Each category is a question people ask about a technology, and its elements are the answers. Choose a category, then an element, to see its icon and what it means. New to the terms? Read the concepts.
What is the purpose of this system?
Why this system exists — the outcome it’s designed to achieve.
What is the purpose of this system?
Why this system exists — the outcome it’s designed to achieve.
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.
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.
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.
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.What is the purpose of this system?
Why this system exists — the outcome it’s designed to achieve.