NIEM Domain Awareness
Establishing a Domain within NIEM
June 2011
Agenda
 Introduction of NIEM concepts
– NIEM value
– NIEM support
– Domain definition
 Domain success
– Identify Business exchange
– Stakeholder engagement
– Domain creation
 Roadmap
 Next steps
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NIEM concepts
NIEM’s Primary Values Empower Stakeholders
Interoperability
Reusability
Standardization
is enabled through
multiple
organizations
bridging gaps to
exchange
information
is only possible
when there are
people publishing
AND discovering
information
is made possible
through large
groups of end users
working together to
form a common
language
NIEM is dynamic, continues to grow, and is the answer to
information exchange only because of widespread adoption
and community involvement.
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NIEM is Supported by Multi-layered, Dynamic
Management Structure
NIEM concepts
NIEM is jointly managed at an executive level by DHS, DOJ and HHS
ESC
Executive Steering Committee
NIEM PMO
Executive Director
Deputy Director
NC&OC
NIEM Communications &
Outreach Committee
NTAC
NIEM Technical Architecture
Committee
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NBAC
NIEM Business Architecture
Committee
A Domain Begins with a Community and a
Data Model
NIEM concepts
Community of Interest (COI):
People aligned to a specific mission
area by virtue of affiliation,
responsibilities or interest who
support the domain data model.
Community
of Interest
Domain
Domain Data Model:
A set of data elements and
definitions specific to a NIEM
mission area that are used to build
information exchanges.
Domain
data model
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Domain success
Domain Success is achieved by a three phase approach
The key to establishing a successful domain is focusing on not just the model,
but also the represented exchanges and communities of interest.
Approach
Value:
I: Identify Business
Exchange
II: Stakeholder
Engagement
 Align to strategic mission
priorities
 Engages stakeholders
interested in the specific
scope selected
 Define the value
proposition of a health
domain
 Allows the domain to
respond dynamically to
user needs and changes
 Coordinate with the
NIEM PMO
 Determine high value
exchanges that will have
substantial reuse
 Supports identification of
communities of interest
(COIs)
 Supports coordination
with other data
standards
Results:
Initial domain scope
identified
 Supports early
governance
establishment
 Grassroots adoption
gains momentum
Establishment of Health
COI and participation in
the NIEM community
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III: Formal Domain
Creation
 Access to new sharing
partners outside of the
traditional Health space
 Access to already
existing exchanges and
domains
Formal ESC recognition
of domain and COI
Successful Domains Begin with a Business
Exchange or Mission Need
Domain success
An agreed to business exchange or mission need will drive the future phases of
domain establishment, providing initial model scope, as well as identifying the
community of interest that should be engaged.
I: Identify Business
Exchange
II: Stakeholder
Engagement
Description
Step
Identify Candidates
Gather Business
Documentation
Determine Overlap
in NIEM
Develop Initial
Domain Model
III: Domain Creation
Identify initial information sharing scenarios that would be good
candidates to drive the initial scope of a health domain.
Document use cases for information exchange. This includes
gathering functional and technical requirements around business
exchanges, and fully understanding the context of the information
sharing to occur.
Look at the data involved in the information sharing scenario and
determine any overlap with existing NIEM content. That which is not
already included in NIEM is a strong candidate for the initial scope of
the health domain.
Commit to the initial scope of the domain, developing a model that
represents that content. This is where integration and collaboration
with existing standards can be defined.
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Successful Domains Have Engaged
Stakeholders
Domain success
The establishment of a COI is essential to the long term success and continued
maturation of a domain.
I: Business
Exchange
II: Stakeholder
Engagement
III: Domain Creation
Step
Description
Identify Stakeholders
Identify organizations and key participants who have an interest in
the exchange being used for the initial scope to participate in the
Health Community of Interest (COI). This should include both
technical and business resources.
Define Initial
Governance and
Operations
Monitor and Measure
Based on the needs of the domain and the COI, establish an initial
governance structure and plan for managing and maintaining the
model. This may include monthly COI calls, etc. The NIEM PMO can
provide guidance and best practices around what has worked for
other communities.
Communities evolve and mature over time. Objectives may alter,
members may change. It’s common for subgroups to form within a
community which focus on specific topics or ideas (ex: Codelist
Management)
Source: NIEM Domain Guidebook Appendix A
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Successful Domains Follow the Domain Creation
Process with the Support of the NIEM PMO
A formal recognition process exists, so that all domains are consistently
established and set up for success within the NIEM organization.
I: Stakeholder
Engagement
II: Business
Exchange
Description
Step
Complete Domain
Scope Proposition
Review Scope with
NIEM PMO
Present to NBAC &
NTAC
Gain ESC approval
III: Domain Creation
Complete an initial Scope Definition document and submit to NIEM
PMO. Topics defined include scope & objectives, people &
resources, exchange scenarios, and sample data model
NIEM PMO and domain candidate review the initial scope
documentation. Discussion surrounds why creation of a new domain
is necessary or if there is significant overlap with an existing domain,
The domain candidate attends a NBAC & NTAC meeting to present
its value proposition
ESC reviews the domain value proposition and formally issues a
decision. After domain approval, Office of General Counsel (OGC)
reviews domain steward ship agreements (DSA)
Source: NIEM Domain Guidebook Section 3.1
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Domain success
Resources
 Domain adoption resources:
– Domain Guidebook
• Community of Interest (Appendix A)
• Domain Communication (Section 2.2)
• Domain Readiness Assessment (Section 3.1)
–
–
–
–
Core Capabilities Document
NIEM Engagement Approach
Domain Update Tools
Document Templates (DSA, Readiness Assessments, etc)
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