Writing Technical Frameworks and Supplements

Structure of Technical Frameworks

An IHE Technical Framework is a collection of documents that define the specification and underlying implementation details of IHE Profiles which have been made Final Text.

Each IHE Domain is responsible for the development and maintenance of it's Technical Framework.

<How you should structure your Tech Framework>

Volumes

Each Technical Framework is published in several volumes.

• Volume 1 is titled "Profiles".
  • It defines the Profile, the use cases, the actors involved and the requirements for conformance.
• Volume 2 is titled "Transactions", "Content", or "Transactions and Content".
  • It defines the Transactions and Content used by the Profiles.
  • Some domains subdivide Volume 2 into multiple documents when it becomes too large for editing.
• Volume ? is titled "National Extensions"
  • It defines approved regional variations

Chapters

Each profile should have it's own chapter.

Appendices

<Explain guidelines for what to move to appendices>

<Topics that should be addressed in a TF>

<Boilerplate material>

Supplements

A Supplement is a document that specifies a new profile (both with Volume 1 and subsequent Volume material), or an extension to an existing final text Profile.

Supplements may be of Public Comment or Trail Implementation status.

Editing Conventions

TF References

To reference material elsewhere in this or another IHE Technical Framework or Supplement:

• IHE XXX TF-n to refer to a Technical Framework volume
• IHE XXX TF-n:3.5.9.1 to refer to a specific Technical Framework section
• IHE XXX Sup-YYY to refer to a Supplement

XXX = the "acronym" for the IHE Domain

n = the volume number

YYY = the "acronym" for the Supplement

<need to settle on a notation for editions/revisions/dates of volumes and/or supplements>

• IHE RAD Sup-REM-PC
• IHE RAD 2008 TF-1

<What is the version intended to reflect? Annual Edition? CPs? Re-publication?>

Editing Tools

<Tips and Conventions for using different tools to edit/author/review Tech Frameworks/Supplements>

MS-Word

1) To maintain the stability and integrity of the Technical Framework (TF) documents and their template, it is imperative that all editors avoid importing formatted text from other documents. Unfortunately, this is the default behavior of MS-Word when performing a simple cut-and-paste from document to document. Thus, an editor importing text into the TF from any other document must perform the following steps: a. Cut or copy from the source document b. Place cursor where the selection is to be added c. Select "Edit:Paste Special: Unformatted Text"

2) To maintain the consistency of the TF, apply only the Styles defined by the ihe.dot template to text in the document. The Styles are selectable in a window on the Word toolbar.

3) When starting a new TF document, begin by using either an existing TF document or the ihe.dot template (available on the ftp site at ftp://ftp.ihe.net/Document_templates/) as a basis.

4) To create stable diagrams in the TF document, editors must use the following method: a. Place cursor in the text where the diagram is to be inserted; the cursor should be on a blank line with only a paragraph tag. b. Select "Insert: Object: Microsoft Word Picture" For efficiency and consistency it is generally best to base new diagrams on existing ones (e.g., Use Cases, Transaction Diagrams, etc.). After creating the new diagram (as described above), find a similar diagram from which to draw content. Double click on the source diagram to open it, copy all the desired pieces to the clipboard (using Shift+mouseclick to select). Open the new diagram, paste in the borrowed pieces and edit as desired. Redraw the diagram boundaries as necessary and close the picture.

IHE Wiki

<Keith would be the best one to write this section>