What is Interoperability?

David Wollman, National Institute for Standards and Technology & David Forfia, Gridwise Architecture Council

David Wollman defined interoperability: the ability of two or more systems or components to exchange information and to use the information that has been exchanged. Interoperability, simply, means that devices (and systems and people) work well together. Interoperability allows the exchange of actionable information between two systems or parties across an interface. David Forfia explained the Gridwise Architecture Council’s Interoperability Framework, which outlines three categories of interoperability: organizational, informational, and technical. Different levels of interoperability require a trade-off between short-term effort and long-term cost. Higher levels of interoperability require more effort but are lower cost in the long run.