Taxonomy boot camp best practices panel Mary Chitty
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The document discusses the evolution and management of a taxonomy database at Cambridge Healthtech, detailing its development from a small glossary in 1999 to a comprehensive online resource with nearly 1,600 concepts by 2017. It emphasizes best practices for effective taxonomic management, including the importance of modularity, user feedback, and balancing short-term and long-term goals. The document also highlights ongoing challenges in scalability, interoperability, and the need for continuous updates.
Taxonomy boot camp best practices panel Mary Chitty
- 1. Taxonomy for Emerging Technologies: Mary Chitty, MSLS, Library Director & Taxonomist, Knowledge & Information Services Cambridge Healthtech, Needham MA | www.healthtech.com [email protected] 781 972-5416 | www.genomicglossaries.com TODAY’S SCIENCE FICTION CAN BE TOMORROW’S SCIENCE A Division of Cambridge Innovation Institute
- 2. In-house database taxonomy Home-grown SQL database 1991 CEO created structure for keywords – Still involved with identifying and creating new terms 2011 Major reorganization into 25 top level categories 2017 Nearly 1,600 concepts and synonyms Database 2.0 in planning Looking into new software options Public website www.genomicglossaries.com SharePoint intranet 2015 Company migrated to SharePoint intranet 2017 Summer Knowledge & Information Services portal launched Developing resources on using and training about in-house keywords and database All very technical complex terminology 1999 Started as a small glossary based on content from in-house taxonomy 2000 Launched as website 2001 Renamed Glossaries & Taxonomies June Reviewed by Science magazine – a nice surprise! MyTaxonomies
- 3. CaseStudy Search works best IF: 1. You know what to call what you're looking for AND 2. You know what you're looking for exists. Often neither one is certain for my topics. So … 1999, created glossaries on DNA and proteins for new market research products. Really interested in poly-hierarchical and non-hierarchical relationships -- not easily curated! 2000, when websites were still new, realized this could be a solution to update and share my terms. This website could be valuable to others. My company is in the information overload business, but we get overloaded too. In 2017, major Updates including Ontologies & Taxonomies. http://www.genomicglossaries.com/content/ontologies.asp www.GenomicsGlossaries.com
- 4. Start small Because you’re going to make changes Call projects prototype/s or proof/s of concept as long as possible Break daunting project revisions and updates into small manageable chunks Look for quick wins Maximum effect with limited effort More complicated projects can come later Knowledge and credibility gained by rapid prototyping Seek metrics feedback anywhere and everywhere Qualitative and quantitative Google Analytics for usage metrics Welcome questions and emails from users Look for reviews and accolades BestPractices to Start
- 5. Both NIH through the Big Data to Knowledge Program and the European Commission with Horizon 2020 have allocated considerable resources to making data FAIRer. FAIR DATA FAIR Data Principles, 2017 short with link to long version https://www.force11.org/group/fairgroup/fairprinciples FAIR Guiding Principles for scientific data management and stewardship Sci Data. 2016; 3: 160018. Published online 2016 Mar15. doi: 10.1038/sdata.2016.18 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4792175/ Opportunities fortaxonomists &ontologists Findable Accessible Interoperable Reusable
- 6. LessonsLearned USEFUL INSIGHTS Take advantage of modularity & reusability. Don’t re-invent the wheel. Descriptive not prescriptive definitions, if any. Packaging and labels matter. Taxonomies or ontologies sound sexier than thesauri or controlled vocabularies Taxonomies inherently get more and more granular. Keep editing! REMEMBER Don't try to boil the ocean. 80/20 rule or the Pareto principal Focus on 20% of effort with 80% of usage – not the other way around. Relevance is inherently subjective. What do your users value most?
- 7. MyOngoing Challenges in2017 even after years of experience! MAINTENANCE AND UPKEEP Integration Topics morph in new directions & into new disciplines Interoperability & reusability Huge challenges still Scalability Balance short term & long term needs & goals RETURN ON INVESTMENT Complexity and information overload trade-offs Out-of-the-Box vs. Configurability vs. Customization More programming = more $ - Choose software wisely People can’t buy your products if they don’t know they exist, or where to find them.
- 8. TakeHome Messages Choose challenging – but not impossible projects. Look for allies and buy-in to help make sustainable progress. Use metrics and feedback to measure progress, so you know when you've made some. Share best practices, lessons learned and ongoing challenges. Acknowledge issues nobody has resolved yet, so you don't get discouraged. Focus