EPA’s Environmental Terminology System and Services (ETSS) Michael Pendleton Data Standards Branch, EPA/OEI Ecoiformatics Technical Collaborative Indicators Workgroup October 25, 2006

2 Why Terminology? Why Terminology? So that we know what we mean So that we know what we mean Key business terms and acronyms Key business terms and acronyms So we can find information So we can find information Indexing, cataloging, keyword management Indexing, cataloging, keyword management Others are counting on us Others are counting on us Emergency response Emergency response Other Federal Gov’t Other Federal Gov’t International efforts International efforts Gary Larson – The Far Side

3 EPA’s Terminology History Terminology Reference System ( Terminology Reference System ( Searchable repository developed in 1997 Searchable repository developed in 1997 Over 250 distinct vocabularies; over 11,000 terms Over 250 distinct vocabularies; over 11,000 terms Environmental regulations and laws Environmental regulations and laws EPA Program glossaries and term lists EPA Program glossaries and term lists GEneral Multilingual Environmental Thesaurus (GEMET) GEneral Multilingual Environmental Thesaurus (GEMET) Significant limitations Significant limitations Limited search capability Limited search capability Lacks web services Lacks web services Lacks editing functionality Lacks editing functionality Doesn’t support multilingual capability Doesn’t support multilingual capability Insufficient for concept management Insufficient for concept management

4 What is ETSS? Content – A repository of terms of importance to the EPA and its partners Content – A repository of terms of importance to the EPA and its partners Data Model – to hold various types of terminologies from pick lists to thesauri and eventually ontologies Data Model – to hold various types of terminologies from pick lists to thesauri and eventually ontologies Tools – create, store, maintain, harmonize (compare), and distribute terminologies Tools – create, store, maintain, harmonize (compare), and distribute terminologies Collaborative governance – that will bring communities of interest together to create terminology consistency and mapping/documentation of differences Collaborative governance – that will bring communities of interest together to create terminology consistency and mapping/documentation of differences Services – accessible to humans and other systems Services – accessible to humans and other systems

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6 Key ETSS Customers Human 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 Public interested in environmental management Public interested in environmental management System Customers 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

7 Software Selection Process JAD sessions with stakeholders JAD sessions with stakeholders System Requirements Document developed System Requirements Document developed Several vendors responded to RFI process Several vendors responded to RFI process ETSS Options Document further clarified vendor responses ETSS Options Document further clarified vendor responses Selected Synaptica from Factiva Selected Synaptica from Factiva

8 Synaptica High Level Data Model Meta Data Vocabulary & Relationship Definition & Rules Terms Subjects, Names, etc. Extended Attributes Notes fields, etc. Relation Links Used with permission of Factiva. This slide is proprietary and not for redistribution. Data model is ANSI/NISO Z39.19 compliant

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11 User Roles and Functions Administrator Administrator Set user accounts/functional privileges Set user accounts/functional privileges Define new vocabularies and metadata Define new vocabularies and metadata Control task views (user profiles) Control task views (user profiles) Editor Editor Add and delete terms Add and delete terms Add and modify relationships Add and modify relationships Add, delete and modify other content such as definitions Add, delete and modify other content such as definitions Advisory Groups/Communities of Interest Advisory Groups/Communities of Interest Full record access for read only depending on task view Full record access for read only depending on task view Use Oracle Collaboration Suite to comment on terms and definitions Use Oracle Collaboration Suite to comment on terms and definitions “Public” “Public” Read Only Access depending on task view Read Only Access depending on task view Comment view standard comment box Comment view standard comment box

12 Status Current situation Editorial system and resource page are available Editorial system and resource page are available TRS vocabularies migrated over; new Web Taxonomy added TRS vocabularies migrated over; new Web Taxonomy added Synaptica held train-the-trainers session Synaptica held train-the-trainers session Next Steps Finish clean-up of migrated terms by November Finish clean-up of migrated terms by November Establish governance and workflow Establish governance and workflow Complete ETSS-specific training materials and conduct first session Complete ETSS-specific training materials and conduct first session Develop end-user interface Develop end-user interface Integrate with collaboration tools and portal Integrate with collaboration tools and portal

13 Where do we want to go? ETSS supports the ability to connect multiple vocabularies: ETSS supports the ability to connect multiple vocabularies: Put an umbrella concept system over all the vocabularies to which the individual terms can be linked Put an umbrella concept system over all the vocabularies to which the individual terms can be linked Increase the links between terms, including across vocabularies Increase the links between terms, including across vocabularies Create richer relationships between terms Create richer relationships between terms Continue to add definitions Continue to add definitions

14 Contact Information Linda Spencer, U.S. EPA Office of Environmental Information (202) Michael Pendleton, U.S. EPA Office of Environmental Information (202) “Commentary.” Government Computer News – August 14, 2006