Standardiarvot

Standardiarvot is a proposed international standard for encoding, validating, and exchanging numerical values across software systems and measurement instruments. It aims to create a common framework for representing numbers with associated context, reducing ambiguity in data interchange and scientific computation.

The term blends “standard” with arvot, a word meaning values in several Nordic and Baltic languages, signaling its focus on universal value representation. The scope encompasses a core data model that centers on a universal Value type, with derivations such as Integer, Decimal, and Floating types, plus metadata for unit, precision, scale, and uncertainty. The standard also specifies canonical forms for encoding values and their metadata, along with rules for unit metadata, scaling, rounding, and validation to enable consistent interpretation across domains.

Technical features include explicit unit metadata, support for uncertainty or error margins, and defined rounding policies. It accommodates multiple interchange formats, prioritizes backward-compatible evolution, and promotes interoperability through a minimal, extensible core. The goal is to enable cross-domain data sharing—finance, engineering, science, and beyond—without exposing consumers to inconsistent numeric representations.

History and governance place Standardiarvot within the work of the International Data Standards Consortium (IDSC), which published the first public drafts in the mid-2010s and released subsequent revisions as community feedback grew. Adoption has been gradual, with uptake in research data protocols and certain open-source projects that seek consistent numeric semantics. Critics note added complexity and potential integration costs, cautioning that standards must remain flexible to accommodate legacy systems.

See also: data standardization, units of measurement, decimal arithmetic.