Standards Development

Scope

This document specifies the reference model for textual documents and provides detailed recommendations necessary to support long-term preservation from various perspectives, based on the reference model.ISO 20271-2 defines the fundamental concepts of the reference model for textual documents. This includes the definitions of layers that make up the reference model, elements incorporated within textual documents, property types, classifications of properties by type, and various properties inherent to textual documents.Additionally, it defines the concepts and structure of a long-term preservation reference model for digital documents, which can be applied to other types of documents beyond textual documents.ISO 20271-2:— defines textual documents and outlines major content properties that consist of a textual document.— provides the concepts of the reference model for textual documents, defines key elements included within the textual documents, and outlines recommendations for enhancing long-term preservation based on the reference model.— provides guidelines for classifying various properties that can be included in textual documents as outlined in ISO 20271-3 by reference model layers, along with examples of classification and guidelines for enhancing long-term preservation post-classification.ISO 20271-2 does not specify the following:— specific technical methods for checking whether the properties exist within a specific textual document or not.— specific technical methods for analysing a textual document format such as DOC, DOCX, ODT, TXT, PDF, etc.— specific metadata items for the long-term preservation of textual documents.— required computer hardware or operating system.— does not recommend specific textual document file formats as suitable for long-term preservation.— does not recommend any processes, procedures, or management practices associated with long-term preservation, records management.This document provides technical recommendations for organizations, individuals, and both public and private entities involved in designing digital textual documents, assessing existing file formats, or enhancing file format specifications. Its primary aim is to ensure that these documents remain technically interpretable and understandable despite potential obsolescence, while accommodating various requirements and levels of information. These recommendations are particularly valuable for users who are not fully acquainted with the technical characteristics of file formats or the core content elements of textual documents.