Which term describes the ability for systems to effectively communicate with one another?

• A. Compatibility
• B. Data encryption
• C. Interoperability
• D. Data normalization

Answer: (C)

Interoperability is the ability for different systems to communicate and use each other’s data across boundaries. It goes beyond merely connecting systems; it requires common data formats, standards, and shared semantics so that information exchanged is meaningful and can be acted upon by the receiving system. For example, healthcare platforms that use standard formats like HL7 or FHIR can send patient data to another system and have it interpreted correctly without manual re-entry. Data encryption focuses on protecting data’s confidentiality, not on enabling cross-system communication. Data normalization improves consistency of data within or across systems but doesn’t inherently ensure that systems can exchange and meaningfully use information. Compatibility might allow software to run together but doesn’t guarantee successful data exchange and interpretation across diverse systems.