Another Word For It

DOD looks to semantics for better data-sharing, cost savings by Amber Currin.

From Federal Computer Week:

In its ongoing quest to catalyze cost efficiencies and improve information-sharing, the Defense Department is increasingly looking to IT to solve problems of all sizes. The latest bid involves high-tech search capabilities, interoperable data and a futuristic, data-rich internet known as semantic web.

In a new RFI, the Defense Information Systems Agency and Deputy Chief Management Office are looking to strengthen interoperability and data-sharing for a vast array of requirements through an enterprise information web (EIW). Their envisioned EIW is built on semantic web, which will allow better enterprise-wide collection, analysis and reporting of data necessary for managing personnel information and business systems, as well as protecting troops on the ground with crucial intelligence.

“At its heart, semantic web is about making it possible to integrate and share information at a web scale in a simple way that traditional databases don’t allow,” said James Hendler, senior constellation professor of the Tetherless World Research Constellation at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

One way semantic web helps is by standardizing information to enable databases to better communicate with each other – something that could be particularly helpful for DOD’s diverse systems and lexicons.

“The information necessary for decision-making is often contained in multiple source systems managed by the military services, components and/or defense agencies. In order to provide an enterprise view or answer questions that involve multiple services or components, each organization receives data requests then must interpret the question and collect, combine and present the requested information,” the RFI reads.

Oh, and:

“DOD historically spends more than $6 billion annually developing and maintaining a portfolio of more than 2,000 business systems and web services. Many of these systems, and the underlying processes they support, are poorly integrated. They often deliver redundant capabilities that optimize a single business process with little consideration to the overall business enterprise,” DOD Deputy Chief Management Officer Beth McGrath said in an April 4 memo. “It is imperative, especially in today’s limited budget environment, to optimize our business processes and the systems that support them to reduce our annual business systems spending.”

Just in case you are interested, the deadline for responses is 19 December 2011. A direct link to the RFI.

I may actually respond. Would there be any interest in my posting my response to the RFI to get reader input on my responses?

So I could revise it week by week until the deadline.

Might be a nice way to educate other contenders and the DoD about topic maps in general.

Comments?

BTW, if you are interested in technology and the U.S. federal government, try reading Federal Computer Week on a regular basis. At least you will know what issues are “up in the air” and vocabulary being used to talk about them.