metadata for managers michael moeller metadata specialist noaa coastal services center
TRANSCRIPT
Metadata forManagers
Michael Moeller Metadata Specialist
NOAA Coastal Services Center
What is Metadata?
Setting the Stage
GeospatialRefers to any data set tied
to a location on the Earth’s surface.
MetadataWhen referring to metadata, we assume the metadata is
well-written and fully developed.
Simply put, metadata is information
about your data.
What is Metadata?
This is the metadata for this.
What’s Missing?
Emily and M
adison
This is the metadata for this.
While the card-catalog entry is a form of metadata, it does not address topics such as quality, accuracy, or scale.
Well-written geospatial metadata describes these and many more aspects of the data.
Rodale's illustrated encyclopedia of herbs ISBN: 087596964x (pbk.) : $17.95ISBN: 0878576991 : $24.95Title: Rodale's illustrated encyclopedia of herbs /
Claire Kowalchik & William H. Hylton, editors ; writers, Anna Carr ... [et al.].
Publication info: Emmaus, Pa. : Rodale Press, c1987.Physical descrip: vi, 545 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 24 cm.General Note: Includes index.Subject term: Herbs.Subject term: Herbs--Utilization.Subject term: Herb gardening.Subject term: Herbs--History.Subject term: Herbals.Added author: Kowalchik, Claire.Added author: Hylton, William H.Added author: Carr, Anna, 1955-Added author: Rodale Press.
Rodale's illustrated encyclopedia of herbs ISBN: 087596964x (pbk.) : $17.95ISBN: 0878576991 : $24.95Title: Rodale's illustrated encyclopedia of herbs /
Claire Kowalchik & William H. Hylton, editors ; writers, Anna Carr ... [et al.].
Publication info: Emmaus, Pa. : Rodale Press, c1987.Physical descrip: vi, 545 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 24 cm.General Note: Includes index.Subject term: Herbs.Subject term: Herbs--Utilization.Subject term: Herb gardening.Subject term: Herbs--History.Subject term: Herbals.Added author: Kowalchik, Claire.Added author: Hylton, William H.Added author: Carr, Anna, 1955-Added author: Rodale Press.
This is the metadata for this.
Metadata as
a Component
of Data
Properly documented
data provides vital information
to interested parties.
A Component of Data
Metadata is that component of data which describes it.
Environmental Sensitivity Index Data
A Component of Data
RARNUM - unique combination of species, concentration, and seasonality
CONC (concentration) = Density species is found at location
Season_ID = seasonality code like to the seasonal table
Element - Biology group
Metadata
Metadata describes…
CONTENT
CONDITION
QUALITY
Characteristics of the data
Characteristics of the data
A Component of Data
Metadata can describe a variety of data.
Title
Scale
Source
Content
Location
Publication
Access
Title
Scale
Source
Content
Location
Publication
Access
MetadataMetadataMetadataMetadata
A Component of Data
GIS files
Imagery
Geospatial Databases
GPS data
Biological data
In situ data
GIS files
Imagery
Geospatial Databases
GPS data
Biological data
In situ data
Data setData setData setData set
A Component of Data
Because metadata provides vital information about a dataset, it
should never be viewed or treated as a separate entity.
Metadata
Non-spatial orattributes
SpatialTake Home Message
Metadata is a critical and
integral component of any complete
data set.
Metadata is a critical and
integral component of any complete
data set.
The Value
of Metadata
The Value of Metadata
The Current Concept
Primary external value
• Discovery
• Assessment
• Access
• Use
The Value of Metadata
The Current ConceptPrimary internal value
• “Inheritance”
“Properly documenting a data set is the
key to preserving its usefulness through time.”
The Value of Metadata
An Emerging ConceptAn aid to data management
Internal value
• Discovery
• Assessment
• Access
• Use
Additional data management benefits
An Emerging Concept
Data Currency
• Date of last edit/update
• Age of source files
Data Utility
• Track source file usage
• Track distribution frequency
Monitoring Data Development
• Data processing steps
• Status of development
Estimating Development Costs
• Data processing – time and extent
• Source file availability
Additional data management benefits
An Emerging Concept
To realize the full potential of
metadata under this new concept,
metadata creation must become
integral to the data development
process.
The question is “How?”
Make metadata part of the process
Approach metadata development from a business perspective
Build administrative support
• Preserves data investment
• Limits liability
• Helps manage data resources
• Aids in external data acquisition
• Facilitates data access and transfer
• Provides for efficient data distribution
Make metadata part of the process
Stress the individual benefits of metadata
Build technical support
• Reduces workload over the long term
• Field fewer data inquiries
• Provides a means of documenting personal contributions
• Facilitates sharing of reliable information
Make metadata part of the process
Develop strong staff support
• Incorporate metadata expectations into job descriptions and performance standards
Build technical support
• Provide staff development opportunities The three “T’s”
Training Tools Time
Make metadata part of the process
Develop templates to facilitate efficient and consistent metadata creation
Build organizational support
• Identify pertinent fields within the metadata structure
• Populate fixed fields Use standardized language Define distribution methods Cite standards used
• Build source and contact libraries
Make metadata part of the process
• Map metadata fields to the work flow
Distribute the effort
Technicians – lineage Analysts – process and methodology Field Scientists – accuracy assessments I.T. Managers – tools, automated collection methods, information management
Make metadata part of the process
• Establish and assign responsibilities
• Mandate the use of standards and templates
• Develop boilerplate metadata-deliverable language for data contractors
• Require publication of metadata
• Create and publish standard operating procedures to document metadata policies and procedures
Establish standard policies
Make metadata part of the process
StandardizedMetadata
Why Have a Standard?
Think for a moment how hard it would be to…
… bake a cake without standard units of measurement.
… put gas into your car without standard nozzle sizes.
… plug a lamp into a socket without standard electrical outlets.
The standard for
metadata ensures a level
of consistency in
data documentation.
Standards ensure consistency.
Why Have a Standard?
Establishing a Standard
The Federal Geographic Data Committee
(FGDC) was organized in 1990 under the Office
of Management and Budget to promote the
coordinated use, sharing, and dissemination of
geospatial data on a national basis.
The FGDC was tasked with creating a metadata
standard to meet these objectives.
The Metadata Standard
"... each agency shall document all new
geospatial data it collects or produces, either
directly or indirectly, using the standard under
development by the FGDC, and make that
standardized documentation electronically
accessible to the Clearinghouse network."
The Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM)
Executive Order 12906, 1994
Establishing a Standard
This “Content Standard”
serves as a uniform
summary description
of the data set.
Establishing a Standard
The Content Standard utilizes...
• Common terms
• Common definitions
• Common language
• Common structure Access
constraints
Citation
currentness
entity
attrib
ute
domain
lineage
Process step
Establishing a Standard
The Content Standard…
• Establishes names of compound elements and data elements.
• Defines the information about the values that are to be provided for the data elements.
Type=“free text”Domain=Real
currentnessentity
attributeCitation
lineage
Establishing a Standard
The Content Standard helps
the user determine...
• If a set of geospatial data is available and fit for a particular use.
• How to access and transfer the data set.
Establishing a Standard
WhoWho collected the data?Who processed the data?Who wrote the metadata?Who to contact for questions?Who to contact to order?Who owns the data?
WhereWhere were the data collected?Where were the data processed?Where are the data located?
WhatWhat are the data about?What project were they collected under?What are the constraints on their use?What is the quality?What are appropriate uses?What parameters were measured?What format are the data in?
WhenWhen were the data collected?When were the data processed?
HowHow were the data collected?How were the data processed?How do I access the data?How do I order the data?How much do the data cost?How was the quality assessed?Why
Why were the data collected?
Metadata written using the Content Standard answers these important questions:
Establishing a Standard
Metadata as aData Discovery
Tool
The FGDC metadata clearinghouse is a decentralized system of Internet
servers you can use to search for available geospatial data.
Discovering Data Through Metadata
User
http
FGDCGateway
Z39.50
ClearinghouseServers
Industry & NGO’s
Universities
State agencies
Federal agencies
Web userinterface
Gateway usingstandard protocols
Multiple organizationsproviding metadata
The descriptive information that fuels the
FGDC clearinghouse is metadata,
which is collected in a standard format
to facilitate query and consistent
presentation across the multiple
participating sites.
Discovering Data Through Metadata
A Brief Look at the FGDC Clearinghouse
The FGDC has six gateways to its clearinghouse system, with access to over 425 metadata servers.
www.fgdc.gov/clearinghouse/clearinghouse.html
425
Searches can be performed by using the NSDI Search Wizard, or by using a map interface with place names,
or by place names alone.
A Brief Look at the FGDC Clearinghouse
The new NSDI “Smart Select” Search Wizard bins servers by the types of metadata they house.
A Brief Look at the FGDC Clearinghouse
Searches can be performedusing a map interface that allows the user to define an
area of interest.
An area of interest can be defined bydragging an area of interest box
on the map interface.
A Brief Look at the FGDC Clearinghouse
The selected area defines the bounding coordinates that will be used in the search.
A Brief Look at the FGDC Clearinghouse
You can search all the servers listed, or you can select only those that interest you.
A Brief Look at the FGDC Clearinghouse
Select individual servers of interest to your search.
A Brief Look at the FGDC Clearinghouse
Search criteria can be further refined by time period of content and keywords.
A Brief Look at the FGDC Clearinghouse
The status of each selected node is displayed as the search is conducted.
A Brief Look at the FGDC Clearinghouse
When the search is complete, the status window lets you know if you
were successful in discovering metadata that matched your
search criteria.
A Brief Look at the FGDC Clearinghouse
Select a server to see what
metadata is
available.
A Brief Look at the FGDC Clearinghouse
Metadata discovered by the search
is shown
by title.
A Brief Look at the FGDC Clearinghouse
Metadata record returned in HTML format.
Links take you to each of the seven main sections of
the record.
A Brief Look at the FGDC Clearinghouse
A Brief Look at the FGDC Clearinghouse
The Coastal InformationDirectory (CID) at the NOAA Coastal Services Center is similar to the FGDC gateway interface, but the CID searches only those spatial data servers that house metadata of a coastal nature.
www.csc.noaa.gov/CID/
A Brief Look at the FGDC Clearinghouse