ISO/IEC 11179-4:2004

Information technology — Metadata registries (MDR) — Part 4: Formulation of data definitions

ISO/IEC 11179-4:2004 specifies requirements and recommendations for constructing definitions for data and metadata. Only semantic aspects of definitions are addressed; specifications for formatting the definitions are deemed unnecessary for the purposes of this standard. While especially applicable to the content of metadata registries as specified in ISO/IEC 11179-3, ISO/IEC 11179-4:2004 is useful broadly for developing definitions for data and metadata. These definitional requirements and recommendations pertain to formulating definitions for data elements and other types of data constructs such as entity types, entities, relationships, attributes, object types (or classes), objects, composites, code entries, metadata items, and the data referred to by XML tags.

Technologies de l'information — Registres de métadonnées (RM) — Partie 4: Formulation des définitions de données

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 07-Jul-2004
• ICS: 35.040 - Information coding
• ICS: 35.040.50 - Automatic identification and data capture techniques
• Technical Committee: ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 32 - Data management and interchange
• Drafting Committee: ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 32/WG 2 - MetaData
• Current Stage: 9093 - International Standard confirmed
• Completion Date: 30-Sep-2015

Relations

• Revises: ISO/IEC 11179-4:1995 - Information technology — Specification and standardization of data elements — Part 4: Rules and guidelines for the formulation of data definitions
• Effective Date: 15-Apr-2008

Standards Content (Sample)

INTERNATIONAL ISO/IEC
STANDARD 11179-4
Second edition
2004-07-15


Information technology — Metadata
registries (MDR) —
Part 4:
Formulation of data definitions
Technologies de l'information — Registres de métadonnées (RM) —
Partie 4: Formulation des définitions de données




Reference number
ISO/IEC 11179-4:2004(E)
©
ISO/IEC 2004

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ISO/IEC 11179-4:2004(E)
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ISO/IEC 11179-4:2004(E)
Contents Page
Foreword. iv
Introduction . v
1 Scope. 1
2 Conformance. 1
3 Terms and definitions. 1
4 Summary of data definition requirements and recommendations . 3
4.1 Requirements. 3
4.2 Recommendations. 3
5 Provisions. 4
5.1 Premises. 4
5.2 Requirements. 4
5.3 Recommendations. 6
Bibliography . 9

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ISO/IEC 11179-4:2004(E)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical
Commission) form the specialized system for worldwide standardization. National bodies that are members of
ISO or IEC participate in the development of International Standards through technical committees
established by the respective organization to deal with particular fields of technical activity. ISO and IEC
technical committees collaborate in fields of mutual interest. Other international organizations, governmental
and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO and IEC, also take part in the work. In the field of information
technology, ISO and IEC have established a joint technical committee, ISO/IEC JTC 1.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The main task of the joint technical committee is to prepare International Standards. Draft International
Standards adopted by the joint technical committee are circulated to national bodies for voting. Publication as
an International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the national bodies casting a vote.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. ISO and IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
ISO/IEC 11179-4 was prepared by Joint Technical Committee ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information technology,
Subcommittee SC 32, Data management and interchange.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO/IEC 11179-4:1995), which has been technically
revised.
ISO/IEC 11179 consists of the following parts, under the general title Information technology — Metadata
registries (MDR):
 Part 1: Framework
 Part 3: Registry metamodel and basic attributes
 Part 4: Formulation of data definitions
 Part 5: Naming and identification principles
 Part 6: Registration
The following part is under preparation:
 Part 2: Classification

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ISO/IEC 11179-4:2004(E)
Introduction
Data processing and electronic data interchange rely heavily on accurate, reliable, controllable and verifiable
data recorded in databases. A prerequisite for correct and proper use and interpretation of data is that both
users and owners of data have a common understanding of the meaning and representation of the data. To
facilitate this common understanding, a number of characteristics, or attributes of the data have to be defined.
These characteristics of data are known as “metadata”, that is, “data that describes data”. This part of
ISO/IEC 11179 specifies requirements and recommendations on the formulation of data definitions that are
specified in Metadata Registries. The purpose of these definitions is to specify, describe, explain, and clarify
the meaning of data, to promote the standardization or reuse of data elements, and to promote data sharing
and integration of information systems.
The structure of a Metadata Registry is specified in the form of a conceptual data model. The Metadata
Registry is used to keep information about data elements and associated concepts, such as “data element
concepts”, “conceptual domains”, and “value domains”. Generically, these are all referred to as “metadata
items”. Such metadata are necessary to clearly describe, record, analyse, classify, and administer data.
The definitional requirements and recommendations specified in this part of ISO/IEC 11179 do not always
apply to terminological definitions found in glossaries and language dictionaries. Differences exist between the
requirements that apply in a language dictionary, and the requirements that apply in a metadata registry. The
requirements for ISO/IEC 11179 are more restrictive than those for a natural language dictionary. For example,
a language dictionary may have multiple definitions covering multiple senses of a term or word, whereas data
definitions are developed for particular contexts and should not have multiple senses within any context. Data
definitions are intended to explicate the concept or concepts, which are represented by a collection of data, a
data value, a data element, or other metadata item. A single definition may be established as the reference
definition, with other definitions asserted to be equivalent (e.g., a definition in one language may be
established as a reference definition, with definitions in other languages asserted to be equivalent). Metadata
items may have a single preferred definition within a particular context, with other deprecated definitions.
Many data definitions include terms that themselves need to be defined (e.g., “charge”, “allowance”, “delivery”).
Some of these terms may have different definitions in different industrial sectors. Therefore, there is a need for
most metadata registries to establish an associated glossary or terminology reference of terms used in the
definitions.


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INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/IEC 11179-4:2004(E)

Information technology — Metadata registries (MDR) —
Part 4:
Formulation of data definitions
1 Scope
This part of ISO/IEC 11179 specifies requirements and recommendations for constructing definitions for data
and metadata. Only semantic aspects of definitions are addressed; specifications for formatting the definitions
are deemed unnecessary for the purposes of ISO/IEC 11179. While especially applicable to the content of
metadata registries as specified in ISO/IEC 11179-3, this part of ISO/IEC 11179 is useful broadly for
developing definitions for data and metadata.
These definitional requirements and recommendations pertain to formulating definitions for data elements and
other types of data constructs such as entity types, entities, relationships, attributes, object types (or classes),
objects, composites, code entries, metadata items, and the data referred to by XML tags.
2 Conformance
This part of ISO/IEC 11179 may be used independently, e.g., for defining data elements outside the context of
a metadata registry. In such cases, compliance may be claimed if the requirements and recommendations
have been followed in developing the definitions.
Where used in the context of an ISO/IEC 11179 metadata registry, this part of ISO/IEC 11179 shall constitute
the criteria for definitions when establishing the registration status as specified in ISO/IEC 11179-6.
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1
Conceptual Domain
set of valid value meanings
NOTE The value meanings may either be enumerated or expressed via a description.
[ISO/IEC 11179-3:2003, 3.3.21]
3.2
Concept
unit of knowledge created by a unique combination of characteristics
[ISO 1087-1:2000, 3.2.1]
3.3
data
re-interpretable representation of information in a formalized manner suitable for communication,
interpretation or processing
NOTE Data can be processed by human or automatic means.
[ISO/IEC 2382-1:1993, 01.01.02]
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ISO/IEC 11179-4:2004(E)
3.4
data element
unit of data for which the definition, identification, representation and permissible values are specified by
means of a set of attributes
[ISO/IEC 11179-3:2003, 3.3.36]
3.5
Data Element Concept
concept that can be represented in the form of a data element, described independently of any particular
representation
[ISO/IEC 11179-3:2003, 3.3.38]
3.6
definition
representation of a concept by a descriptive statement which serves to differentiate it from related concepts
[ISO 1087-1:2000, 3.3.1]
3.7
metadata
data that defines and describes other data
[ISO 1087-1:2000, 3.2.18]
3.8
Metadata Registry
information system for registering metadata
[ISO/IEC 11179-3:2003, 3.2.22]
3.9
metadata item
instance of a metadata object
NOTE 1 In all parts of ISO/IEC 11179, this term is applied only to instances of metadata objects described by the
metamodel in Clause 4 of ISO/IEC 11179-3:2003. Examples include instances of data elements, data element concepts,
permissible values, etc.
NOTE 2 A metadata item has associated attributes, as appropriate for the metadata object it instantiates.
[ISO/IEC 11179-3:2003, 3.2.19]
3.10
metadata object
object type defined by a metamodel
NOTE In all parts of ISO/IEC 11179, this term is applied only to metadata objects described by the metamodel in
Clause 4 of ISO/IEC 11179-3:2003. Examples include data elements, data element concepts, permissible values etc. See
Clause 3.3 of ISO/IEC 11179-3:2003 for a complete list.
[ISO/IEC 11179-3:2003, 3.2.20]
3.11
name
designation of an object by a linguistic expression
[ISO/IEC 11179-3:2003, 3.2.26]
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ISO/IEC 11179-4:2004(E)
3.12
Value Domain
set of permissible values
NOTE 1 The value domain provides representation, but has no implication as to what data element concept the values
may be associated with nor what the values mean.
NOTE 2 The permissible values may either be enumerated or expressed via a description.
[ISO/IEC 11179-3:2003, 3.3.140]
4 Summary of data definition requirements and recommendations
A listing of the requirements and recommendations without explanations is provided in this clause for
convenience of the user. The intent is to facilitate ease of use of this document once an understanding of the
requirements and recommendations is achieved. Clause 5 describes each requirement and recommendation
with an explanation and examples to ensure their exact meaning is understood.
4.1 Requirements
A data definition shall:
a) be stated in the singular
b) state what the concept is, not only what it is not
c) be stated as a descriptive phrase or sentence(s)
d) contain only commonly understood abbreviations
e) be expressed without embedding definitions of other data or underlying concepts
4.2 Recommendations
A data definition should:
a) state the essential meaning of the concept
b) be precise and unambiguous
c) be concise
d) be able to stand alone
e) be expressed without embedding rationale, functional usage, or procedural information
f) avoid circular reasoning
g) use the same terminology and consistent logical structure for related definitions
h) be appropriate for the type of metadata item being defined
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ISO/IEC 11179-4:2004(E)
5 Provisions
5.1 Premises
Data is used for specific purposes. Differences in use require different operational manifestations of some
requirements and recommendations. For example, different levels of specificity for data definitions are
generally required in different contexts. Recommendation 5.3.a) below, provides an example of this need for
varying levels of specificity for different definitions. The implementation of Recommendation 5.3.a), “state the
essential meaning of the concept” is context dependent. The primary characteristics deemed necessary to
convey the essential mean
...