Phase II of Requirements identification and analysis has wrapped up, as follows:

• Demonstrations from RFI respondents requested and conducted.
• Completed demonstrations and RFI responses mapped to caDSR functional and non-functional requirements.
• Notes from demonstrations compiled.

A representative set of NCI stakeholders have been identified and will be invited to participate in Phase III, to review, identify gaps, and help prioritize our work for the next 2-3 years.  A process is in place to initiate a kick-off meeting and begin collaboration efforts, dovetailing with a new NCI committee being formed by Dr. Kibbe to help shape our vision.

caDSR Requirements Gathering Process

caDSR is part of the NCI Semantic Infrastructure and current plans are to refresh and extend the infrastructure to align with broader initiatives, while preserving and improving current capabilities.  The requirements for caDSR stakeholders has been changing and expanding over the past 5-6 years, however largely, we've addressed technology stack, security, and 508 compliance during that time.  In 2014, a decision was taken to rebuild and modernize these services and make it easier to discover the consensus standards and integrate these elements and linked data into cancer research and care workflows. In addition, we have a goal to harmonize our capabilities with broader metadata initiatives nationally and internationally, such as with NLM, ONC SDC CDISC, FDA, AHRQ, and HL7 FHIR.

caDSR tooling requirements arise in many settings. By using one of the means described below you will ensure that your ideas have been successfully communicated and documented. Software requests for enhancements are acknowledged by the caDSR team with the creation of an item in our tracking database and assigned a reference number, making it easy to track your favorite request! If it doesn't have a GForge tracker number, we haven't yet realized it as a requirement.

Requirements have come from the following sources, some of which are no longer valid, but many of which represent continued areas of need:

• caDSR Software Users Meetings. Visit the caDSR Content Meeting Materials wiki page for links to past meeting presentations and meeting notes, and links to status and planning information. As the release cycle progresses we begin a public review and prioritization, drawing from variety of factors to make final "in/out" decisions. We conduct user feedback sessions throughout the design and prototype phases.
• CBIIT Application Support or by the "Send comments and suggestions" links from the caDSR tools. All messages are received and logged by Application Support.
• Through the caDSR Users LISTSERV, where ideas are posted and participants can discuss them. All postings are read, and if a requirement is suggested, it's entered into our tracking system once confirmed.
• Prior requirements initiatives, some of these are linked to the SI Requirements wiki 

• Personal communications: Ideas or suggestions are submitted to Dianne Reeves (Program Manager for caDSR Content) and Denise Warzel (Program Manager for caDSR Software).

caDSR Futures

NCI is planning to modernize the decade-plus old caDSR semantic metadata infrastructure and tools to simplify, streamline, and make it easier to integrate into research and health care processes and systems, and better support community comment, curation, and harmonization of content and data.  While the requirements process has been ongoing, documenting what we have been hearing began last fall, and we are already collaborating and aligning with sister NIH ICs, as well as with other national and international metadata initiatives.  We recently decided it would be very useful to seek broad community input via an RFI (NOT-CA-15-019).  Please see CHILD PAGES below for links to the RFI document and the requirements draft, which will be updated as it evolves with community input.