The Taxonomy

A shared vocabulary for describing technology.

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. Press + to add elements to a datachain, then download it with its icons. New to the terms? Read the concepts.

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.

Cybersecurity

Protects 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.

Variables

Description Optional