Curtin Common Vocabulary
The first and most vital stream of the flow Strategy is the establishment a common vocabulary for describing information across Curtin. This stream will promote the adoption of consistent terminology for describing information, that is developed in consultation with areas to ensure that information is easy to capture and retrieve. The common vocabulary will be used to title folders in flow docs and web content in flow web. This stream has commenced with the development of the top level groupings of terminology in the Curtin common vocabulary. Descriptors within these groupings will be progressively developed during the staged implementation of flow docs and flow web across the organisation. This will allow the addition of specific terminology that is relevant to each area, however the flow team will also ensure that only one term is included for each concept in the common vocabulary. To ensure the Curtin common vocabulary continues to remain relevant it will be routinely maintained by adding and revising terminology to ensure it reflects Curtin’s environment.
Since January 2008 a working group has been developing a draft of the top level groupings for a common vocabulary using the terms that were gathered from staff during the flow stakeholder consultation process. During March all staff were invited to participate in one of a series of five staff focus groups that were held to test and further develop the Curtin Common Vocabulary. These one-hour sessions involved a group of staff sorting a stack of cards into a tree structure and observers noting where the group had difficulties deciding where to place particular cards in the draft structure. The data and feedback that was gathered was used by the working group to refine and improve the draft common vocabulary.
A second draft of the Curtin Common Vocabulary was then tested during May via an exercise consisting of an online card sort followed by some questions regarding the terminology used to describe groups of particular words. During the card sorting exercise participants were dealt 25 to 30 cards containing descriptions of documents created at Curtin and were asked to group these cards into a two-level tree structure (or hierarchy). The analysis and reports from the online card sorting exercise are available here. A total of 370 staff across Curtin completed the exercise. The winner of the $100 Westfield Gift Voucher was Robert Waller from the School of Physiotherapy. Congratulations Robert and thank you to everyone who participated! Your input has provided the working group with invaluable data that has been used to refine and improve the draft structure. A total of 41 enhancements have now been incorporated into the third draft of the Curtin Common Vocabulary along with scope notes to provide guidance on how the terms should be interpreted and used.
The final draft of the Curtin Common Vocabulary was advertised to all staff for review and comment on 22 July 2008. A further 18 enhancements were made and it was subsequently endorsed by the Information Governance Committee on 11 August 2008. The document is now pending the final approval of the Vice-Chancellor via the Planning & Management Committee.
You can access the latest version of the Curtin Common Vocabulary via the following link:
Draft Curtin Common Vocabulary - [PDF 153kb]
If you any questions, please contact us.
