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The Taxonomy

A shared vocabulary for describing technology.

All categories

Elements 32

What is the purpose of this system?

Why this system exists — the outcome it’s designed to achieve.

About this category

Purpose

What is the purpose of this system?

Why this system exists — the outcome it’s designed to achieve.

Datachain

Answer
Every other answer is read against what the system is for. Without it, no one can judge whether the rest is reasonable.
Icon shape
The system itself: why it exists, who is involved, what it does, and the points where it meets the world.

Variables

  • Description Optional

AccessibilityEnsures that everyone has equal access to a space or a service.
Arts & CultureEnables artistic and/or cultural expression.
Border & ImmigrationSupports immigration, asylum, or border-crossing decisions or processing — for example, border-control facial recognition, visa adjudication, asylum risk assessment.
CommerceEnables the buying and selling of goods and services.
Content ModerationFilters, ranks, or removes user-generated content based on policies — for example, comment moderation on a public-facing kiosk, image filtering, or hate-speech detection.
CybersecurityProtects computer systems, networks, and digital data from intrusion, misuse, or attack — for example, detecting threats in network logs or prioritizing security investigations. Distinct from Safety & Security, which reduces risk in physical environments.
DiningFor providing food or meal services.
EcologySupports the measurement or monitoring of the natural environment.
Education & LearningSupports teaching, learning, assessment, or educational guidance — for example, tutoring assistants, automated grading, or library and museum recommenders.
Eligibility & Public BenefitsDetermines eligibility for, or distribution of, government benefits and essential public services — for example, welfare allocation, housing assistance, child-services risk scoring.
Employment & WorkSupports hiring, scheduling, performance evaluation, or workplace operations — for example, resume screening, shift assignment, productivity monitoring.
Energy EfficiencyReduces energy use and/or helps conserve energy.
EnforcementUsed for enforcement of rules or regulations.
EntrySupports authentication or validation in order to access a space or a service.
Financial ServicesSupports lending, insurance, fraud detection, or other financial decisions about people — for example, credit scoring, insurance underwriting, transaction-fraud flagging.
Fire & EmergencySupports services that ensure public safety and health related to emergencies.
Environmental HealthMeasures or monitors aspects of the physical environment that affect human health — air quality, water quality, radiation, noise, or workplace exposures. Distinct from Healthcare, which supports clinical care for individuals.
HealthcareSupports clinical care for individuals — for example, diagnosis assistance, treatment recommendations, patient triage, or health chatbots. Distinct from Environmental Health, which monitors the physical environment, and from Public Health Monitoring, which follows disease across a population.
InformSupports general-purpose information assistance — concierge, FAQ, signage, or guidance about a service. Distinct from Wayfinding & Services, which covers spatial orientation and routing within a place.
LogisticsSupports the movements of goods or materials.
Marketing & PersonalizationTargets advertising, personalizes recommendations, or profiles audiences for marketing — for example, in-store loyalty offers, personalized signage, behavioural ad targeting.
MobilitySupports how people and materials move around.
Planning & Decision-makingSupports forecasting and policy-impact analysis at the population or system level — for example, urban planning, infrastructure planning, or measuring the impact of a policy decision. Distinct from Risk Assessment & Triage, which scores individuals.
Public Health MonitoringMonitors disease and health conditions across a population — detecting outbreaks, tracking pathogens and their variants, following case trends — to guide the public health response. Distinct from Healthcare, which supports clinical care for individuals, and from Environmental Health, which monitors the physical environment.
Research & DevelopmentSupports a deployed research instrument — a system that studies a place, population, or environment as part of a research program. Distinct from a production system that delivers a service to the public.
Risk Assessment & TriageScores or prioritizes individuals or cases for further attention or action — for example, recidivism scoring, hospital triage, child-welfare risk flags. Distinct from Planning & Decision-making, which forecasts at a population or system level.
Safety & SecuritySupports preventive risk reduction in physical environments — for example, fire safety, home security, or ensuring safe passage in airports or on roads. Distinct from Enforcement (rule application) and from Fire & Emergency (incident response).
SocialFor interacting with another person or a group.
Translation & Language AccessTranslates speech, text, or signs to make a place or service accessible across languages — for example, real-time interpretation at a service counter, multilingual signage.
Waste ManagementSupports the handling and disposal of waste, including as recyclables, compost and hazardous materials.
Water EfficiencyReduces water use and/or helps conserve water.
Wayfinding & ServicesEnables navigation of a location and its amenities and services.