Introducing the Register Specification Builder: Create ISO 19135 Compliant Specifications with Ease

We are excited to announce the release of the Register Specification Builder—an interactive, browser-based tool that guides you through creating complete ISO 19135 compliant register specifications. This tool represents a significant step forward in making the FERIN framework more accessible to organizations of all sizes.

The Challenge We Address

Creating a register specification that complies with ISO 19135:2026 can be daunting. The standard defines numerous requirements across multiple sections—scope, conventions, roles, governance processes, content requirements, and more. Organizations often struggle with:

• Understanding what to document: The standard specifies what must be included, but not always how to structure it
• Ensuring completeness: Missing sections can lead to non-conformance
• Getting started: A blank document provides no guidance on best practices
• Maintaining consistency: Keeping terminology and structure consistent throughout the document

Introducing the Builder

The Register Specification Builder addresses these challenges with a guided, step-by-step approach that ensures you cover all required elements while providing helpful defaults and examples along the way.

Key Features

Guided Workflow

The builder organizes your specification into 11 logical sections, each with clear guidance on what information is needed. A visual progress indicator shows your completion status, helping you track what's done and what remains.

Complete ISO 19135 Coverage

The builder captures all required specification elements:

• Document Metadata: Title, identifier, version, and status
• Scope: Purpose, content boundaries, and target users
• Normative References: Required standards and documents
• Terms and Definitions: Custom terminology for your register
• Conventions: Identifier schemes and versioning approaches
• Audience and Accessibility: Who uses your register and how
• Roles and Responsibilities: The six ISO 19135 roles configured for your context
• Governance Processes: Proposal, approval, appeal, and content management workflows
• Content Requirements: Concepts, statuses, relations, and actions
• Other Information: Contact details and access locations
• Bibliography: Informative references for additional context

Save and Resume

Work at your own pace. The builder saves your specification as a JSON file that you can load and continue editing at any time. No server required—everything stays in your browser, ensuring your data remains private and under your control.

Export to Standard Formats

When you're ready to publish or share your specification, export it to:

• Metanorma AsciiDoc: Ready for processing into published documents
• Markdown: Universal format for documentation systems
• JSON: Machine-readable format for integration with other tools

Built-in Guidance

Each section includes helpful hints and example content to guide your decisions. The builder understands the ISO 19135 requirements and helps you create specifications that will pass conformance review.

Privacy and Security

The Register Specification Builder runs entirely in your browser. Your specification data never leaves your computer unless you explicitly download or export it. This approach ensures:

• No server to hack—your data stays with you
• No accounts or authentication required
• Works offline once loaded
• Full control over your sensitive register planning information

Who Should Use the Builder

The builder is designed for anyone creating or maintaining a register specification:

• Register owners documenting their governance approach
• Standards bodies creating reference register specifications
• Government agencies establishing authoritative data registries
• Organizations formalizing existing code lists and reference data
• Consultants helping clients implement FERIN-compliant registers

Getting Started

The builder is available now at ferin.org/builder. No registration required—simply open the tool and start creating your specification. Begin with the sample specification based on the RUM (Register of Units of Measure) example from the ISO standard, or start fresh with sensible defaults.

Future Development

This initial release focuses on the core specification creation workflow. We're actively developing additional capabilities based on community feedback, including:

• Conformance checking against ISO 19135 requirements
• More export formats and templates
• Collaboration features for team review
• Integration with register management systems

Try It Today

Visit the Register Specification Builder and start creating your ISO 19135 compliant specification. We welcome your feedback to help us improve this tool for the FERIN community.