BIM dictionary - Suggestion of modification of few terms

Dictionary Project
1

Hello @Bilal.
During my work on translation for the Polish team I came across few terms in which I would like to suggest modifications. Please have a look:

  1. Current version:
    Decision Support System
    A knowledge tool (a software, a checklist or a decision tree) intended to assist users to make an informed decision based on criteria they enter into the tool/system

My suggestion:
A knowledge management tool (a software, a checklist or a decision tree) intended to assist users to make an informed decision based on criteria they enter into the tool/system

  1. Current version:
    Digital Asset Management
    Digital Asset Management (DAM) is a software solution for storing and retrieving digital assets within an organization. DAM differs from [[Content Management System]]s and [[Document Management System]]s in its focus on multimedia resources such as audio, video, and still images

My suggestion:
Digital Asset Management System (DAMS)

Clarification:
I would suggest to change this term to Digital Asset Management System (DAMS) if we are talking about software solution. Term Digital Asset Management describes a process.

  1. Current version:
    Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment
    FFE refers to furniture, fixtures or other equipment which are movable and have no permanent connection to the structure of a building or its utilities.

My suggestion:
FFE refers to furniture, fixtures or other equipment provided to the building to facilitate its operation.

Clarification:
Original explanation of this term looks confusing to me. By name, Fixtures are fixed to sth. Please see the link: FIXTURE | meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary
Term furniture also covers fixed furniture inbuild in the building structure.

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Hi @MarcinS ,
Thank you for the three improvement recommendations! They are all valid suggestions and have been analysed in some detail. Please find below the responses and – where needed – a list of actions taken. Please feel free to comment further especially if you didn’t find the responses satisfactory. Best Wishes!

1) Term Title: “Decision Support System”

As currently published: “A knowledge tool (a software, a checklist or a decision tree) intended to assist users to make an informed decision based on criteria they enter into the tool/system”

Suggested changes to Term Description: “A knowledge management tool (a software, a checklist or a decision tree) intended to assist users to make an informed decision based on criteria they enter into the tool/system”

Response: The Term “knowledge tool” is used rather than “knowledge management tool” to increase the term’s coverage. That is, ‘management’ is only one aspect that a knowledge tool covers which also includes – but is not limited to - assessing, capturing, generating, managing, and sharing knowledge. This is the reason why “knowledge tools” one of five ‘knowledge sets’ covered by BIMei resources (please refer to the BIMei Knowledge Sets model here).

2) Term Title: “Digital Asset Management (DAM)”

As currently published: “Digital Asset Management (DAM) is a software solution for storing and retrieving digital assets within an organization. DAM differs from [[Content Management System]]s and [[Document Management System]]s in its focus on multimedia resources such as audio, video, and still images”

Suggested change to Term Title: “Digital Asset Management System (DAMS)”

Reason provided: “I would suggest to change this term to Digital Asset Management System (DAMS) if we are talking about software solution. Term Digital Asset Management describes a process.”

Response: Digital Asset Management (DAM) is a recognised term. When referring to a technical solution, the term becomes “Digital Asset Management (DAM) software or system” (not DAMS). Although there are no DAM procedures that are disjointed from a software solution (because DAM covers digital media which require a digital solution), the description can be improved to avoid confusion:

Action Taken: The Term Description has been updated (minor variation, not a new version) as follows: “A procedural and technical solution for storing and retrieving digital assets within an organization. Digital Asset Management (DAM) systems differ from [[Content Management System]]s and [[Document Management System]]s in their focus on multimedia resources such as audio, video, and still images”. Also, “Media Asset Management (MAM)” has been added to Similar Terms

3) Term Title : “Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment (FFE)”

As currently published: FFE refers to furniture, fixtures or other equipment which are movable and have no permanent connection to the structure of a building or its utilities.

Suggested change to Term Description: “FFE refers to furniture, fixtures or other equipment provided to the building to facilitate its operation”.

Reason provided: Original explanation of this term looks confusing to me. By name, Fixtures are fixed to sth. Please see the link: FIXTURE | meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary Term furniture also covers fixed furniture inbuild in the building structure.

Response: The description suggested includes “provided to the building” which assumes a provider (actor) and a process of provision. Term description typically avoids including actors and their actions (ISO terms are a note exception) and focus on describing the term. However, the main concern raised is that the second “F” in FFE refers to “Fixtures”. This concern is a valid one and – when I was investigating this term a few years back, I discovered that the second “F” in the acronym refers in some markets to either “Fittings” or to “Furnishings”. To the best of my knowledge back then and now, “Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment” is still the most used version of the term.

All the best,

Bilal

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Thanks Bilal for detailing the explanation…