ISO 37114:2025

Overview

ISO 37114:2025 - "Sustainable cities and communities - Appraisal framework for datasets and data processing methods that create urban management information" defines a structured appraisal framework to evaluate datasets and the processing methods used to produce urban management information. The standard helps cities and communities prepare, classify and maintain the data and processing chains that generate indicators, statistics and long‑term management information - with explicit compatibility for artificial intelligence (AI) systems and alignment with sustainable development goals.

Key technical topics and requirements

• Appraisal framework for datasets and processing methods: Guidance to appraise necessary data, processing chains and algorithms used to generate urban management information.
• Classification and classes: Framework organizes information into classes such as indicator, process/product specification, dataset, metadata and value appraisal, enabling regular review and updates.
• Feature catalogue and enumerations: Standard includes a feature catalogue and enumeration classes (e.g., source type, geographic metadata, measurement method, collection frequency) to standardize descriptions.
• Functional requirements for information systems: Requirements to support design, daily operation and management of systems that produce and consume urban management information.
• AI compatibility: Designed to be compatible with AI/ML processing and value mining of big data, supporting adoption of AI for data processing and analysis.
• Stakeholder engagement and context mapping: Emphasizes mapping data scenarios and engaging stakeholders across the data value chain to ensure transparency and governance.
• Support for indicators: Intended to support dataset and dataset‑processing management for ISO/TC 268 indicator standards (it does not itself prescribe how to use those indicator standards).

Practical applications and who would use this standard

ISO 37114 is practical for:

• City and regional data stewards, CIOs and smart city program managers establishing reliable urban management information.
• Urban planners and policy makers who rely on consistent indicators and documented data processes for decision‑making tied to ISO 37101 sustainability purposes and the UN SDGs.
• IT architects and system integrators designing information systems that ingest, process and expose indicator data, including AI/ML pipelines.
• Researchers and educators using the framework to teach or study data quality, metadata standards and urban data governance. Practical benefits include improved data interoperability, clearer metadata, repeatable processing chains, better readiness for AI analytics, and stronger governance for sustainable‑city indicators.

Related standards

• ISO 37101 (sustainability purposes for communities) - alignment with the six sustainability purposes.
• ISO 37106 (smart city delivery principles: visionary, citizen‑centric, digital, open and collaborative).
• ISO/TC 268 indicator standards - ISO 37114 supports dataset management for these indicators but does not replace guidance on indicator usage.

Keywords: ISO 37114, sustainable cities, urban management information, appraisal framework, datasets, data processing methods, AI compatibility, smart city, metadata, data governance, indicators.