360Giving Standard policy - normative and non-normative content

I am pleased to share a new policy that has been approved by the 360Giving Standard Stewardship Committee, at a meeting held on 22 November 2019.

This policy aims to provide clear guidance about what content on the 360Giving Data Standard documentation website is normative and non-normative, and the associated change processes for each.

The 360Giving Standard documentation website includes a mixture of content that is normative and therefore is defined as the 360Giving Data Standard and non-normative content, which is guidance about related topics.

Key definitions

  • Normative : Normative content is the prescriptive part of a standard. It sets the rules to be followed in order to be evaluated as compliant with the standard, and from which no deviation is permitted; contains recommendations that have official standing; and provides options which, if implemented, must be done in a given way in order to remain compliant.
  • Non-normative : Non-normative content is the non-prescriptive, or ‘descriptive’, part of a standard. This may include analogies, synonyms, explanations, illustrations, context and examples. Non-normative content must not contradict normative content.

The policy can be read and downloaded here.

Next steps will be to re-order and label normative and non-normative elements of the Standard documentation website to make the different sections more apparent.

If you have any questions about this new policy, please comment below.