Overview
EN ISO 11442:2006 - Technical product documentation - Document management describes basic rules for the management of technical product documents. Published by ISO and adopted by CEN as EN ISO 11442:2006 (March 2006), this standard consolidates earlier part-series into a single first edition and defines core concepts, lifecycle phases and document types used in technical product documentation and CAD-driven environments.
Key topics
- Document types and roles
- Original document: the authoritative source for product definition; stored in an original archive (vault).
- Signature document: a copy requiring customer or authority approval and signature.
- Viewing copy: replicas for review, commenting and hard-copy production.
- Archive master: a trusted, neutral-format replica for long-term storage (e.g., TIFF, SGML, XML, STEP noted as typical examples).
- Document replica and replica fidelity: classifications such as clone, equivalent and essential describing how closely a replica preserves the original.
- Document lifecycle and phases
- Creation, Approval, Release, Storage/Active, Revision, Archiving - the standard defines these phases and expected handling during product development (analysis, conceptual, basic and detailed design).
- Revision and status control
- Rules for issuing document revisions, tracking document issues and documenting revision notices to maintain traceability.
- Protection and access
- Authorization schemes for user privileges, protection notices (restrictions on use) and procedures to protect confidential or regulated information.
- Storage and format considerations
- Guidance on storing computer-based originals, migrating preferred formats to long-term stable formats when tool versions change.
Applications and who uses it
EN ISO 11442:2006 is intended for organizations that create, manage or exchange technical product documentation, including:
- Design and engineering teams (mechanical, electrical, systems)
- CAD managers and document controllers
- Quality managers and compliance officers
- Technical authors and product lifecycle managers
- Manufacturers, suppliers and regulatory authorities
Practical uses include establishing document management procedures, defining archival strategies for CAD files and drawings, implementing revision control and approval workflows, and ensuring long-term retrievability of product definition data.
Related standards
- ISO 10209-1 (vocabulary for technical drawings)
- ISO 16016 (protection notices for restricting document use)
- IEC 82045-1 (definition of document)
- Typical archive formats referenced: TIFF, SGML, XML, STEP
EN ISO 11442:2006 provides a foundational framework for consistent, auditable management of technical product documentation across CAD and traditional drawing environments.
