EPA’s Environmental EPA’s Environmental Terminology System and Terminology System and

Services (ETSS)Services (ETSS)

Michael PendletonMichael PendletonData Standards Branch, EPA/OEIData Standards Branch, EPA/OEI

Ecoiformatics Technical Collaborative Indicators Ecoiformatics Technical Collaborative Indicators WorkgroupWorkgroup

October 25, 2006October 25, 2006

22

Why Terminology? Why Terminology? So that we know what we So that we know what we

meanmean Key business terms Key business terms

and acronymsand acronyms So we can find So we can find

informationinformation Indexing, cataloging, Indexing, cataloging,

keyword managementkeyword management Others are counting on usOthers are counting on us

Emergency responseEmergency response Other Federal Gov’tOther Federal Gov’t International effortsInternational efforts Gary Larson – The Far Side

33

EPA’s Terminology HistoryEPA’s Terminology History

Terminology Reference System (www.epa.gov/trs)Terminology Reference System (www.epa.gov/trs) Searchable repository developed in 1997Searchable repository developed in 1997 Over 250 distinct vocabularies; over 11,000 termsOver 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 GEneral Multilingual Environmental Thesaurus (GEMET)GEneral Multilingual Environmental Thesaurus (GEMET)

Significant limitationsSignificant 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

44

What is ETSS?What is ETSS?

ContentContent – A repository of terms of importance to the – A repository of terms of importance to the EPA and its partnersEPA and its partners

Data ModelData Model – to hold various types of terminologies – to hold various types of terminologies from pick lists to thesauri and eventually ontologiesfrom pick lists to thesauri and eventually ontologies

Tools Tools –– create, store, maintain, harmonize create, store, maintain, harmonize (compare), and distribute terminologies(compare), and distribute terminologies

Collaborative governance Collaborative governance – that will bring – that will bring communities of interest together to create communities of interest together to create terminology consistency and terminology consistency and mapping/documentation of differencesmapping/documentation of differences

ServicesServices – accessible to humans and other systems – accessible to humans and other systems

55

66

Key ETSS CustomersKey ETSS Customers Human CustomersHuman Customers

EPA vocabulary developers like the Web Taxonomy EPA vocabulary developers like the Web Taxonomy ProjectProject

Policy makers defining terms in regulationsPolicy makers defining terms in regulations System developers selecting XML tags and defining System developers selecting XML tags and defining

data elementsdata elements Program managers and researchers seeking terms and Program managers and researchers seeking terms and

glossaries perhaps via the portal glossaries perhaps via the portal Non-EPA vocabulary developers interested in Non-EPA vocabulary developers interested in

environmental termsenvironmental terms People trying to use terms and definitions consistentlyPeople trying to use terms and definitions consistently Public interested in environmental managementPublic interested in environmental management

System CustomersSystem Customers Search engines – to expand searches or provide the Search engines – to expand searches or provide the

basis for taxonomies or foldersbasis for taxonomies or folders Enterprise content management – source of value Enterprise content management – source of value

domains and controlled vocabulariesdomains and controlled vocabularies Other systems that use pick listsOther systems that use pick lists

77

Software Selection ProcessSoftware Selection Process JAD sessions with stakeholdersJAD sessions with stakeholders System Requirements Document System Requirements Document

developeddeveloped Several vendors responded to RFI Several vendors responded to RFI

process process ETSS Options Document further ETSS Options Document further

clarified vendor responsesclarified vendor responses Selected Synaptica from FactivaSelected Synaptica from Factiva

88

Synaptica High Level Data Model

Meta DataVocabulary & Relationship Definition & Rules

TermsSubjects, Names, etc.

Extended AttributesNotes fields, etc.

Relation Links

Used with permission of Factiva. This slide isproprietary and not for redistribution.

Data model is ANSI/NISO Z39.19 compliant

1010

1111

User Roles and FunctionsUser Roles and Functions AdministratorAdministrator

Set user accounts/functional privilegesSet user accounts/functional privileges Define new vocabularies and metadataDefine new vocabularies and metadata Control task views (user profiles)Control task views (user profiles)

EditorEditor Add and delete termsAdd and delete terms Add and modify relationshipsAdd and modify relationships Add, delete and modify other content such as definitionsAdd, delete and modify other content such as definitions

Advisory Groups/Communities of InterestAdvisory Groups/Communities of Interest Full record access for read only depending on task viewFull record access for read only depending on task view Use Oracle Collaboration Suite to comment on terms and Use Oracle Collaboration Suite to comment on terms and

definitionsdefinitions

““Public”Public” Read Only Access depending on task viewRead Only Access depending on task view Comment view standard comment boxComment view standard comment box

1212

StatusStatusCurrent situationCurrent situation Editorial system and resource page are availableEditorial system and resource page are available TRS vocabularies migrated over; new Web Taxonomy addedTRS vocabularies migrated over; new Web Taxonomy added Synaptica held train-the-trainers sessionSynaptica held train-the-trainers session

Next StepsNext Steps Finish clean-up of migrated terms by NovemberFinish clean-up of migrated terms by November Establish governance and workflowEstablish governance and workflow Complete ETSS-specific training materials and conduct first Complete ETSS-specific training materials and conduct first

sessionsession Develop end-user interfaceDevelop end-user interface Integrate with collaboration tools and portalIntegrate with collaboration tools and portal

1313

Where do we want to go?Where do we want to go?

ETSS supports the ability to connect ETSS supports the ability to connect multiple vocabularies:multiple vocabularies: Put an umbrella concept system Put an umbrella concept system

over all the vocabularies to which over all the vocabularies to which the individual terms can be linkedthe individual terms can be linked

Increase the links between terms, Increase the links between terms, including across vocabulariesincluding across vocabularies

Create richer relationships between Create richer relationships between termsterms

Continue to add definitionsContinue to add definitions

1414

Contact InformationContact Information

Linda Spencer, U.S. EPALinda Spencer, U.S. EPAOffice of Environmental Information Office of Environmental Information spencer.linda@epa.govspencer.linda@epa.gov(202) 566-1651(202) 566-1651

Michael Pendleton, U.S. EPAMichael Pendleton, U.S. EPAOffice of Environmental Information Office of Environmental Information pendleton.michael@epa.govpendleton.michael@epa.gov(202) 566-1658(202) 566-1658

“Commentary.” Government Computer News – August 14, 2006