METeOR update

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METeOR update

• David Braddock
• Nigel Mercer

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Agenda for this presentation

• System and website development update
• Help text and guides
• Content reengineering update
• Outcomes and implications
• Opportunity for comment and discussion

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System and website development update

• Solution selected
• Progress to date
• Timetable for software development

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Solution selected

• Synop (company), Sytadel (product)
• Content management system customisation
• Benefits of editing and version control within
  Registry
• XML-based
• Focus on portal and help

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Progress to date

• Synop commenced work in July
• User functional requirements analysis completed
• Use case analysis
• Data architecture and website architecture
  documents produced

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Progress to date

• First release to AIHW October 1
• 87 object classes loaded as test
• Graphic design for web-site ongoing, including
  logo
• Administrator and web-content developer training
  underway

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Help text and guides

• Important element of METeOR to make the site
  user-friendly and to support users in
  understanding metadata
• Provide support for metadata developers
• Status
• Plan developed (AIHW)
• Timetable December/January

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Help text and guides

• 3-level model
• Metadata standards help
• What is a standard, how developed etc.
• METeOR help
• About the site, how to find/create metadata
• Contextual help
• Fields, buttons etc.

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Timetable for system development

• Original version October 1
• Prototyping, development and refinement October
  January
• Create and load help December/January
• Load final metadata January 2005
• Testing and release February 2005
• Publicly available March 2005

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Content reengineering - status

• 972 items from current Data Dictionaries and
  Knowledgebase
• 603 reengineered
• 369 not required e.g. superseded items

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88
367
456
50 glossary items
Data element
527
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Total 1821 metadata items (31 ratio)
369
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Content reengineering further work

• Related metadata items review each existing
  relationship e.g. x supersedes y
• Some made redundant by METeOR structures
• Identify and load new related data links

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Content reengineering further work

• Data Set Specifications (which include NMDSs)
• Load DSS item
• Link to Data elements
• Populate new attributes e.g. obligation, number
  of occurrences, sequence, justification,
  verification rules

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Content reengineering further work

• Add Registration Status values for each new item
  e.g. Standard, Retired, Candidate
• Check for new items added during project
• Work with NDDSU to address items in the
  development cycle

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Content-reengineering timetable

• All items begun by end September 2004
• Definition of
• Object class groupings
• Property groups
• Review of all items
• Completed by end of December 2004

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Next development steps

• Prototype development of system and website
• First demonstrations for stakeholders
• Finalise content reengineering

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Outcomes

• Once launched METeOR will deliver..

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Outcomes

• A registry is consistent with new version of
  ISO/IEC 11179 international standard
• Metadata structures (object class, properties
  etc) that show great promise for future
  development and management of national metadata

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Outcomes

• Metadata reengineered consistently defined and
  stored across all sectors
• Integrated items now stored only once
• Ability for different Registration Authorities
  (sectors) to register items at different stages
  in the standardisation process

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Outcomes

• Website providing help and support for users
• Simple or complex searching and browsing to
  locate metadata
• Record interest in items with email alerts
• User session Basket of items of interest
• Ability to print or download (word or pdf)

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Outcomes

• Developers can create metadata on-line, with help
  to guide them
• Groups of developers can collaborate and edit
• Submit to AIHW (as Registrar) when ready
• Defined process for metadata items to progress
  through the Registry

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Outcomes

• National data dictionaries with consistent format
• Significantly reduced time to produce national
  dictionaries
• Significantly improved functionality for the
  Registrar to maintain and manage the metadata
  contents
• DSS structure more flexible and focussed on
  aspects of data collection

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Outcomes

• Glossary includes defined terms used in the
  Registry
• Number of issues/ inconsistencies/ deficiencies
  apparent in existing metadata
• Much more obvious in METeOR
• Unresolved issues

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Implications

• Issues that will arise with the arrival of METeOR
  include

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New definitional material

• Need to develop some new definitional material.
• For example, where object classes are identified
  but where inadequate definitions are provided.
• Authoritative references have been used, and the
  sources quoted in most cases.

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Detailed metadata names

• Data element (DE) names reflect the Data Element
  Concept (DEC) and the Value Domain (VD) names.
• The DEC name reflects the Object Class and
  Property name.
• DE names will therefore be long, but meaningful
• Exploring options for short synonymous names

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Object class model

• Object classes continue to be the most difficult
  area to communicate and for users to accept
• User confusion with modelling
• User confusion over sub-types
• Potential for overlap with properties
• Need to balance technical correctness with
  usability
• Subjective everyone has a view about which
  object classes need to be created

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Object class model

• Object classes have only been identified where
  justified by existing metadata content
• The information presented in the object class
  model does not replace that in the national
  information model (i.e. different model for
  different purpose)

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Object class model

• Object classes are primarily used in METeOR to
  help users navigate to the metadata that they
  need
• This functionality replicates the now defunct use
  of information model entities as an organising
  framework for the national data dictionaries

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Environment e.g. associated resources, assets,
knowledge etc.
can be used to inform and assist
Person / group of persons, including their needs
and well-being
may lead to or contribute to
supports the organisation of
is the recipient of
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Implications for work of HDSC

• HDSC will need to review and provide comment on
  metadata created in the new structures
• HDSC will need to implement the new business
  rules
• AIHW can assist with training and support
• Suggestions welcome on training requirements

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Scope

• Reengineering has highlighted distinction
  between
• Guiding standards i.e. where we want the world to
  be or head towards
• Application / implementation standards i.e. where
  the world is right now (agreed)
• Is there tension between the two? Is this a
  problem? Do we need to distinguish?

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Risks?

• Risk minimisation plan developed
• System development
• Initial testing phase about to start on
  interface, response times, usability not yet
  tested

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Impact on users

• Managing change to new content and structures
• Added complexity
• Longer names
• More components to a data element than previously
• Acceptance of changes made during reengineering

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Maintenance and sustainability

• Ongoing maintenance of METeOR and its content
  will be critical
• This will require resources
• IP negotiations with developer to ensure
  commercial opportunities can be pursued
• Any ideas to generate resources and ensure
  sustainability of METeOR?

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Discussion

• Questions?
• Issues?
• Comments?