In the modern age of digital advertising, clarity on all fronts is key. And for that reason, clarity is the focus of the latest efforts by the Interactive Advertising Bureau.

Ahead of the weekend, the IAB released “An Evolving Framework for Advertising Automation” to create clarity around programmatic functions and “encourage more meaningful conversations among buyers, sellers, and technology vendors.”

The report sets out a consistent vocabulary and structure for programmatic advertising, including details of the core processes, tasks, and platforms involved in automating digital advertising.

According to the official word from the IAB, the paper intends to shift the industry from discussions about “programmatic” to “automation.” This vocabulary clarification is accompanied by flow charts for buying automation and selling automation. The use of consistent vocabulary is also important to benchmark market size and analyze investment.

“With nearly 80 percent of digital display advertising transactions expected to be automated this year, it’s time to redefine and be more specific about the full range of underlying ‘programmatic’ processes, tasks, and platforms,” said Dennis Buchheim, Senior Vice President, Data and Ad Effectiveness. “With this framework, we want to support the industry in achieving more deliberate and comprehensive automation – where it drives real value – while also supporting supply chain transparency, brand safety, and overall growth.”