Terms related to data · 3.2.1
data annotation
the work of adding descriptive information to data while leaving the data itself unchanged
What this term settles
The entry is short because it is meant to travel. It gives data annotation one meaning that can be quoted in a policy without a second interpretation layer.
Who it binds
The clause does not instruct anyone: it settles what data annotation means so that an instruction written elsewhere can be read the same way by both sides.
What to do in your practice
Add data annotation to the vocabulary register and to the onboarding pack. A term that is only in a PDF is not controlled; it is controlled when a new joiner can find it and a reviewer can test it.
Evidence an auditor or regulator asks for
- A controlled vocabulary entry for data annotation with the citation 3.2.1, an owner and a review date.An auditor can check that data annotation is controlled rather than assumed.
- A data inventory field that records the entry for each dataset used in training or operation. The row names data annotation.Shows data annotation in use in the artefact the firm relies on, not only in a glossary.
- A data quality record with the check, the date and the person who signed it off. The record carries the data annotation entry and its date.The data inventory is organised by system rather than by dataset, so the same data is described twice with different labels. The gap is tested against data annotation.
Common gaps this page catches
- data annotation is used in the data record behind every AI system without a written definition, so two teams can mean different things.
- The entry for data annotation exists in a glossary but not in the system record, so the two disagree at the point of use.
What to prepare before the amendment lands
Put data annotation on the agenda of the next AI governance meeting with two questions: where is it used, and what would show it is used correctly? Record the answers as actions.
How to test it here
Take one live artefact rather than a template, find the sentence or field where data annotation is used, and put this page beside it. Record the answer, the artefact and the date, because that record is the evidence and a glossary entry on its own is only an intention.
What this page does not claim
The page does not reproduce the standard, certify the firm or predict the wording the amendment will use; it states data annotation at the claim level "definition" and stops where the public record stops.
Common questions
- What does data annotation mean in ISO 22989?
- the work of adding descriptive information to data while leaving the data itself unchanged
- What evidence should we keep for 3.2.1?
- A controlled vocabulary entry for data annotation with the citation 3.2.1, an owner and a review date. A data inventory field that records the entry for each dataset used in training or operation. The row names data annotation.
- Is data annotation a requirement?
- No: data annotation is a definition or clause of a terminology standard, and it becomes binding only when a firm writes it into a policy, a contract or a procedure, or when another standard incorporates it.
Related units
Source. ISO/IEC 22989:2022, Clause 3.2.1, Terms and definitions. Open the ISO public entry. Retrieved 21 October 2026.
https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/en/#iso:std:iso-iec:22989:ed-1:v1:en
ISO catalogue record 88145, the amendment status, stage and dates. Catalogue record 74296, the base standard.
Claim level: definition. The definition is in the public preview. This page states it in our own words and does not reproduce the text.
Last updated: 2026-10-21 · Markdown version · Check your vocabulary