Data in Context IG

Research is a global ecosystem employing multiple stakeholders. The UK Digital Curation Center (DCC) developed a lifecycle approach to manage data – encompassing both a linear sequence of work stages as well as the cyclic repetition of specific tasks. It recognizes conceptualization, creation, access and usage, appraisal and selection, disposal, ingestion, preservation, reappraisal, storage, access and reuse, transformation as the elements to constitute this cycle [i]. This and other lifecycle models [ii] conceptualize data related workflows, and behind each element, we anticipate at least a data producer and a data consumer to have a need or a problem to solve, e.g. a requirement; to hence define the boundaries of a particular context or request within the data management life-cycle.

Furthermore, we anticipate the need for documentation of the evolution of the data asset behind each element through re-usable contextual ‘profiles’ applicable upon various datasets if standardized; i.e. constituted by (1) standardized open vocabularies, upon (2) standardized formal data profiles and (3) standardized formal semantics.

A profile will (a) assist in retrieval precision and recall (including disambiguation); (b) provide information to assist the user in judging the relevance and quality of the data asset; (c) provide additional information that may be used in processing the dataset; (d) provide information that assists in explaining the dataset (purpose, relationship to persons, organisations, facilities, equipment, publications etc).

With this working group for each of the three dimensions, we want to investigate:

• contextually or subcontextually-aware standardization work [iii];
• re-usable priority requirements [iv];

in order to deliver:

• an overview of contextually aware standardization work;
• a priority list of data management requirements for contextual metadata leading to a defined programme of work.

The results of the investigation will support with preparations towards the constitution of a RDA Working Group to implement the selected priority requirements, i.e. ‘profiles’ in a standardized way at all three levels, which in a further step may aim at automation of transformation between available formal data standards.

The idea "Contextual Metadata" has first been presented at the first RDA plenary in Gothenburg (March 2013) towards setting up a working group, but is now first intended to start as a RDA Interest Group.

We want to strongly collaborate and exchange ideas with related Working Groups in a coordinated way - namely:

• RDA Data Foundation and Terminology WG
• RDA Metadata IG
• RDA Metadata Standards Directory WG
• RDA PID Information Types WG
• ICSU Open Metadata Catalogue and Knowledge Networks WG
• RDA/WDS Workflows for Publishing Data IG
• RDA Data Description Registry Interoperability WG
• RDA/WDS Publishing Data IG
• Long tail of research data IG
• RDA Research Data Provenance IG
• W3C Activities towards Data Profiles

Metadata Principles - Created and endorsed by all the RDA metadata groups

Current Activity

RDA Plenary 11 Joint Meeting: IG Metadata, IG Data in Context, WG Metadata Standards Catalog

Wednesday March 21 Breakout 2 – 14:30 – 16:00

Room A08 – Remote Participation https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/198036325

Meeting objectives

1. Present the Metadata Standards Catalog and encourage further submissions;
2. Promote discussion of the proposed metadata element set;
3. Promote discussion and propose a process for
   • collecting domain vocabularies;
   • matching and mapping vocabularies;
   • establishing a canonical vocabulary to assist interoperation by crosswalks to the domain vocabularies;
   • contextual metadata used for assessing relevance and quality of the described asset for the purpose of the end-user;
4. Ensure coordination among the metadata groups and representatives of domain (subject area) groups and other infrastructure groups attending.

Meeting agenda

1. Introduction and purpose
2. Metadata Standards Catalog (20 min)
   • Presentation
   • Request for further contributions for the Metadata Standards Catalog
3. Metadata element set (10 min)
   • Presentation
   • Discussion
4. Vocabularies Process (45 min)
   • Wheat: Windpouire-Esther Dzale-Yeumo (INRA)
   • Marine: Helen Glaves (British Geological Survey)
   • Social Science: Darren Bell (UKDA)
   • Vocabularies process discussion
5. Closing, pointing to metadata resources on RDA website (10 min)

Use Case Analysis

We are collecting use cases (together with the other metadata groups of RDA). Please download the Use Case template from the File Repostory and  follow the instructions (top row) of where to send when completed.

The initial use case Analysis was presented in Session 9 joint meeting of all the metadata groups at Plenary 6 in Paris. Below are some revised slides based on the feedback from that meeting and the master use case spreadsheet showing the process.

• Updated analysis slides
• Master Use Case Spreadsheet

More information to be found in the Wiki.

[i] DCC Ditigal Curation Lifecycle.

[ii] DDI-Lifecycle, Data Asset Framework, Data Curation Profile, etc.

[iii] e.g. CASRAI, CERIF, VIVO, PROV, PREMIS, MARC, CKAN, DCAT, ISO, W3C, OMG, OAIS, etc.

[iv] e.g. in EU, US (e.g. in Horizon2020, NIH, NSF, etc. funding programmes), ... South Americas, etc.

Last modified: October 21, 2014