ODaF Europe 2008 Colchester, UK, April 14-15, 2008 Metadata in social science and the Open Data Foundation

1. ODaF Europe 2008Colchester, UK, April 14-15, 2008Metadata in social science and the Open Data Foundation Pascal Heus Open Data Foundation pheus@opendatafoundation.org http://www.opendatafoundation.org

2. Thanks! ODaF Europe 2009

3. Outline • Needs and challenges in statistical data and metadata management • Metadata and XML solutions • Selecting specifications • Need for tools • Open Data Foundation • Conclusions / Q&A

4. Managing data and metadata is challenging! Academic Producers Users Librarians Sponsors Business Media/Press Policy Makers General Public Government • We are in charge of the data. We support our users but also need to protect our respondents! We have an information management problem • We want easy access to high quality and well documented data! • We need to collect the information from the producers, preserve it, and provide access to our users!

5. What is Metadata? Labeled stuff Unlabeled stuff The bean example is taken from: A Manager’s Introduction to Adobe eXtensible Metadata Platform, http://www.adobe.com/products/xmp/pdfs/whitepaper.pdf • Common definition: Data about Data

6. XML to the rescue! • XML is driving today’s web service oriented architecture of the Internet and Intranets • Using XML, we can capture, structure, transform, discover, exchange, query, edit and secure metadata and data • XML is platform & language independent and can be used by everyone • XML is both machine and human readable • XML is non-proprietary, public domain and many open tools exist • Domain specific standards are available!

7. XML Technical Overview

8. XML Solutions XML Specs Academic Producers Users Librarians Sponsors Media/Press Policy Makers Business General Public Government • Well documented data, here we come! • Great, I can provide public metadata! • Use our specifications and your will be happy! It will harmonize everything. • Now we can talk to each other!

9. Let’s use XML, but…. XML Specs Open Data Foundation Producers Users Librarians ? • Which specifications should we adopt? • How do we do this? Where are the tools and guidelines?

10. Open Data Foundation (ODaF) • US Based non-profit organization, established 2006 • Directors, advisors and managers from statistical and ICT communities • Project oriented • Mission • Focus on socio-economic data • Adoption of global metadata standards • Coordinated development of open-source tools • Capacity building • Improving data and metadata accessibility and overall quality • Operate at the global level

11. Selecting XML specifications • A single specification is not enough! • XML specifications commonly focus on a specific area of knowledge and/or set of functionalities • Cannot answer the needs of all actors • XML mappings between specifications are possible • Information can be converted from one domain to another and be carried across communities • Which ones should we use? • Fit for purpose • Widely accepted and supported • Can be mapped to a cross-domain family

12. A suggested set for socio-economic data • Statistical Data and Metadata Exchange (SDMX) • Macrodata, time series, indicators, registries • http://www.sdmx.org • Data Documentation Initiative (DDI) • Microdata (surveys, studies) • http://www.ddialliance.org • ISO 11179 • Semantic modeling, concepts, registries • http://metadata-standards.org/11179/ • ISO 19115 • Geography • http://www.isotc211.org/ • Dublin Core • Resources (documentation, images, multimedia) • http://www.dublincore.org

13. The need for Tools XML Specs Open Data Foundation Producers Users Librarians • We set specifications and standards. Tools are not our mandate • We produce data not tools! We don’t have the expertise. • We preserve and disseminate data not software! We don’t have the expertise • We use data and software but we don’t build tools! We don’t have the expertise

14. The need for Tools Open Data Foundation Mandated to develop tools Provide cross-domain expertise in ICT and statistics Provide umbrella for coordinated development Ensure inter-operability Outline harmonized architecture and environment Promote open source / maximize reusability Build global registries Resources/Fund raising Coordination / Networking …

15. ODaF Vision • Promote and facilitate the production and use of “open data” • Public metadata, high quality, fully documented, respondent protected, easy to find, accessible in accordance to statistical principles and legislations • Foster a global harmonized framework • Facilitate the flow of data and metadata • Promotes dialog between all stakeholders Unlock the Data!

16. Some ODaF Projects & Ideas • Guidelines for an harmonized architecture and development environment • Foster tools development • XML mappings • Facility to host development of open source projects (GForge) • Provide hosting services for agencies • Produce training and reference material • Technical support & capacity building • Bring people / agencies together • …

17. ODaF partners • Statistical agencies / producers • Data Archives • Research Data Centers / Data enclaves • Academic & Research communities • Standard settings agencies & consortiums • Governmental organizations • International organizations • Open source community • Software developers • IT Vendors

18. Growing solutions in a complex environment XML-DB Programming XSLT XPath SOAP Databases Warehouse Web SDMX GIS XML ISO 11179 Infrastructure DDI ISO 19115 TECHNOLOGY SAS METADATA DCMI Excel Stata Registries Accessibility ANALYSIS DISSEMINATION SPSS Legal DISCOVERY Privacy Disclosure Toolkit PRESERVATION Access SECURITY SDDS Blaise PRODUCTION QUALITY GDDS CSPro USE DQAF What are we concerned with?

19. Growing solutions in a complex environment XML-DB Programming XSLT XPath SOAP Databases Warehouse Web SDMX GIS XML ISO 11179 Infrastructure DDI ISO 19115 TECHNOLOGY SAS METADATA DCMI Excel Stata Registries Accessibility ANALYSIS DISSEMINATION SPSS Legal DISCOVERY Privacy Disclosure Toolkit PRESERVATION Access SECURITY SDDS Blaise PRODUCTION QUALITY GDDS CSPro USE DQAF CHALLENGE We need a set of tools that work together in an harmonized framework. This requires coordinated efforts and expertise from the various communities • OPEN DATA FOUNDATION • Provide cross-domain & IT expertise • Coordinate and support development • Knowledge sharing • Capacity Building • Provide global vision and guidance

20. ODaF Projects / Activities • Advocacy • ODaF meetings (Europe, US) • Conferences (FedCasic, IASSIST, METIS, etc.) • Coordination / networking • DDI • DDI Foundation Tools Program (coordination, DExT, etc.) • Standards: DDI, SDMX, mappings • Research Data Centers / Data enclaves • National Opinion Research Center (NORC), Canada RDC, European initiatives • Establish standards based framework + investigate researcher metadata / collaborative spaces • Others • QuDExT, technical assistance (often semail) • Open to suggestions

21. ODaF Challenges • The technology is available today • The right people are available today • The need and the will are there • The challenges are: • Bring together individuals and agencies • Develop of harmonized tools • Focus resources and funding • Develop awareness / understanding of technology • Manage change • Content management • Coordination & Guidance • Institutional commitment • Learn for the past for a better future • It’s not about data, it’s about people

22. Summary • Managing data and metadata is challenging • Solutions exist to make it easier and provide better information to unlock the data • Adopt a set of specifications that answer your requirements and can connect across domains • DDI, SDMX, ISO 11179, Dublin Core, ISO 19115 • Promote the use and development of open tools, do not work in isolation, get the appropriate expertise • Open Data Foundation

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