1. For Conference Purposes Only Enabling An Information Driven Enterprise: Terminology Management at EPA Michael Pendleton Metadata Open Forum New York City July 10, 2007

2. For Conference Purposes Only Overview  EPA’s need for terminology management  Current terminology development efforts  Elements of a successful terminology program  Environmental Terminology System and Services (ETSS)  Semantic Vision

3. For Conference Purposes Only Why EPA Needs to Manage Terms Why EPA Needs to Manage Terms REASON # 1: So that we know what we mean Business terms Business terms Legal terms Legal terms Administrative terms Administrative terms Acronyms Acronyms Gary Larson – The Far Side

4. For Conference Purposes Only EPA’s Quality System  Quality System focuses on data  Need for shared understanding  Quality Glossary Project Retooling the Quality Glossary Retooling the Quality Glossary Establishing a repeatable glossary governance framework and methodology Establishing a repeatable glossary governance framework and methodology

5. For Conference Purposes Only Why EPA Needs to Manage Terms Why EPA Needs to Manage Terms REASON # 2: So we can find stuff Indexing Indexing Cataloging Cataloging Keyword management Keyword management “Commentary.” Government Computer News – August 14, 2006

6. For Conference Purposes Only Web Taxonomy  EPA’s Web content  Information Architecture Strategy  Web Taxonomy Metadata specifications + controlled vocabulary Metadata specifications + controlled vocabulary Faceted approach Faceted approach

7. For Conference Purposes Only EPA Taxonomy Facets FacetsDefinitions Information Types Typology that indicates what type of information this is. Audiences Audience segments for whom the content is targeted. Geography Places which the content covers or is related to. Functions EPA business functions or services that are covered by or related to the content. Industries Industry sectors that are covered by or related to the content. Organizations EPA or external organizational units that are covered by or related to the content. Laws & Regulations Specific environmental laws, regulations and treaties that are covered by or related to the content. Substances Chemicals and substances covered by or related to the content.

8. For Conference Purposes Only EPA Web Taxonomy: Asset & Use Facets Consumers Contractors & Grantees EPA Employees Government Health Care Providers International Researchers & Scientists Teachers & Kids Technical & Regulated Community AudiencesGeography Country & Region United States State Region Regulated Facilities Superfund Sites Watersheds & Wetlands Information Types Basic Facts & Information Community Information Concerned Citizens Resources Curriculum Resources Emergency Preparedness & Response Information Environmental Laws & Regulations News & News Releases Program Resources Resources for Non Profit Organizations Technical Information Test Methods & Models

9. For Conference Purposes Only EPA Web Taxonomy: Subject Facets Services for Citizens Community & Social Services Disaster Mgmt Economic Dev Education Energy Environmental Mgmt General Science & Innovation Homeland Security Intl Affairs & Commerce Law Enforcement Natural Resources Mode of Delivery Support Delivery of Services Mgmt of Resources Admin Mgmt Functions Agricultural Chemical Air Pollutant Allergen Biological Contaminant Carcinogen Chemical Explosive Extremely Hazardous Substance Liquid Waste Microorganism Multimedia Pollutant Mutagen Ozone Pesticide Radiation Radioactive Waste Soil Contaminant Solid Waste - Nonhazardous Teratogen Toxic Substance Water Pollutant SubstancesIndustries Agriculture Automobile Repair Banking Chemical Construction Dry Cleaning Electronics & Computer Energy Environmental Extractive Fishing Food Processing Forest Garment & Textile Care Leather Tanning & Finishing Metal Finishing Metal Processing Pesticides Petroleum Pharmaceutical Printing Pulp & Paper Real Estate Transportation Organizations EPA Federal Government Interagency Programs Local Government Military Multi-State Workgroups Non-Government Organization Partner/Network Publication & Information Source State Government Tribal Government Economics & Policy Emergencies & Cleanup Environmental Media Human Health Industrial Research, Prevention & Control Topics

10. For Conference Purposes Only Advisory Children’s Health Exposure Food Safety Health Assessment Health Effect Health Risk Occupational Health Pesticide Effects Senior's Health Sun Protection Toxicity Health EPA Taxonomy: Topics Sub-Facets Communities Economics & Financing Global Climate Change International Cooperation Risk Assessment Technical Assistance Technical Cooperation Voluntary Partnerships Research, Prevention & Control Emergencies & Cleanup Environmental MediaIndustrial Cooperation & Assistance Topics Cleanup Brownfields Cleanup Technology Corrective Actions Storage Tanks Superfund Emergencies Accidents Contingency Plans Counter-Terrorism Disasters Emergency Preparedness Oil Spills Poisoning Radiation Emergencies Storage Tank Spills Air Ecosystems Waste Water Industrial Ecology Industrial processes Large Buildings Orphaned Sources Pesticide Topics Radiation & Radioactivity Small Business Storage Tanks Pollution Prevention Physical Aspects Research Treatment & Control

11. For Conference Purposes Only Example Webpage: Mercury Research Strategy FacetValue Information Types Technical Information; Planning Documents Organization Office of Research & Development Functions Pollution Prevention & Control; Research & Development SubstancesMercury Health Topics Advisory

12. For Conference Purposes Only Why EPA Needs to Manage Terms Why EPA Needs to Manage Terms REASON # 3: Others are counting on us Emergency response Emergency response Federal Government Federal Government (CENDI) Interagency workgroup(CENDI) Interagency workgroup International efforts International efforts EcoInformatics Initiative  EcotermEcoInformatics Initiative  Ecoterm

13. For Conference Purposes Only Where We’ve Been  EPA’s Terminology Reference System (www.epa.gov/trs) Searchable repository Searchable repository Over 250 distinct vocabularies; over 11,000 terms Over 250 distinct vocabularies; over 11,000 terms Environmental regulations and lawsEnvironmental regulations and laws EPA Program glossaries and term listsEPA Program glossaries and term lists GE neral M ultilingual E nvironmental T hesaurus (GEMET)GE neral M ultilingual E nvironmental T hesaurus (GEMET) Significant limitations Significant limitations Limited search capabilityLimited search capability Lacks web servicesLacks web services Lacks editing functionalityLacks editing functionality Doesn’t support multilingual capabilityDoesn’t support multilingual capability Insufficient for concept managementInsufficient for concept management

14. For Conference Purposes Only Elements of a Successful Terminology Management Program  Content – terminology important to EPA and our partners  Data Model – to hold various types of terminologies  Tools – create, store, maintain, compare, and distribute terminologies  Governance – to support development and maintenance of terminologies  Services – training, administration, web services

16. For Conference Purposes Only ETSS Status Current  Terminology editorial system  Providing editor training and resource page  Migrated TRS content to ETSS  Added Web Taxonomy to ETSS Coming Soon  Public interface  Integrate with other systems  Establish governance and workflow  Strategy for concept-based system

17. For Conference Purposes Only Login for EPA and Partners

18. For Conference Purposes Only Semantic Vision Controlled concepts interact with data ETSS – Vocabulary Management EDR: Data Element Metadata Web Content Catalog READ: System Inventory SCRR: Reusable Components ECMS: Doc. Mgmt. & Records

19. For Conference Purposes Only Getting There Establish umbrella concept system Establish umbrella concept system Establish relationships between terms across vocabularies Establish relationships between terms across vocabularies Add and improve content Add and improve content Develop comparison tools Develop comparison tools Enable stewardship program Enable stewardship program Automated transactions Automated transactions

20. For Conference Purposes Only For More Information Environmental Terminology System and Services Michael Pendleton – Office of Environmental Information, Data Standards Branch, pendleton.michael@epa.gov; (202) 566-1658 pendleton.michael@epa.gov Linda Spencer - Office of Environmental Information, Data Standards Branch, spencer.linda@epa.gov; (202) 566-1651 spencer.linda@epa.gov Quality Glossary Katherine Breidenstine - Office of Environmental Information, Quality Staff, breidenstine.katherine@epa.gov; (202) 564-1511 breidenstine.katherine@epa.gov Web Taxonomy Susan Fagan - Office of Environmental Information, Information Access Division fagan.susan@epa.gov; 202-566-2021 fagan.susan@epa.gov

21. For Conference Purposes Only Key ETSS Customers  Human Customers EPA vocabulary developers like the Web Taxonomy Project EPA vocabulary developers like the Web Taxonomy Project Policy makers defining terms in regulations Policy makers defining terms in regulations System developers selecting XML tags and defining data elements System developers selecting XML tags and defining data elements Program managers and researchers seeking terms and glossaries perhaps via the portal Program managers and researchers seeking terms and glossaries perhaps via the portal Non-EPA vocabulary developers interested in environmental terms Non-EPA vocabulary developers interested in environmental terms People trying to use terms and definitions consistently People trying to use terms and definitions consistently Stakeholders, partners and the public Stakeholders, partners and the public  System Customers Search engines – to expand searches or provide the basis for taxonomies or folders Search engines – to expand searches or provide the basis for taxonomies or folders Enterprise content management – source of value domains and controlled vocabularies Enterprise content management – source of value domains and controlled vocabularies Other systems that use pick lists Other systems that use pick lists

22. For Conference Purposes Only Extra Slides

23. For Conference Purposes Only ETSS High-Level Data Model Vocabulary (Relationship Definitions, Rules, Versions, Contact Information for Stewards & Owners) Terms Standard Attributes (Definitions, Source, Language) EPA Custom Attributes (Notes fields, etc.) Relationship Links (Narrower Than, Broader Than, Equivalent, and EPA-Custom Relationships to be Defined)

24. For Conference Purposes Only Knowledge Organization Continuum

25. For Conference Purposes Only Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS)  Terminology Management Needs keyword list management such as document type and topic (e.g. air, water, waste) keyword list management such as document type and topic (e.g. air, water, waste) manage content, and web service content to Documentum manage content, and web service content to Documentum Repository for ECMS metadata Repository for ECMS metadata

26. For Conference Purposes Only Concept Management and the Semantic Web The Semantic Web is an extension of the current web in which information is given well-defined meaning, better enabling computers and people to work in cooperation. The Semantic Web is an extension of the current web in which information is given well-defined meaning, better enabling computers and people to work in cooperation. It’s about: It’s about: Managing conceptsManaging concepts More explicit meaningMore explicit meaning Structure and standardsStructure and standards Tools and infrastructureTools and infrastructure

27. For Conference Purposes Only What is Concept Management?  Organizing terms around core concepts in a business, domain or enterprise  Goals:* Articulate clear and concise meanings of business domain concepts Articulate clear and concise meanings of business domain concepts Achieve a shared understanding of the concepts among relevant stakeholders, and Achieve a shared understanding of the concepts among relevant stakeholders, and Guard the stability of a concept ’ s meaning during system development Guard the stability of a concept ’ s meaning during system development  Major activities:* Scoping the environment of discourse Scoping the environment of discourse Concept specification, integration and enforcement Concept specification, integration and enforcement *Bleeker, et al “The Role of Concept Management in System Development – *Bleeker, et al “The Role of Concept Management in System Development – A Practical and Theoretical Perspective” 2003. A Practical and Theoretical Perspective” 2003. http://www.cs.ru.nl/Research/reports/full/NIII-R0330.pdf http://www.cs.ru.nl/Research/reports/full/NIII-R0330.pdf

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29. EPA System of Registries ETSS Discover Terminology Develop Terminology Launches to collaboration tools Environmental Data Registry (EDR) Registry of EPA Applications and Databases (READ) Facility Registry System (FRS) Substance Registry System (SRS) Service Component Registry and Repository (SCRR) Launches to Synaptica ETSS Relationship to the System of Registries

30. For Conference Purposes Only Taxonomy Topics Sub-Facets Topics Sub Facets Definitions Cooperation & Assistance Topics related to environmental cooperation and assistance referred to or associated with content. Emergencies & Cleanup Topics related to environmental emergencies and cleanup referred to or associated with content. Environmental Media Topics related to environmental media--air, land, water-- referred to or associated with content. Health Topics related to health conditions or concerns referred to or associated with content. Industrial Topics related to industrial environmental issues and policies referred to or associated with content. Research, Prevention & Control Topics related to environmental research and pollution prevention and control referred to or associated with content.

31. For Conference Purposes Only Indexing rules: How to use EPA Taxonomy to tag content RuleDescription Use specific terms Apply the most specific terms when tagging content. Specific terms can always be generalized, but generic terms cannot be specialized. Use multiple terms Use as many terms as necessary to describe What the content is about & Why it is important. Use appropriate terms Only fill-in the facets & values that make sense. Not all facets apply to all content. Consider how content will be used Anticipate how the content will be searched for in the future, & how to make it easy to find it. Remember that search engines can only operate on explicit information.

32. For Conference Purposes Only Environmental Terminology System and Services (ETSS)   Search & Discovery   Terminology Management   Human and Automated Services   Collaborative Stewardship