Acronyms Used in the Digital Document Industry

Acronyms used in the digital document industry are essential for professionals navigating standards, technologies, and compliance frameworks. From accessibility guidelines like WCAG to enterprise content management systems such as ECM, these terms encapsulate the tools and regulations that shape how organizations create, manage, and deliver documents. This guide provides a detailed breakdown of the most important acronyms, ensuring clarity and understanding for experts and newcomers alike. For the sake of completeness, we have also included some terms that are not acronyms. Whether you’re in accessibility, compliance, or document technology, this resource will help you communicate with confidence and precision. While this article will include many of the standard acronyms used in the Digital Document Industry, it will pay special attention to acronyms associated with Digital Accessibility.

Accessibility Guidelines and International Standards

These are standards, methodologies, and protocols that provide frameworks for accessibility, usability, and compliance.

• WCAG: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
  • Defines international standards for making web and digital content accessible, focusing on usability for individuals with disabilities.
  • WCAG includes principles (POUR: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust) with specific success criteria at Levels A, AA, and AAA.
• WCAG-EM: WCAG Evaluation Methodology
  • A framework for evaluating websites and digital content for WCAG compliance.
• PDF/UA: Portable Document Format/Universal Accessibility
  • The ISO 14289 standard ensuring that PDF documents are accessible to users of assistive technologies.
  • For more information on the latest version see our article: New PDF UA Standard: ISO 14289-2 or PDF/UA-2
• EN 301 549: European Norm 301 549
  • EU standard specifying ICT accessibility requirements, including documents and applications.
  • Applies to both public procurement and the private sector in the EU.
• VPAT: Voluntary Product Accessibility Template
  • A document used to evaluate and report a product’s compliance with accessibility standards like WCAG and Section 508.
• MATTERHORN Protocol
  • Defines 31 specific criteria checks to ensure compliance with PDF/UA standards.
  • For more information on the latest version see our article: simplify the Matterhorn Protocol
• ARIA: Accessible Rich Internet Applications
  • Attributes that make dynamic web content and applications accessible to users of assistive technologies.

Document Compliance Laws and Regulations

These are legal mandates and regulations that enforce accessibility, security, and compliance for digital content and documents.

• ADA: Americans with Disabilities Act
  • A U.S. civil rights law prohibiting discrimination against individuals with disabilities and requiring accessible digital content. Digital content accessibility is covered under Title III.
• AODA: Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act
  • Ontario law requiring organizations to ensure digital content and services are accessible.
  • Aligns with the standard WCAG 2.0 AA.
• ACA: Accessible Canada Act
  • Federal legislation mandating accessible services and content for Canadians with disabilities.
• EAA: European Accessibility Act
  • An EU directive requiring accessibility in public sector services, digital tools, and ICT products.
• Section 508: Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act
  • A U.S. law ensuring federal electronic and IT systems are accessible to individuals with disabilities.
• BITV: Barrierefreie Informationstechnik-Verordnung
  • (Accessible IT Ordinance): German law requiring accessible IT systems, aligned with WCAG and EU standards. Also, close alignment with the standard EN 301 549.
• GDPR: General Data Protection Regulation
  • EU law governing the secure and lawful processing of personal data, including digital documents.
• HIPAA: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
  • U.S. law requiring secure handling of patient health information.
• PIPEDA: Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act
  • Canada’s federal privacy law for protecting personal data.
• FERPA: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
  • U.S. law protecting the privacy of student education records.
• SOX: Sarbanes-Oxley Act
  • Legislation imposing stringent financial reporting and record-keeping requirements for U.S. companies.
• PCI DSS: Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard
  • Regulations ensuring secure handling of payment card data.
• eIDAS: Electronic Identification, Authentication, and Trust Services
  • EU regulation ensuring secure electronic transactions and document authentication.
• CCPA: California Consumer Privacy Act
  • California state law giving residents rights over their personal data, impacting document handling.

Assistive Technologies and Accessibility Concepts

• JAWS: Job Access With Speech
  • A leading screen reader from Freedom Scientific used by individuals with visual impairments to access digital content through speech or Braille.
• NVDA: NonVisual Desktop Access
  • A free, open-source screen reader for Windows that enables visually impaired users to interact with digital content.
  • Download available here: NV Access | Download NVDA
• UX: User Experience
  • The overall interaction and satisfaction a user experiences with a product or system, with accessibility as a core component.
• AT: Assistive Technology
  • Devices and software designed to assist individuals with disabilities in accessing digital or physical environments.
• ARIA: Accessible Rich Internet Applications
  • A set of attributes that make dynamic web content more accessible to assistive technologies.
• TTS: Text-to-Speech
  • Technology that converts written text into spoken words, commonly used in screen readers.
• STT: Speech-to-Text
  • Technology that converts spoken words into written text, assisting users with hearing impairments or those who prefer voice input.
• ALT: Alternative Text
  • Descriptive text for images in digital content, ensuring accessibility for screen reader users.
• UI: User Interface
  • The visual layout and interactive elements of a digital product, with accessibility design ensuring usability for all users.
• OCR: Optical Character Recognition
  • Technology enabling the conversion of scanned documents into machine-readable text, often paired with accessibility tools.
• CAPTCHA: Completely Automated Public Turing Test to Tell Computers and Humans Apart
  • Verification tests used to distinguish between human users and bots; accessibility-friendly alternatives like audio CAPTCHAs exist. While effective at preventing automated abuse of systems, traditional CAPTCHAs often pose significant accessibility challenges for individuals with disabilities.
• PAC 2024: PDF Accessibility Checker 2024
  • A widely used tool for evaluating and verifying the accessibility of PDF documents, ensuring compliance with PDF/UA and other standards.

Formats and Evaluation Frameworks for Documents

• RTF: Rich Text Format
  • A file format supporting formatted text, often used for accessible document creation.
• EPUB: Electronic Publication
  • A widely used e-book format with built-in accessibility features for assistive technologies.
• PDF/VT: Portable Document Format for Variable Data and Transactional Printing
  • A PDF standard designed for high-volume, variable data printing, often used in CCM workflows.
• UCR: Usable Content Rule
  • A principle in document accessibility ensuring all content is usable for individuals with disabilities.
• WCAG-EM: WCAG Evaluation Methodology
  • A framework for assessing the accessibility of websites and digital content.
• ITC: Inclusive Technology Checklist
  • A tool or framework to evaluate whether technology solutions meet accessibility and inclusivity requirements.
• TIFF: Tagged Image File Format
  • A widely used image file format known for its suitability in archival workflows due to its lossless nature.
• XML: Extensible Markup Language
  • A data encoding standard used in many archival frameworks for structuring and preserving information.

Document Creation and Management Tools

• CCM: Customer Communications Management
  • A suite of tools for creating and delivering personalized, multichannel communications.
• CMS: Content Management System
  • Software for organizing, creating, and managing digital content such as websites and documents.
• DAM: Digital Asset Management
  • Systems for storing, managing, and retrieving digital files, including images, videos, and documents.
• ECM: Enterprise Content Management
  • Strategies and technologies for managing an organization’s content and documents securely.
• ERM: Enterprise Report Management
  • Technology for archiving and distributing critical business reports electronically.
• IDP: Intelligent Document Processing
  • AI-based tools that extract, analyze, and process unstructured data from documents.
• OCR: Optical Character Recognition
  • Technology that converts scanned documents into machine-readable text.
• DITA: Darwin Information Typing Architecture
  • An XML-based framework for creating modular, reusable content, common in technical documentation.
• DRM: Digital Rights Management
  • Software protecting digital content from unauthorized use or distribution.
• REST: Representational State Transfer
  • Web service architecture enabling integration of document systems.
• JSON: JavaScript Object Notation
  • A lightweight data-interchange format used for document-related integrations.
• RPA: Robotic Process Automation
  • Technology automating repetitive tasks in document workflows, such as data extraction.

Print Stream Formats

Print stream formats are vital in transactional printing, CCM workflows, and large-scale document processing. They dictate how documents are structured, processed, and output, ensuring compatibility with various systems and devices.

• AFP: Advanced Function Presentation
  • A print stream format developed by IBM for high-volume printing, supporting complex layouts, fonts, and color.
• PCL: Printer Command Language
  • A lightweight and efficient page description language developed by HP, commonly used for straightforward print tasks.
• PostScript:
  • A programming language developed by Adobe to describe page layouts, serving as a precursor to the PDF format.
• PDF/VT: Portable Document Format for Variable and Transactional Printing
  • A PDF-based format designed for high-volume, variable data printing in CCM workflows.
• Metacode/DJDE: Dynamic Job Descriptor Entries
  • A Xerox-specific print stream format. DJDE is a command structure embedded in Metacode to dynamically control printing behavior, such as page breaks, tray selections, and overlays, making it highly versatile for transactional printing in legacy systems.
• IPDS: Intelligent Printer Data Stream
  • A print stream protocol from IBM that supports bidirectional communication between the system and the printer, ensuring precise control over output.
• XPS: XML Paper Specification
  • A Microsoft-developed format that provides an alternative to PDF for describing fixed-layout documents.
• MO: Mixed Object Document Content Architecture
  • A key component of the AFP family, used to encode page layouts, text, and images within print streams.
• EBCDIC: Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code
  • An IBM character encoding system frequently used in mainframe environments and print streams.
• ASCII: American Standard Code for Information Interchange
  • A character encoding standard that uses 7-bit binary numbers to represent text and symbols.
  • Widely adopted across platforms and systems, ASCII serves as the foundation for many modern encoding schemes like UTF-8.
• PDF/X: Portable Document Format for Prepress
  • A subset of PDF designed for predictable printing workflows in the publishing industry.

Document Archiving and Preservation

• PDF/A: Portable Document Format/Archive
  • An ISO-standardized version of PDF designed for long-term archiving and preservation, ensuring documents remain viewable and consistent over time.
• OAIS: Open Archival Information System
  • A conceptual framework for archiving systems that ensures the long-term preservation of digital information.
• LTP: Long-Term Preservation
  • Refers to processes and systems designed to ensure digital files remain usable and authentic over extended periods.
• METS: Metadata Encoding and Transmission Standard
  • An XML-based standard for encoding descriptive, administrative, and structural metadata for digital library objects.
• PREMIS: Preservation Metadata Implementation Strategies
  • A standard for capturing and organizing metadata to support digital preservation efforts.
• DRM: Digital Rights Management
  • Systems protecting archived content by controlling access and ensuring long-term data security.
• Checksum
  • A value used to verify the integrity of a digital file over time, ensuring it hasn’t been corrupted or altered.
• WORM: Write Once, Read Many
  • A type of data storage ensuring files cannot be modified after they are written, ideal for archival purposes.
• DROID: Digital Record Object Identification
  • A tool developed to identify file formats, essential for managing and preserving digital archives.
• BagIt
  • A file packaging format designed for the exchange and preservation of digital content, supporting long-term accessibility.
• NDSA: National Digital Stewardship Alliance
  • A collaborative organization that promotes the preservation of digital heritage, offering guidelines for long-term archiving.

Certifications for Document Professionals

• EDP: Electronic Document Professional
  • Xplor certification recognizing expertise in document creation, management, and automation.
• ADS: Accessible Document Specialist
  • IAAP certification validating expertise in creating accessible and compliant digital documents.
• CPACC: Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies
  • IAAP certification covering foundational knowledge of accessibility.
• WAS: Web Accessibility Specialist
  • IAAP certification demonstrating advanced technical knowledge of accessibility standards.

Digital Document Industry Organization Acronyms

• ISO: International Organization for Standardization
  • Global standards organization, responsible for ISO 14289 (PDF/UA) and other document-related standards.
• PDF Association: PDF Association
  • Global organization promoting the adoption and implementation of PDF technology standards.
• AIIM: Association for Intelligent Information Management
  • Industry organization focused on ECM, content governance, and best practices.
• IAAP: International Association of Accessibility Professionals
  • A global organization dedicated to advancing accessibility practices and certifications.
• Xplor: Xplor International
  • Professional association supporting the customer communications industry with a strong focus on transactional and CCM document workflows .

Digital Document Industry-Specific Terms

The Acronyms used in the Digital Document Industry often extend to specialized terms unique to key sectors like healthcare, finance, and customer communications. These acronyms reflect the specific challenges and requirements of managing sensitive information, ensuring compliance, and supporting accessibility within these industries. Below are some of the most relevant terms for professionals in these fields:

• EHR: Electronic Health Record
  • Digital version of a patient’s medical records, requiring secure and accessible handling.
• PHI: Protected Health Information
  • Health-related data requiring compliance with laws like HIPAA.
• EOB: Explanation of Benefits
  • A healthcare document summarizing insurance claims and patient financial responsibilities.
• KYC: Know Your Customer
  • Financial compliance processes ensuring identity verification for secure document handling.
• PII: Personally Identifiable Information
  • Sensitive data like names or Social Security numbers that require protection.
• AML: Anti-Money Laundering
  • Processes ensuring secure and traceable financial transactions.
• SDLC: Software Development Life Cycle
  • Framework for developing document management systems with security in mind.
• BPO: Business Process Outsourcing
  • Third-party services managing document workflows like accessibility remediation.
• AML: Anti-Money Laundering
  • Laws and practices ensuring financial institutions monitor and secure transaction documents.

Global Accessibility Initiatives

Global accessibility initiatives raise awareness, promote inclusivity, and drive action toward accessible digital and physical environments. These observances, summits, and campaigns bring together individuals, businesses, and governments to advance accessibility worldwide. Below are key initiatives and their upcoming dates:

• GAAD: Global Accessibility Awareness Day
  • An annual event designed to raise awareness and encourage action on digital accessibility and inclusion worldwide.
  • Next occurrence: Thursday, May 15, 2025
• IDPD: International Day of Persons with Disabilities
  • A United Nations initiative celebrated every December 3rd to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all aspects of society.
  • Next occurrence: Wednesday, December 3, 2025
• WAD: World Autism Awareness Day
  • A global initiative observed on April 2nd each year, focusing on raising awareness about autism and promoting inclusion and accessibility.
  • Next occurrence: Wednesday, April 2, 2025
• WHD: World Hearing Day
  • An annual event by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 3rd, raising awareness about hearing loss and the importance of accessible communication.
  • Next occurrence: Monday, March 3, 2025
• M-Enabling Summit
  • A global conference and showcase promoting innovative solutions for accessibility in mobile and digital environments.
  • Next occurrence: dates for 2025 are yet to be announced.
• CSUN ATC: California State University, Northridge Assistive Technology Conference
  • One of the largest annual conferences focused on accessibility and assistive technology, bringing together researchers, practitioners, and innovators.
  • Next occurrence: Scheduled for March 2025; exact dates to be confirmed.
• UNCRPD: United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
  • An international human rights treaty promoting equal rights and opportunities for persons with disabilities.
  • Ratified by many countries; advocacy and awareness efforts are ongoing globally.

Conclusion: Acronyms Used in the Digital Document Industry

Understanding the acronyms used in the digital document industry is essential for professionals working across accessibility, compliance, and document management. These terms represent the backbone of the standards, tools, and regulations that govern how organizations create and maintain their documents. By familiarizing yourself with these acronyms, you not only gain a deeper understanding of the industry but also strengthen your ability to communicate effectively with clients, vendors, and stakeholders. Whether you’re ensuring accessibility compliance with WCAG or optimizing workflows with ECM tools, this knowledge empowers you to lead with expertise in an ever-evolving field.