistent entry structure
Proper cross-referencing to other standards
Clear indication of adopted terms
Example of a terminological entry in a standard document:
terminology management
management of terminology resources through the systematic collection, description, processing, and presentation of concepts and their designations
*[SOURCE: ISO 704:2009]*
Terminology presented in digital formats shall follow these additional requirements:
Hyperlinks for cross-references and sources
Appropriate use of metadata for improved searchability
Consistent layout across different viewing devices
Clear indication of expandable/collapsible content
Accessible formatting for screen readers and other assistive technologies
Multilingual terminology shall be presented according to these rules:
Consistent indication of language for each element
Clear visual distinction between languages
Alignment of corresponding elements across languages
Appropriate handling of script and directionality differences
Indication of term equivalence status (full equivalent, partial equivalent, etc.)
Example of a multilingual entry:
terminology database (en) database containing terminology data
base de données terminologique (fr) base de données contenant des données terminologiques
Terminologiedatenbank (de) Datenbank mit terminologischen Daten
Different data categories shall be distinguished using consistent typographic conventions:
Terms may be presented in bold
Definitions may be presented in regular type
Sources may be presented in italic or smaller type
Notes may be presented in smaller type or indented
Cross-references may be presented in a distinctive font or color
Special symbols and markers shall be used consistently:
Symbols indicating term status (preferred, admitted, deprecated)
Markers for grammatical information
Indicators for usage restrictions
Symbols for cross-referencing
Markers for context and examples
Abbreviations and labels used in terminological entries shall be:
Standardized across the terminology resource
Explained in a key or legend
Used consistently
Intuitive where possible
Compliant with relevant domain conventions
Grammatical information shall be presented:
In a consistent format and position
Using standard abbreviations
With clear distinction between different grammatical attributes
In accordance with the linguistic conventions of each language
Context examples shall be presented:
Clearly distinguished from definitions
In a consistent format (e.g., italics, quotation marks)
With the term highlighted or emphasized within the context
With source attribution when applicable
In sufficient quantity to illustrate typical usage
Notes and supplementary information shall be presented:
Clearly distinguished from the definition
In a consistent location
Numbered if multiple notes exist
With clear indication of their purpose
In a hierarchical structure if appropriate
Concept relations shall be presented:
Using standardized relationship indicators
With clear distinction between different relation types
With consistent formatting for all related concepts
With appropriate directional indicators for hierarchical relations
With cross-references to the related concepts
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
Withdrawn.
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Withdrawn.