ISO/TS 22943

Information and documentation — Principles of identification

This document defines the philosophy of why identifiers exist and why they are valuable for trade and information management. It establishes a core set of relevant characteristics and expectations for identifiers and the general business case of guidelines for identifiers. This document explains the reason identifiers are structured the way they are and for what purpose, while acknowledging other communities define identifiers differently.

Information et documentation — Principes d'identification

General Information

• Status: Not Published
• ICS: 01.140.20 - Information sciences
• Technical Committee: ISO/TC 46/SC 9 - Identification and description
• Drafting Committee: ISO/TC 46/SC 9 - Identification and description
• Current Stage: 6000 - International Standard under publication
• Start Date: 25-May-2022
• Completion Date: 25-May-2022

Standards Content (sample)

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved
ISO NP PDTS/PRF TS 22943:202#(X2022(E)
ISO TC 46/SC 9/WG 16
Date: 2022-04-27
Secretariat: ANSI
Information and documentation — Principles of identification
PDTS stage
Warning for WDs and CDs

This document is not an ISO International Standard. It is distributed for review and comment. It is subject to

change without notice and may not be referred to as an International Standard.

Recipients of this draft are invited to submit, with their comments, notification of any relevant patent rights of

which they are aware and to provide supporting documentation.
---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
© ISO 2021
---------------------- Page: 2 ----------------------
ISO PDTS 22943:202#(X)
© ISO 2022

All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of

this publication may be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or

mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on the internet or an intranet, without prior written

permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below or ISO’sISO's member body in

the country of the requester.
ISO copyright officeCopyright Office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: + 41 22 749 01 11
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.iso.orgwww.iso.org
Published in Switzerland.
iv © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved
---------------------- Page: 3 ----------------------
ISO PDTS 22943:202#(X)
Contents

Foreword .............................................................................................................................................................. vii

Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................... ix

1 Scope .......................................................................................................................................................... 1

2 Normative references .......................................................................................................................... 1

3 Terms and definitions .......................................................................................................................... 1

4 Optimal attributes of identifiers and identifier systems ........................................................ 4

4.1 Uniqueness ............................................................................................................................................... 4

4.2 Persistence ............................................................................................................................................... 4

4.3 Granularity of the identifier to suit the needs of the sector ................................................... 5

4.4 Stability of kernel metadata .............................................................................................................. 5

4.5 No ambiguity within its own namespace ...................................................................................... 6

4.6 Access ......................................................................................................................................................... 6

4.7 Scope .......................................................................................................................................................... 6

4.8 Absence of semantics in identifier strings .................................................................................... 6

4.9 Resolution ................................................................................................................................................ 7

4.10 Timing of assignment ........................................................................................................................... 7

4.11 Resilience in the face of errors ......................................................................................................... 7

4.12 Economic sustainability of the identifier system ....................................................................... 7

4.13 Trustworthiness ..................................................................................................................................... 7

5 Bibliography ............................................................................................................................................ 9

Foreword ................................................................................................................................................................iv

Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................... v

1 Scope .......................................................................................................................................................... 1

2 Normative references .......................................................................................................................... 1

3 Terms and definitions .......................................................................................................................... 1

4 Optimal attributes of identifiers and identifier systems ........................................................ 4

4.1 Uniqueness ............................................................................................................................................... 4

4.2 Persistence ............................................................................................................................................... 4

4.3 Granularity of the identifier to suit the needs of the sector ................................................... 5

4.4 Stability of kernel metadata .............................................................................................................. 5

4.5 No ambiguity within its own namespace ...................................................................................... 5

4.6 Access ......................................................................................................................................................... 6

4.7 Scope .......................................................................................................................................................... 6

4.8 Absence of semantics in identifier strings .................................................................................... 6

4.9 Resolution ................................................................................................................................................ 7

4.10 Timing of assignment ........................................................................................................................... 7

4.11 Resilience in the face of errors ......................................................................................................... 7

© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved v
---------------------- Page: 4 ----------------------
ISO PDTS 22943:202#(X)

4.12 Economic sustainability of the identifier system ...................................................................... 7

4.13 Trustworthiness .................................................................................................................................... 7

5 Bibliography ........................................................................................................................................... 9

vi © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved
---------------------- Page: 5 ----------------------
ISO PDTS 22943:202#(X)
Foreword

ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards

bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out

through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical

committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International

organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO

collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of

electrotechnical standardization.

The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are

described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the

different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the

editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives 2 (see

www.iso.org/directives).

Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of

patent rights. ISO 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 in the Introduction and/or on

the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patentswww.iso.org/patents).

Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not

constitute an endorsement.

For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and

expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the World

Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see

www.iso.org/iso/foreword.htmlwww.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.

This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 46, Information and documentation,

Subcommittee SC 9, Identification and description.
A list of all parts in the ISO 22943 series can be found on the ISO website.

Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A

complete listing of these bodies can be found at
www.iso.org/members.html.www.iso.org/members.html.
© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved vii
---------------------- Page: 6 ----------------------
ISO PDTS 22943:202#(X)
Introduction

ISO/TC46/SC9 is the ISO subcommittee on Identificationidentification and description that creates

standards for content identifiers, description and associated metadata and models for use in information

organizations, including libraries, museums and archives, and the content industries, including

publishing and other content producers and providers under the auspices of ISO Technical Committee 46

on Information and documentation. The Committeecommittee is responsible for a suite of identifier

standards, including the International Standard Book Number (ISBN), the International Standard Serial

Number (ISSN), the International Standard Name Identifier (ISNI), the International Standard Recording

Code (ISRC), the International Standard Audiovisual Number (ISAN), the Digital Object Identifier (DOI),

the International Standard Link Identifier (ISLI), International Musical Work Code (ISWC), among several

other standards. It also oversees the numerous registration authorities that manage these identifier

systems.
viii © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved
---------------------- Page: 7 ----------------------
ISO PDTS 22943:202#(X)
Introduction

Identification systems, as defined in this document, create concise codes (“identifiers”) that can be used

to refer unambiguously to something or someone (the “referent”). In this way, the identifier can be

provided as a proxy for the referent itself, for instance in cataloguing it in a library, enquiring about its

attributes, ordering a copy of it or (if a person or party) attributing authorship in something. To be useful

an identification system should be built upon trust in a variety of its characteristics. These include the

reliability of the binding between identifier and the referent, trust in the assignment of the identifier, the

related metadata, the longevity of the identification system, and the extent of the system’s use in its sector.

This document describes the characteristics of identification systems that provide this trust to meet the

needs of particular use cases and have other characteristics that make them useful in real world

circumstances.

Having an identifier opens the possibility to access trusted information about the referent as well as to

facilitate services that use the identifier. These related metadata mightcan include information about the

referent, such as rights or pricing information or connected information such as creators or derivatives.

Services mightcan include more efficient data exchange, order processing, or discovery. Services can even

extend to deliver the referent itself via a supply chain if this is appropriate.

Identification systems are built upon trust among parties in the supply chain of information about a

referent. Where the trust in the identifier has been generated by appropriate technologies, policies, and

governance, then the value of systems which use it is increased as they enable the curation, discovery,

commercial exploitation and preservation of the referents to which an identification system has been

applied. This value comes about through increased efficiency for all participants in the ecosystem. There

are a number of ways in which the binding between the identifier and the referent can be made

trustworthy. This begins with the source of the data and it being recognized as a canonical source of data

about the referent. This is further supported by consensus and engagement of the community of

implementers and users of the identifier and its related data. The ability of the system to provide data

reliably and in ways that users of the identification system require enhances this trust. The viability of

the system and its ability to persist, both financially and technologically, buttress the community’s

willingness to rely on the system.

A core function of an identification system is to draw a distinction between referents. Referents may often

be similar and share common attributes. What distinguishes one referent from another is often defined

by the use cases that are described by the identifier standard. Clear assignment rules, i.e.,. the

specifications for when a "thing" is the same as another "thing" and when they are different, are a critical

component of any identification system. Any community of practice should carefully consider, and be

appropriately cautious in adopting, any proposal that increases the number of identifiers used to deal

with similar populations of referents. The costs of management escalate with the number of identifiers

assigned and finer granularity may, unless clearly justified, increase costs both for the system and for

users who need to deal with multiple identifiers to specify what they otherwise regard as a single

referent.
© ISO 2021 – All rights reserved ix
---------------------- Page: 8 ----------------------
ISO PDTS 22943:202#(X)

The following are two examples of identifiers and some of their associated kernel metadata:.

ISSN: ISSN 0261-0523 ISAN: ISAN 0000-0000-1BF0-0000-C-0000-0000-1
Sample Kernel Metadata Sample Kernel Metadata
Key Title: Philosophical transactions of the Title: All The President's Men
Royal Society of London Language: ENG
Country: UK Type: Feature Film
ISSN Center responsible for the record: Participants information
ISSN National Centre for the UK Types // First name / Last name
Medium: Print Director // Alan / Pakula (ISNI 0000 0000 8387
Last modification date: 22/06/2020 6497)
Actor // Dustin / Hoffman (ISNI 0000 0001 2148
4241)
ISSN: ISSN 0261-0523 ISAN: ISAN 0000-0000-1BF0-0000-C-0000-
0000-1
Sample Kernel Metadata Sample Kernel Metadata
Key Title: Philosophical transactions of the Title: All The President's Men
Royal Society of London Language: ENG
Country: UK Type: Feature Film
ISSN Center responsible for the record: Participants information
ISSN National Centre for the UK Types // First name / Last name
Medium: Print Director // Alan / Pakula (ISNI 0000 0000 8387
Last modification date: 22/06/2020 6497)
Actor // Dustin / Hoffman (ISNI 0000 0001 2148
4241)

The examples noted abovegiven adhere to many of the core principles of identification system described

in this document. Both identifiers are globally unique in a sizable namespace that can cover more than

the potential items in its conceivable universe. The identifier examples complyis in accordance with a

variety of underlying standards about structure, and additional referencing standards. Outside of any

relevant context, the identifier string itself is devoid of meaning. But within the context of a broader

identification system, by being attached with a prefix, an appropriate display, or field heading, the string

then becomes bound to a wealth of additional information that exists about the referent. It is not the

string of characters, per se, that makes an identifier valuable, it is that associated metadata and the

broader identification system that bind the identifier together in the ecosystem to create value. There is

also a certain synergy if the attributes themselves are (or can be associated with) other identifiers −− this

contributes to the ‘"web of identifiers’identifiers" and enables further discovery (e.g.,. contributors

associated with an ISBN or ISAN may themselves be identified via ISNI, such as noted in the ISAN

example).

These systems require a great deal of infrastructure and investment to manage the information, including

the assignment process, the curation efforts, the technical systems, and the maintenance of the entire

system as community needs grow over time. The principles described in this document help support

these systems.
x © ISO 2021 – All rights reserved
---------------------- Page: 9 ----------------------
ISO/TS 22943:2022(E)

NOTE: In some cases, identifier systems might not include all the attributes or characteristics described

in this document. Not all of these attributes need apply in every circumstance. Furthermore, it is

understood that there are some elements of these principles which may not be operable in existing or

future systems and a lack of conformance with these principles should be evaluated on its merits within

that system and its own context. For example, there are a variety of distributed identifier systems that

have wide adoption, such as URN or URI, which do not involve centralized management of the

identification systems.
© ISO 2022 – All rights reserved xi
---------------------- Page: 10 ----------------------
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION ISO/TS 22943:2022(E)
Information and documentation — Principles of identification
1 Scope

This document defines the philosophy of why identifiers exist and why they are valuable for trade and

information management. It establishes a core set of relevant characteristics and expectations for

identifiers and the general business case of guidelines for identifiers. This document explains the reason

identifiers are structured the way they are and for what purpose, while acknowledging other

communities define identifiers differently.
2 Normative references
There are no normative references in this document.
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.

ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:

— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obphttps://www.iso.org/obp

— IEC Electropedia: available at http://www.electropedia.org/https://www.electropedia.org/

3.1
attributes

characteristics of a referent (3.16) that describe and disambiguate it from any other referent (3.16) within

a given identifier system (3.9)

Note 1 to entry: An attribute may be common to other referents (3.16) and relate them for a specific purpose.

Note 2 to entry: A particular referent’s (3.16) attributes, and, in particular, their distinction from those attributes

should make the referent (3.16) globally unique within that identifier system (3.9).

3.2
binding
association between an identifier (3.5) and a referent (3.16)

Note 1 to entry: This binding may be represented by metadata (3.12) recording the relevant attributes (3.1) of the

referent (3.16), or another surrogate.

Note 2 to entry: The binding mechanism may be explicit (recorded in an authoritative database) or implicit (derived

from the referent by a deterministic procedure).
3.3
governance
system that manages the overall assignment and curation of identifiers (3.5)

Note 1 to entry: This couldcan include bringing together stakeholders involved in the use of the identifier (3.5) for

the purposes of establishing rules for the assignment of identifiers (3.5) and requirements for associated metadata

© ISO 2022 – All rights reserved 1
---------------------- Page: 11 ----------------------
ISO/TS 22943:2022(E)

(3.12), overseeing the process of assignment, monitoring the system for issues, managing conflict resolution, and

suggesting changes to the system.
3.4
granularity
ability to distinguish or cluster within an identifier system (3.9)

Note 1 to entry: The granularity of an identifier system (3.9) determines when entities are regarded as the same

referent (3.16) and when they are recognized as distinct f
...

TECHNICAL ISO/TS
SPECIFICATION 22943
First edition
Information and documentation —
Principles of identification
Information et documentation — Principes d'identification
PROOF/ÉPREUVE
Reference number
ISO/TS 22943:2022(E)
© ISO 2022
---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
ISO/TS 22943:2022(E)
COPYRIGHT PROTECTED DOCUMENT
© ISO 2022

All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may

be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on

the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below

or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
PROOF/ÉPREUVE © ISO 2022 – All rights reserved
---------------------- Page: 2 ----------------------
ISO/TS 22943:2022(E)
Contents Page

Foreword ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................iv

Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................v

1 Scope ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 1

2 Normative references ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 1

3 Terms and definitions .................................................................................................................................................................................... 1

4 Optimal attributes of identifiers and identifier systems ......................................................................................... 4

4.1 Uniqueness ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 4

4.2 Persistence ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 4

4.3 Granularity of the identifier to suit the needs of the sector .......................................................................... 4

4.4 Stability of kernel metadata ....................................................................................................................................................... 5

4.5 No ambiguity within its own namespace ....................................................................................................................... 5

4.6 Access.............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 5

4.7 Scope ........................................................................................................................................... ..................................................................... 6

4.8 Absence of semantics in identifier strings ..................................................................................................................... 6

4.9 Resolution ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6

4.10 Timing of assignment ....................................................................................................................................................................... 6

4.11 Resilience in the face of errors ................................................................................................................................................. 6

4.12 Economic sustainability of the identifier system .................................................................................................... 7

4.13 Trustworthiness ................................................................................................................................................................................... 7

Bibliography ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 8

iii
© ISO 2022 – All rights reserved PROOF/ÉPREUVE
---------------------- Page: 3 ----------------------
ISO/TS 22943:2022(E)
Foreword

ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards

bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out

through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical

committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International

organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.

ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of

electrotechnical standardization.

The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are

described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the

different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the

editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).

Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of

patent rights. ISO 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 in the Introduction and/or

on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents).

Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not

constitute an endorsement.

For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and

expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to

the World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see

www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.

This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 46, Information and documentation,

Subcommittee SC 9, Identification and description.

Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A

complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.
PROOF/ÉPREUVE © ISO 2022 – All rights reserved
---------------------- Page: 4 ----------------------
ISO/TS 22943:2022(E)
Introduction

ISO/TC46/SC9 is the ISO subcommittee on identification and description that creates standards

for content identifiers, description and associated metadata and models for use in information

organizations, including libraries, museums and archives, and the content industries, including

publishing and other content producers and providers under the auspices of ISO Technical Committee

46 on Information and documentation. The committee is responsible for a suite of identifier standards,

including the International Standard Book Number (ISBN), the International Standard Serial Number

(ISSN), the International Standard Name Identifier (ISNI), the International Standard Recording Code

(ISRC), the International Standard Audiovisual Number (ISAN), the Digital Object Identifier (DOI), the

International Standard Link Identifier (ISLI), International Musical Work Code (ISWC), among several

other standards. It also oversees the numerous registration authorities that manage these identifier

systems.

Identification systems, as defined in this document, create concise codes (“identifiers”) that can be

used to refer unambiguously to something or someone (the “referent”). In this way, the identifier can

be provided as a proxy for the referent itself, for instance in cataloguing it in a library, enquiring about

its attributes, ordering a copy of it or (if a person or party) attributing authorship in something. To

be useful an identification system should be built upon trust in a variety of its characteristics. These

include the reliability of the binding between identifier and the referent, trust in the assignment of the

identifier, the related metadata, the longevity of the identification system, and the extent of the system’s

use in its sector. This document describes the characteristics of identification systems that provide this

trust to meet the needs of particular use cases and have other characteristics that make them useful in

real world circumstances.

Having an identifier opens the possibility to access trusted information about the referent as well as

to facilitate services that use the identifier. These related metadata can include information about the

referent, such as rights or pricing information or connected information such as creators or derivatives.

Services can include more efficient data exchange, order processing, or discovery. Services can even

extend to deliver the referent itself via a supply chain if this is appropriate.

Identification systems are built upon trust among parties in the supply chain of information about a

referent. Where the trust in the identifier has been generated by appropriate technologies, policies, and

governance, then the value of systems which use it is increased as they enable the curation, discovery,

commercial exploitation and preservation of the referents to which an identification system has been

applied. This value comes about through increased efficiency for all participants in the ecosystem.

There are a number of ways in which the binding between the identifier and the referent can be made

trustworthy. This begins with the source of the data and it being recognized as a canonical source of

data about the referent. This is further supported by consensus and engagement of the community of

implementers and users of the identifier and its related data. The ability of the system to provide data

reliably and in ways that users of the identification system require enhances this trust. The viability

of the system and its ability to persist, both financially and technologically, buttress the community’s

willingness to rely on the system.

A core function of an identification system is to draw a distinction between referents. Referents may

often be similar and share common attributes. What distinguishes one referent from another is often

defined by the use cases that are described by the identifier standard. Clear assignment rules, i.e. the

specifications for when a "thing" is the same as another "thing" and when they are different, are a

critical component of any identification system. Any community of practice should carefully consider,

and be appropriately cautious in adopting, any proposal that increases the number of identifiers used

to deal with similar populations of referents. The costs of management escalate with the number of

identifiers assigned and finer granularity may, unless clearly justified, increase costs both for the

system and for users who need to deal with multiple identifiers to specify what they otherwise regard

as a single referent.
© ISO 2022 – All rights reserved PROOF/ÉPREUVE
---------------------- Page: 5 ----------------------
ISO/TS 22943:2022(E)

The following are two examples of identifiers and some of their associated kernel metadata.

ISSN: ISSN 0261-0523 ISAN: ISAN 0000-0000-1BF0-0000-C-0000-0000-1
Sample Kernel Metadata Sample Kernel Metadata
Key Title: Philosophical transactions of the Title: All The President's Men
Royal Society of London Language: ENG
Country: UK Type: Feature Film
ISSN Center responsible for the record: Participants information
ISSN National Centre for the UK Types // First name / Last name
Medium: Print Director // Alan / Pakula (ISNI 0000 0000 8387
Last modification date: 22/06/2020 6497)
Actor // Dustin / Hoffman (ISNI 0000 0001 2148
4241)

The examples given adhere to many of the core principles of identification system described in this

document. Both identifiers are globally unique in a sizable namespace that can cover more than the

potential items in its conceivable universe. The identifier examples is in accordance with a variety

of underlying standards about structure, and additional referencing standards. Outside of any

relevant context, the identifier string itself is devoid of meaning. But within the context of a broader

identification system, by being attached with a prefix, an appropriate display, or field heading, the

string then becomes bound to a wealth of additional information that exists about the referent. It is not

the string of characters, per se, that makes an identifier valuable, it is that associated metadata and the

broader identification system that bind the identifier together in the ecosystem to create value. There

is also a certain synergy if the attributes themselves are (or can be associated with) other identifiers −

this contributes to the "web of identifiers" and enables further discovery (e.g. contributors associated

with an ISBN or ISAN may themselves be identified via ISNI, such as noted in the ISAN example).

These systems require a great deal of infrastructure and investment to manage the information,

including the assignment process, the curation efforts, the technical systems, and the maintenance of

the entire system as community needs grow over time. The principles described in this document help

support these systems.

In some cases, identifier systems might not include all the attributes or characteristics described in this

document. Not all these attributes need apply in every circumstance. Furthermore, it is understood that

there are some elements of these principles which may not be operable in existing or future systems and

a lack of conformance with these principles should be evaluated on its merits within that system and its

own context. For example, there are a variety of distributed identifier systems that have wide adoption,

such as URN or URI, which do not involve centralized management of the identification systems.

PROOF/ÉPREUVE © ISO 2022 – All rights reserved
---------------------- Page: 6 ----------------------
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION ISO/TS 22943:2022(E)
Information and documentation — Principles of
identification
1 Scope

This document defines the philosophy of why identifiers exist and why they are valuable for trade

and information management. It establishes a core set of relevant characteristics and expectations

for identifiers and the general business case of guidelines for identifiers. This document explains the

reason identifiers are structured the way they are and for what purpose, while acknowledging other

communities define identifiers differently.
2 Normative references
There are no normative references in this document.
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.

ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:

— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https:// www .electropedia .org/
3.1
attributes

characteristics of a referent (3.16) that describe and disambiguate it from any other referent (3.16)

within a given identifier system (3.9)

Note 1 to entry: An attribute may be common to other referents (3.16) and relate them for a specific purpose.

Note 2 to entry: A particular referent’s (3.16) attributes, and, in particular, their distinction from those attributes

should make the referent (3.16) globally unique within that identifier system (3.9).

3.2
binding
association between an identifier (3.5) and a referent (3.16)

Note 1 to entry: This binding may be represented by metadata (3.12) recording the relevant attributes (3.1) of the

referent (3.16), or another surrogate.

Note 2 to entry: The binding mechanism may be explicit (recorded in an authoritative database) or implicit

(derived from the referent by a deterministic procedure).
3.3
governance
system that manages the overall assignment and curation of identifiers (3.5)

Note 1 to entry: This can include bringing together stakeholders involved in the use of the identifier (3.5) for the

purposes of establishing rules for the assignment of identifiers (3.5) and requirements for associated metadata

(3.12), overseeing the process of assignment, monitoring the system for issues, managing conflict resolution, and

suggesting changes to the system.
© ISO 2022 – All rights reserved PROOF/ÉPREUVE
---------------------- Page: 7 ----------------------
ISO/TS 22943:2022(E)
3.4
granularity
ability to distinguish or cluster within an identifier system (3.9)

Note 1 to entry: The granularity of an identifier system (3.9) determines when entities are regarded as the same

referent (3.16) and when they are recognized as distinct from each other.

EXAMPLE 1 A library managing subscriptions to a journal needs to identify a title in a particular format (such

as "The New England Journal of Medicine") with an ISSN encompassing the entire corpus of articles, letters, etc.,

published in that journal, whereas a researcher seeking a scholarly paper needs a more granular identifier (3.5),

such as an article-level DOI, to cite a single article within it.

EXAMPLE 2 A reprint of a book may carry the same ISBN as the corresponding edition, while a revised edition

should have a different ISBN.
3.5
identifier
sequence of characters that uniquely denotes a referent (3.16)

Note 1 to entry: Identifiers may be used to specify the referent (3.16). In some cases, they may be substituted for

the referent (3.16) or may be used to retrieve the referent (3.16) or its metadata (3.12).

3.6
identifier metadata

metadata (3.12) that describes the administration of the identifier (3.5), not the referent (3.16)

Note 1 to entry: An identifier (3.5) may be associated with administrative metadata such as its date of assignment,

or the source of mandatory attributes. Identifier metadata
...