Item 10

Objective.

Create a general glossary for the IHE terminology and process. Provide a clearer view of the IHE terminology to the users, developers and vendors. Create a repository of definition to be used by all domains and avoid the creation of two terms for identical concepts. Develop a tool to help the adoption of common terminology by the different committees in IHE. Finally help sharing the terminology between the different domains.

Note that there is already and existing glossary on the IHE Europe web page.

Analysis.

• The glossary shall offer a web interface for access using a web browser while online. Edition of the glossary shall be possible using a web interface after identification of the user.
• The glossary shall be easily accessed by editors of the technical framework.
• The glossary shall be editable by Technical Framework editors
• The glossary shall be accessible while off-line using a small application.
• A user shall be able to synchronize its local glossary with the server while online. Synchronization means sending the changes made locally to the server and/or updating the content of the off-line glossary.
• The glossary shall provide a tool to search in the content of the glossary.
• All users shall be able to upload the glossary and use it off-line.
• Only editors with login and password shall be able to update the content of the glossary.
• A backup of the database content shall be possible.
• A glossary entry is composed of a title, a definition, a list of link to other entries (shown as “See also ....”), a list of domains using the entry.
• Shall Export the content of a glossary specific to a domain technical framework into a RTF document.

Results.

A database containing the entry into the glossary. A web application running on a server providing a web access to the glossary. A client application running remotely on the user system, providing an access to the glossary even while off-line. That client application shall also make it possible for identified users to update the content of the central glossary

Roadblocks.

The glossary will be useful if the information it contains is up to date ! Getting the Technical Frameworks editors to use the tool is a challenge.

Work breakdown: Actions and organization and timing

1. Definition of the database schema for the glossary.
2. Fill out the database with the content of the existing glossaries in the current technical frameworks.
3. Building a web application to access and edit the content of the glossary. This task depends on task 1. The web application shall provide the export to RTF to help adoption by the technical framework editors.
4. Building an application to run on the user computer, enabling off-line access to the glossary. This task depends on task 1.

Back to Process Improvement Suggestions