1. Implementing the Surface Transportation Domain
DOT
Implementing the Surface Transportation Domain
Daniel Morgan
8 August 2016

2. NIEM provides a Common Language NIEM provides a Structured Approach
What is NIEM?
NIEM a community-driven, government-wide, standards-based approach to exchanging information
NIEM connects communities of people who share a common need to exchange information in order to advance their mission.
NIEM provides a Common Language
NIEM users at Federal, State, Local, Tribal and Private Sectors define agreed upon terms, definitions, and formats - independent of the way information is stored in individual agency systems
NIEM provides a Structured Approach
NIEM provides a repeatable, reusable process for business users to document information exchange requirements in an implementation ready format

3. How does a domain operate?
Domains have two key artifacts:
Domain data model - a set of data elements and definitions specific to the NIEM mission area that are used to build information exchanges
Information Exchange Package Descriptions (IEPDs) - a set of valid XML schemas that may include portions of NIEM Core schemas, portions of domain schemas, enterprise-specific or IEPD-specific extension schemas
The Community of Interest organizes workshops to manage and update the domain data model
Exchange partners put the data model into action by developing IEPDs
NIEM lets the community drive the model and the information exchanges. There are plenty of data standards out there right now, and depending on what information systems you’re using, you may or may not have adopted those standards.
What NIEM does is wrap those standards in a common vocabulary with a consistent way of expressing the data elements in those standards. The Community of Interest maintains the data model for those standards. It’s not an SDO or some other organization at work here – real practitioners, data producers, and data users are involved in the data model governance.
The community also develops the IEPDs, which are the technical expression of the data model. And, if two organizations have a special case for particular data elements, it’s not like NIEM can’t be used. They simply extend the core data model for their specific need.
On a regular basis, the community of interest looks at the actual IEPDs that have been developed against their data model. And, if it looks like there are opportunities to harmonize definitions or incorporate something new, then they can revise the data model – which means less extending of the data model by its users.
In this way, you’re taking an iterative, community-based approach to developing your data model. And you’re surfacing issues based on real use cases because the IEPDs are showing you where your data model might not be meeting community needs. The revision process is up to your community.

4. What is the status of the domain?
Formal approval of surface transportation domain is complete
NIEM Business Architecture Committee (NBAC) unanimously approved on June 30, 2015
NIEM Executive Steering Council (ESC) unanimously approved on August 19, 2015
NIEM Domain Stewardship Agreement signed on September 9, 2015
Surface Transportation Domain Content is contained in NIEM Release v3.2
Available at
Contains all MMUCC v4 elements and ensures linked roadway elements are governed under the Surface Transportation Domain

5. What content is there? Existing external standards and guidelines
ANSI D20
FIPS codes and other building blocks
Updates to MMUCC elements to reflect MMUCC4
MMUCC elements are part of an “external guideline” that is expressed in NIEM and has a dedicated “namespace”
Roadway MMUCC elements are a part of surface transportation “namespace.” Roadway elements previously stewarded by Justice are now part of surface transportation

6. How will content be governed?
Maintain existing governance processes for standards and guidelines
Governance for standards like ANSI D16 and ANSI D20 follow the processes established by the relevant standards development organization(s)
Governance for guidelines like MMUCC and MIRE follow existing processes through NHTSA and FHWA programs
As standards and guidelines are adopted/ updated, DOT rolls content into next logical NIEM version

7. How do you get started?
You have all the ingredients you need to make an information exchange
MMUCC is the ingredients list
Mapping is the tells you what you can substitute
Information Exchange Package is the recipe
Let’s get cooking!

8. How do you map and model?
Your MMUCC mapping is the guide to what objects and elements you need.
When you make an information exchange package, you are showing the technical details of how your mapping is implemented.

9. How do you map and model?
Your MMUCC mapping is the guide to what objects and elements you need.
When you make an information exchange package, you are showing the technical details of how your mapping is implemented.

10. How do you map and model?
Once you have your mapping down, you pick your content (objects and elements) from the NIEM model and set up relationships (associations, cardinality) among the content

11. How do you map and model?
Once you’ve mapped and modeled, you can express that in XML:
You will create a Model Package Description that documents the content and relationships
You will have a wantlist that documents what elements you’re pulling from the NIEM model
And then you’ll have schemas that tell you:
How you assembled the NIEM model content (subset schema) and where you extended it (extension schema)
How you sourced the authoritative definitions (reference schema) and any rules you put on the definitions (constraint schema)

12. How do you put it into practice?
Once you have an information exchange package, it’s time to publish and implement.
Put your information exchange package in a public place do others can find it and use it.
Get connected with the source and destination systems (e.g., your crash records system and NHTSA’s Electronic Data Transfer system) and test.

13. How to get involved?
If you have XML-based exchanges for your traffic records data, consider making them NIEM-conformant.
If you don’t have XML-based exchanges, give NIEM a try!
If your State participates in any NIEM domains, connect with your partners.
If you have ideas for communities that should be formed, let me know!

14. Where to learn more? Learn about information exchanges Get training
Get training
Ask me anything!