Why is Terminology Consistency Important in the Digital Age? Standardization with ISO and IEC Platforms.

Terminology Consistency in the Digital Age: Why is Standardization Important?

     In today's digital world, consistent terminology is just as critical as accurate data. The machine needs to be able to understand it.

     In Türkiye, it is quite common to use different terms for the same concept in technical and professional fields. This not only leads to communication breakdowns but also creates serious inconsistencies in legal documents, software systems, and international collaborations.

Why is Terminology Consistency Necessary?

     In the digital age, information management has transcended borders. For national systems to communicate with global infrastructures, they must adhere not only to technical standards but also to linguistic standards. For example:

• “The word "security" can mean "security" in one context and "safety" in another.
• “The term "record" might appear as "record" in one document and "registration" in another.

     To avoid such confusion, the use of international terminology databases is essential.

ISO and IEC Terminology Platforms

     International standardization organizations have been creating official terminology databases for years to eliminate such confusion. Countries then translate these terms into their national languages and publish them in these databases. These platforms serve as guides for anyone working in technical fields. They are one of the keys to achieving international recognition.

ISO Online Browsing Platform (OBP) (https://www.iso.org/obp)

     This platform, created by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), provides access to definitions and contexts of terms used in ISO standards.

     Areas of application: Quality management, environmental management, medical devices, health informatics, information security, etc.

     Advantage: You can directly see which term is used in which standard, and access reliable and consistent translations.

International Electrotechnical Vocabulary (IEC Electropedia – International Electrotechnical Vocabulary, IEV)(http://www.electropedia.org)

This platform, provided by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), focuses specifically on concepts used in technical fields such as electricity, electronics, energy systems, and communication technologies.

    Areas of application: Automation, artificial intelligence, sensor technologies, smart city systems, etc.

    Advantage: It includes definitions of terms as well as their multilingual equivalents.

Consistency in Terminology is Key to Digital Harmony

     In Türkiye, many institutions still use terminology based on personal interpretations, industry habits, or ease of translation. However, this approach threatens the interoperability of digital systems and legal clarity.

Leveraging international platforms:

• To help you find the correct meaning,
• To ensure professionalism in your documents,
• It helps you establish reliable communication in international projects.

     In the digital age, we must standardize not only data but also meaning. Platforms like ISO OBP and IEC Electropedia are the most powerful tools at our disposal on this journey.

     Who or which institution or organization should add Turkish terminology to these platforms? This needs to be resolved (problems can occur with translations. If there are issues with words, synonyms can be used to solve them).

Useful URLs:

• ISO OBP: https://www.iso.org/obp
• IEC Electropedia: http://www.electropedia.org

Prof. Dr. Diler Aslan
Pamukkale University Faculty of Medicine, Medical Biochemistry (2019-2019)
D-Tek Technology Development, Production, Consulting and Training Ltd. (2013-…)
21.07.2025