the european umbrella organisation for gi on-going metadata initiatives in europe christian chenez...

The European Umbrella The European Umbrella Organisation for GIOrganisation for GI

On-going Metadata Initiatives On-going Metadata Initiatives in Europein Europe

Christian ChenezChristian Chenez

Gael KermarrecGael Kermarrec

5th EC - GIS Workshop, Stresa 28-30 June 1999

CONTENTCONTENT

1. EUROGI (http://www.eurogi.org)1. EUROGI (http://www.eurogi.org) 2. Setting the scene2. Setting the scene 3. Analyse of the situation - Problems3. Analyse of the situation - Problems 4. Solutions - Proposal4. Solutions - Proposal 5. Conclusion5. Conclusion


EUROGI 5 YEARS ONEUROGI 5 YEARS ON

MISSION (1):MISSION (1): PROMOTEPROMOTE, , STIMULATESTIMULATE, , ENCOURAGEENCOURAGE

AND AND SUPPORTSUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT THE DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF GI AND ITS ASSOCIATED AND USE OF GI AND ITS ASSOCIATED TECHNOLOGYTECHNOLOGY

– ““AT THE EUROPEAN LEVEL”AT THE EUROPEAN LEVEL”



MISSION (2):MISSION (2):

REPRESENTREPRESENT THE COMMON INTEREST THE COMMON INTEREST OF THE GI COMMUNITYOF THE GI COMMUNITY

» “ “ IN EUROPE”IN EUROPE”


EUROGI MEMBERSHIP 31/12/98EUROGI MEMBERSHIP 31/12/98

R A V I (N L ) A G I(U K )

A F IG E O (F ) N D C (G r)

U L I (S w e) S O G I (S w i)

D D G I (G er) P roG IS (F in )

C N IG (P or) A M /F M (Ita )

IR L O G I (Irl) G TIM -S IG (L u x)

A E S IG (S p a) H U N A G I (H u n )

C C (B e l) G IS P O L (P o l)

N TK F (N or)

IN G ION ation a l G I O rg ./A ss .

C E R C O

E O G IP an E u rop ean G I O rg ./A ss .

E U R O G I



WORKPLAN OBJECTIVES (1)WORKPLAN OBJECTIVES (1)

THE DEFINITION OF AN THE DEFINITION OF AN EUROPEAN GI EUROPEAN GI POLICYPOLICY AND THE FACILITATION OF A AND THE FACILITATION OF A EUROPEAN GEOGRAPHICAL EUROPEAN GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURE INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURE (EGII)(EGII)



WORKPLAN OBJECTIVES (2):WORKPLAN OBJECTIVES (2):

TO TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATIONIMPROVE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN MEMBERS OF AFFILIATED BETWEEN MEMBERS OF AFFILIATED ASSOCIATIONS THROUGH ASSOCIATIONS THROUGH CONFERENCE CO-ORDINATION AND CONFERENCE CO-ORDINATION AND DIRECTORIESDIRECTORIES



WORKPLAN OBJECTIVES (3)WORKPLAN OBJECTIVES (3) TO TO EASE DATA EXCHANGEEASE DATA EXCHANGE AT THE AT THE

NATIONAL AND EUROPEAN LEVEL NATIONAL AND EUROPEAN LEVEL THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF STANDARDS AND TO STANDARDS AND TO LIMIT THE LIMIT THE IMPACT OF THE CONTRAINTS OF THE IMPACT OF THE CONTRAINTS OF THE VARIOUS LEGAL ISSUES AFFECTING GIVARIOUS LEGAL ISSUES AFFECTING GI



1999 EUROGI Developments:1999 EUROGI Developments:

1. 1. A STRATEGIC REVIEWA STRATEGIC REVIEW resulting in new resulting in new ‘adapted’ mission, objectives and structure ‘adapted’ mission, objectives and structure

2. 2. STAFF RELAYSTAFF RELAY : President and Secretariat : President and Secretariat


Setting the scene (1)Setting the scene (1)

– Metadata Studies at European level:Metadata Studies at European level:

»GI-META (97) -> broad user GI-META (97) -> broad user requirements for a metadata servicerequirements for a metadata service

»VIL (99) -> proposal : an European VIL (99) -> proposal : an European Clearing HouseClearing House


Setting the scene (2)Setting the scene (2)

Metadata standardisation, 3 main standards Metadata standardisation, 3 main standards and the OGC specifications:and the OGC specifications:– FGDC (adopted 1994)FGDC (adopted 1994)

– CEN pre-standard (adopted in 1998)CEN pre-standard (adopted in 1998)

– ISO (adoption - late in the year 2000)ISO (adoption - late in the year 2000)

– Metadata is part of the OpenGIS Abstract Metadata is part of the OpenGIS Abstract SpecificationSpecification


Setting the scene (3) Setting the scene (3) The ESMI survey of existing metadata services The ESMI survey of existing metadata services

and initiatives: and initiatives: – 13 national or local services and initiatives 13 national or local services and initiatives – 4 Europe wide services 4 Europe wide services – 6 world wide services6 world wide services

Other services and initiatives: 12Other services and initiatives: 12 Total : 35 - a non exhaustive list !Total : 35 - a non exhaustive list !


Analysis - Problem (1)Analysis - Problem (1)

1. Main European achievements1. Main European achievements

– A European standard but …A European standard but …

– A limited number of experts in A limited number of experts in standardisationstandardisation

– A series of non-coordinated and non-A series of non-coordinated and non-interoperable servicesinteroperable services


Analysis - Problems (2)Analysis - Problems (2)

2. Difficulty in selecting and implementing 2. Difficulty in selecting and implementing a standard:a standard:

– A critical choice: CEN or FGDC or wait A critical choice: CEN or FGDC or wait for ISO? Definition and maintenance of for ISO? Definition and maintenance of core metadatacore metadata

– Investing in learning the standard or Investing in learning the standard or using a standard expert?using a standard expert?



3. Existing services do not communicate:3. Existing services do not communicate:

– duplicationduplication

– inconsistencyinconsistency 4. Capturing and maintaining metadata is 4. Capturing and maintaining metadata is

not always seen as a priority by data not always seen as a priority by data providersproviders



5. Minimum collaboration with users during the 5. Minimum collaboration with users during the definition and implementation phases: a user-definition and implementation phases: a user-friendly focus is neededfriendly focus is needed

– User-friendly interfaceUser-friendly interface

– User-expected contentUser-expected content 6. Potential users are facing initiatives which 6. Potential users are facing initiatives which

are not well documented and advertisedare not well documented and advertised



7. Doing business with metadata seems 7. Doing business with metadata seems impossibleimpossible

8. Metadata for applications: a new 8. Metadata for applications: a new tendencytendency

– e-commercee-commerce

– data management within an organisationdata management within an organisation



9. Several metadata descriptions of the 9. Several metadata descriptions of the same data setsame data set

10. Lack of a GI product identification 10. Lack of a GI product identification systemsystem


Solutions - Proposal (1)Solutions - Proposal (1)

1. Seek consensus as to with which 1. Seek consensus as to with which standard Europe should be workingstandard Europe should be working

2. Manoeuvre to generate a period of 2. Manoeuvre to generate a period of stability with the focus on stability with the focus on implementation, seek consensus on ‘how implementation, seek consensus on ‘how to implement’to implement’



3. Identify user needs and gather user 3. Identify user needs and gather user feedbackfeedback

4. Organise a co-ordination process and 4. Organise a co-ordination process and clustering approach across projects and clustering approach across projects and initiatives - Example : agreement between initiatives - Example : agreement between GISEDI, ESMI, LaClef and GEIXS to GISEDI, ESMI, LaClef and GEIXS to maintain and use the core metadatamaintain and use the core metadata



5. Provide incentives for metadata creation and 5. Provide incentives for metadata creation and maintenance (financial resources, knowledge, maintenance (financial resources, knowledge, expertise, standards, tools, etc)expertise, standards, tools, etc)

6. Envisage legislation for public sector 6. Envisage legislation for public sector metadata contentmetadata content

7. Study and implement a GI product 7. Study and implement a GI product Identification (numbering) mechanismIdentification (numbering) mechanism


Conclusion (1)Conclusion (1) Are metadata so useful? Do other solutions to this Are metadata so useful? Do other solutions to this

strategic problem exist? strategic problem exist? – In 1999, placing metadata content on the web and In 1999, placing metadata content on the web and

offering to potential users the possibility of using offering to potential users the possibility of using intelligent searching engines is not yet a intelligent searching engines is not yet a satisfactory solution. The development of satisfactory solution. The development of metadata content and services adapted to user metadata content and services adapted to user needs shall continue on a more standardised and needs shall continue on a more standardised and co-ordinated way.co-ordinated way.


Conclusion (2)Conclusion (2)

Would it be better to let the market create a Would it be better to let the market create a metadata infrastructure instead of trying to make it metadata infrastructure instead of trying to make it institutionally? An ESMI, LaClef, GISEDI, institutionally? An ESMI, LaClef, GISEDI, Datastore/ESRI-UK, etc solution versus an EWSE -Datastore/ESRI-UK, etc solution versus an EWSE -INFEO solution?INFEO solution?

– The real world will ensure that the two The real world will ensure that the two approaches will coexistapproaches will coexist Contd. Contd.


Conclusion (3)Conclusion (3)

Contd. Question 2.Contd. Question 2.

– The challenge is to create a mechanism to have The challenge is to create a mechanism to have the two approaches inter-linked and coherentthe two approaches inter-linked and coherent

– A working group of the GI High Level Working A working group of the GI High Level Working Party proposed in the GI2000 communication Party proposed in the GI2000 communication with membership from public and private sectors with membership from public and private sectors should be mandated to co-ordinate the metadata should be mandated to co-ordinate the metadata content and services development.content and services development.

The European Umbrella The European Umbrella Organisation for GIOrganisation for GI

On-going Metadata initiatives On-going Metadata initiatives in Europein Europe

Christian ChenezChristian Chenez

Gael KermarrecGael Kermarrec

the european umbrella organisation for gi on-going metadata initiatives in europe christian chenez...

Documents

gi5th ec gis workshop

europe5th ec gis workshop

metadata initiatives

eurogi membership

eurogi http

european gi policy

years onworkplan objectives

metadata servicevil