ISO 29383-2020 PDF

Full title and description

ISO 29383:2020 — Terminology policies — Development and implementation. Provides guidelines and a methodology for developing, documenting and implementing comprehensive terminology policies within governments, public administrations, non‑profit and commercial organizations.

Abstract

This standard defines key concepts and offers a step‑by‑step approach for planning, adopting and integrating terminology policies into institutional strategic frameworks. It describes types of terminology policies, typical scenarios that call for them, and practical considerations for implementation, governance, resourcing and monitoring.

General information

• Status: Published
• Publication date: 20 April 2020
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
• ICS / categories: 01.020 — Terminology (principles and coordination)
• Edition / version: Edition 2 (2020)
• Number of pages: 20

Scope

ISO 29383:2020 is intended for policy makers and managers responsible for language and terminology planning and management. It covers the development, adoption and implementation of institutional terminology policies — including concept definition, roles and responsibilities, processes for terminology creation and maintenance, resource planning, and mechanisms for quality assurance and review within organizational contexts.

Key topics and requirements

• Definitions of core concepts and terminology policy types (what a policy should cover).
• Methodology for drafting a terminology policy: needs analysis, stakeholder mapping, objectives and scope.
• Governance: roles, responsibilities, approval and maintenance workflows.
• Integration with institutional strategy, standards, and existing language/terminology resources.
• Operational requirements: tools, data formats, repositories, metadata and access rules.
• Quality assurance, monitoring, review cycles and continuous improvement.
• Implementation planning, training, communication and change management.

Typical use and users

Primary users are policy makers and managers in government, public administration and large organizations; terminology managers, lexicographers, translators and localisation teams; IT and information‑management staff responsible for termbases and metadata; and standards bodies and consultants advising on institutional language strategy. The standard supports both strategic decision‑making and practical implementation of terminology governance.

Related standards

ISO 29383 is produced by ISO/TC 37/SC 1 and sits alongside other ISO terminology standards such as ISO 704 (Terminology work — Principles and methods) and ISO 1087 (Terminology work and terminology science — Vocabulary), which provide foundational principles and vocabularies commonly used when implementing terminology policies. It also replaces the earlier ISO 29383:2010 edition.

Keywords

terminology policy, terminology management, terminology governance, termbase, terminology strategy, ISO 29383, terminology planning, metadata, language policy, ISO/TC 37

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 29383:2020 is an international standard providing guidelines and a methodology for developing and implementing institutional terminology policies.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers the concepts, planning, governance, implementation and review of terminology policies — including stakeholder roles, processes for creating and maintaining terms, quality assurance and integration with organizational strategy.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Policy makers, terminology managers, translators/localisation teams, information managers, IT staff running termbases, and consultants and standards bodies engaged in language and terminology work.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: ISO 29383:2020 is the current edition published in April 2020; it replaced ISO 29383:2010. ISO standards are typically reviewed on a five‑year cycle, so users should check for any later revisions when needed.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: It is part of the body of ISO/TC 37 terminology standards and complements other standards such as ISO 704 and ISO 1087 that address terminology principles and vocabulary.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Terminology policy, terminology management, governance, termbase, terminology strategy, ISO 29383, metadata, language policy.