2007

Terminology Management Systems

The last of the ISO activities forwarded to us by the busy Cindy Hepfer, ALA Representative to NISO, is an ISO Committee Draft of an International Standard issued for ballot: ISO/DIS 26162, Design, implementation and maintenance of terminology management systems.

NISO has forwarded the following about this draft standard:

“This is a ballot for the draft standard, ISO/DIS 26162, Systems to manage terminology, knowledge and content – Design, implementation and maintenance of terminology management systems. This ballot is from TC37 / SC3 (Terminology and other language and content resources / Systems to manage terminology, knowledge and content).“

“ISO/DIS 26162 is one of a family of standards to facilitate the exchange of terminological data. This standard gives guidance on choosing the relevant data categories, designing and implementing a data model and a user interface of a terminology management system (TMS) with a view to the intended user group. The phases described here are indispensable for the successful development of a TMS and for avoiding costly errors. The standard may be used for choosing the appropriate TMS for a certain purpose. This standard is intended for terminologists, software developers and others who are involved in the process of developing or acquiring a TMS.”

As Cindy reminds us, ALA is a voting member of NISO, and NISO is the official U.S. voting member for the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Technical Committee 46 on Information and Documentation. This is not a NISO standard, but is being balloted by ISO’s TC46. ALA is providing feedback to NISO as to whether to approve or disapprove the standard. NISO will review and consider this feedback prior to submitting the U.S. vote.

If you have an interest in commenting on this work and recommending a vote, please let Cindy know by May 15, 2009. Your vote options are: Yes (approve the new project), No (do not approve the project), and Abstain (from the vote). Comments are required for No and Abstain votes.

The draft standard is available to ALA members by applying directly to Cindy (HSLcindy@buffalo.edu) and confirming your ALA membership. If you can, please copy me (metadata.maven@gmail.com) on your request.

Diane Hillmann
LITA Standards Coordinator