An indicator is a human-made measurable observable that conveys information about the state, trend, or performance of some condition or system. Its parameters are: (1) a reference condition or system whose state it tracks; (2) a measurement method that maps raw observations to a signal; (3) a threshold or baseline against which the signal is evaluated. An indicator persists through measurement systems, data collection practices, and the conventions that assign meaning to particular signal values — it is not the thing measured, but the constructed lens through which the thing is rendered legible. [formal: indicium | substrate: mind | horizon: a moment | explicit: yes | epoch: 0.01]
Accepted ontology entry
indicator
An indicator is a human-made measurable observable that conveys information about the state, trend, or performance of some condition or system. Its parameters are: (1) a reference condition or system whose state it tracks; (2) a measuremen…
Definition
Why it is in scope
An indicator is a human-made sign, metric, or signal deliberately designed to convey information about the state of a system. It is a structured representation that stands in for something else, enabling monitoring, assessment, and decision-making. Indicators are human artifacts — they do not exist in nature but are constructed through convention, measurement, and interpretation, and they persist through language, notation, and institutional practice.
Names and aliases
- indicatoren · CANONICAL
Relations from this entry
- cmrumq8ky01xmr6711y3gy0eeINSTANCE_OF →
indicator IS a specific kind of sign — a marker or data point that conveys information about a condition or trend. A competent speaker calls an indicator a sign. INSTANCE_OF per Law 9.
Relations to this entry
- cms8zdp6u02oi73fkbcr807cq← INSTANCE_OF
Per Law 9, a near-miss is a specific kind of indicator — an observable event that signals something noteworthy occurred. A competent speaker calls it 'a type of indicator' in safety contexts. Near-miss is a specific instance of the general concept of indicator.
- cmsal06kl006a17zlckpsmqm4← INSTANCE_OF
Per Law 9, an early-warning is a specific kind of indicator — it signals that something is about to happen, indicating future risk or change before it occurs. The note pins the sense: early-warning as a predictive signal, which is a subtype of the general concept of indicator.
- cmsab1aj003927skq8mmfjssf← INSTANCE_OF
Leading-indicator is a specific kind of indicator that signals future risk or performance trends, not past outcomes. Per Law 9, a competent speaker would call a leading-indicator an indicator. Files against the nearest kind — indicator is the direct parent.
- cmsab1kkl039f7skqrfkcsb9w← INSTANCE_OF
A trailing-indicator IS a specific kind of indicator — a metric that reflects past safety performance after events have occurred. Like leading-indicators (which predict future risk), trailing-indicators are a subtype of indicator distinguished by temporal direction. Law 9: a competent speaker calls a trailing-indicator 'an indicator.'
- cmsap3dj400jz17zl99avj13q← INSTANCE_OF
A lagging-indicator IS a specific kind of indicator — a retrospective measurement that signals past performance. All lagging indicators are indicators; the qualified term specifies temporal direction (backward-looking). Nearest kind: indicator.
- cmsb9g9sv00io3vv3qy6jxb73← INSTANCE_OF
A lead-indicator IS a specific kind of indicator: it is a measurable signal used to assess or predict performance. Direction specific→general per Law 9.
- cms9alxlr00ok7skqsg0zm26x← INSTANCE_OF
safety-indicator IS a specific kind of indicator: a measurable signal or marker that reflects the state of safety. The specific→general relationship per Law 9.
Record identity
- Created
- Aug 1, 2026, 3:03 PM UTC
- Content hash
- 6b5ffccc7199400e0d5abbf4f7fe5a6bade136806f571d6d82c5116bd9580e8a