Terminology: The Semantic Foundation for an Organizations Executable Rules

Abstract

For rules to be applied consistently they have to be expressed consistently — they need common terminology. It is also essential that the semantics and organizations business definitions, policies and rules is carried forward into the IT systems that support the organization.

This talk introduces the general principles of terminology and the role played by terminology in Semantics of Business Vocabulary and Business Rules (SBVR), the specification published by the Object Management Group (OMG) in 2008.

The major topics are:

• Introduction to the discipline of terminology (sister discipline of lexicography) and the fundamentals of ISO terminology standards. The terminology capabilities that SBVR adds to ISO terminology standards.

• The significance of the industry trend to use terminology to improve communication and the quality of document/content authoring.

• How SBVR supports the people who operate the organization in specifying the meaning of business policies and rules in the terminology they use every day.

• An overview of the transformation from an organization’s business policies and rules —as expressed in its managed terminology — to executable data and rules, while maintaining the organizations semantics.