How do I use NIEM to build IEPDs?

NIEM is a mature, governed, proven model that includes a six-step lifecycle that enables information exchange interoperability.

1. Conduct Business Analysis and Requirements Review: This step defines the business requirements associated with an information exchange that uses NIEM. It incorporates scenario-based planning, which is the recommended methodology for elaborating the business context of events, incidents or circumstances in which information exchange takes place.
2. Complete Information Exchange Mapping and Data Modeling: In this step, established methodologies are used to map and model operational information exchanges. This step also describes the process a community of interest (COI) follows to map their data sources to NIEM and identify IEPDs available for reuse and/or gaps between its data source and NIEM. The COIs can use the NIEM repository to search and discover existing data components to decrease the time needed to construct their IEPDs.
3. Build and Validate IEPDs: This step addresses the importance of using common documentation standards, such as IEPDs, to ensure there is consistency in the way information is captured, stored and exchanged, and that uniform methodologies exist to support the generation of the IEPDs. Once the COI validates its IEPD, it may submit the IEPD to its domain-specific area (proceed to step 5) or nominate data components for inclusion into Common (proceed to step 4).
4. Data Harmonization and Promotion: The appropriate NIEM governance stakeholders form a team to review an IEPD submission and determine whether any of the data components should be included in Common. The team evaluates the submission and makes a recommendation regarding which, why, how and when to integrate the proposed changes into NIEM.
5. Publish and Implement IEPDs: Once an IEPD is approved, it is stored in the NIEM repository. Other stakeholders or COIs can then search and discover published IEPDs for reuse or extend for a specific instance of the information exchange.
6. Garner Feedback and Enhance and Expand IEPDs: This step describes how the COIs work with the NIEM PMO to ensure existing IEPDs remain up to date and compliant with NIEM.