IMIA Web 2.0 Taskforce Portal

The Taskforce will bring together interested individuals from within and outside IMIA to explore the nature and potential of Web 2.0 applications, aiming at developing background materials and proposing specific lines of action for the IMIA Board and General Assembly.

Among the possible outputs of initiatives explored by the Taskforce might be:
the possibilities of collaboration with other organisations and commercial bodies
- involved in Web 2.0 applications;
- possible sources of funding for collaborative projects;
- ways for achieving sustainability.

Background to the Taskforce

The IMIA Strategic Plan (Towards IMIA2015) envisions IMIA as being “recognized as an inclusive global association that connects groups and individuals at the leading edge of the state of the art of the field of health and biomedical informatics, within and without the IMIA community, in order to advance, develop and disseminate the (art and) science of informatics in support of health.” In addition, the Strategic Plan makes specific reference, inter alia, to IMIA providing for:

- outstanding communications (in all senses), e.g. web services/collaborative tools, newsletters, conferences, etc.;
- the e-Agora for academic exchanges;
- the exploration and integration of appropriate technologies.

The first step to making appropriate use of new and emerging technologies is to develop a knowledge of them and awareness of their possible applications. This is especially true with the emergence of what are being called 'Web 2.0' technologies, around which much hype currently exists. However, if their potential is realised, they provide possibilities for delivering many of the aspirations in the IMIA Strategic Plan, as well as providing the collaborative environments needed in the wider global health informatics community.

Specific tasks to be accomplished:

- Develop a background discussion paper on the nature of Web 2.0, existing Web 2.0 applications in general use, and implications or possibilities for their applications within health and biomedical informatics.
- Develop an online resource of Web 2.0 information of relevance to IMIA and its members.
- Develop discussion papers and an options appraisal for how IMIA could work on collaborative Web 2.0 projects.
- Develop a blueprint for the future development of IMIA's electronic services to take account of Web 2.0 and subsequent developments (advanced draft by 2009).
- Develop a White Paper that describes a view of the future, and ways to get and stay there.
- Other such tasks as may be determined by the IMIA Board or general Assembly, or proposed by the Taskforce and subject to the approval of the IMIA board and General Assembly

Further background information about Web 2.0 generally, and about possible implications for health and biomedical informatics are at:

http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/oreilly/tim/news/2005/09/30/what-is-web-20.html
http://www.differance-engine.net/hiblogs/media/publications/murraymaaghi...

Dr Peter J. Murray
IMIA Vice President for Working Groups and Special Interest Groups

Dr Lincoln A Moura Jr
IMIA Treasurer