Glossary-Project

The OSGeo glossary project is building processes and tools for setting up cross-domain, inter-operable glossaries. The focus is initially on OSGeo and spatial projects, but the patterns will be equally applicable and usable within other domains as well.
== Goals ==
Glossaries are easy to set up for simple examples but extremely hard to scale - especially when trying to inherit terms from other organizations. The collaborative overhead becomes overwhelming. Communities struggle to agree upon:
* Term definitions,
* Field and sentence structure,
* Tooling,
* Governance, and more. 
== Challenges ==
Here we cover some of the key challenges we’ve been working through.
=== Sharing Terms ===
We’ve been working on how to share terms between glossaries.
=== Information Schemas ===
We’ve been establishing standardized information structures.
=== Governance ===
We’ve been working on governance models that projects can adopt.
=== Open-source software tooling ===
For building better cross-organizational glossaries, we are using Glossarist: an open-source tool to create, maintain, and update glossaries hassle-free. Glossarist is already in use by the ISO/TC 211 spatial standards body. 
=== OSGeo Terminology ===
We’ve established an initial GeoLexica glossary covering English terminology used within OSGeo.
== Umbrella project ==
The cross-organizational glossary project is a bit unusual in that it is acting as an umbrella project, with much of the generated material being deliberately kept inside other projects.
Projects include:
* Geospatial glossary terms, compiled by our team.
* The Good Docs Project templates repository, where the glossary template will fit.
* Docs repository for the OSGeo-Live distribution, where we intend to add glossary entries.
* Glossarist github repository, which stores the glossary software.
* Minutes from weekly meetings.\== License 
==License==
The open source licenses being used by us and these projects for documentation include:
* CC-By
* Zero BSD
== Next Steps ==
In 2021 and onwards, we aim to achieve the following:
* Create best practices in cross-domain glossary management, for adoption by the open-source and technical writing communities.
* Build a community that defines and manages geospatial terms across multiple geospatial projects and communities. 
* Set up processes collated in explanations and how-tos which are easy-to-follow by everyday people wanting to stand up an interoperable glossary.
We have applied to Google Season of Docs 2021 which would help with achieving these objectives.
== More Info ==
To know more about the project, refer to our project manifesto or read about our pilot project.
== Point of Contact ==
We communicate on the OSGeo Lexicon email list. (Note: After subscribing, check your email spam for your subscription confirmation email. It is sent straight after subscribing. Or ask cameron . shorter AT gmail .com for help.)
== Want to be a part of our community? ==
If you wish to be a part of this challenging glossary management project, then please reach out to us through our mailing list or our slack channel:
* Try setting up your own glossary using the tools and processes we are establishing. Help us improve the process.
* Help research and then document best practices in glossary management.
* Help with whatever dirty work is required to keep the project moving forward.
== Code of Conduct ==
We are respectful to each other, and welcoming, in line with | OSGeo's Code of Conduct policies.