Introducing the Strathclyde Metadata Workflow Study

1
Introducing theStrathclyde Metadata Workflow
Study

• Jane BartonSenior ResearcherCentre for Digital
  Library Research

2
Overview

• Context
• Terms of reference
• Methodology
• information gathering
• synthesis and analysis
• mapping to terms of reference
• Group exercise

3
Context of the study

• the Content Submission Disclosure strand of the
  JISC Information Environment
• the FAIR X4L Programmes
• the JORUM Project
• the need for a practical, sustainable solution
  for provision of metadata that is of sufficient
  quality to support the required functionality of
  theJORUM and of individual repositories
• May - September 2004

4
Terms of reference

• to build upon the consensus view of metadata
  quality within the FAIR and X4L programmes
• to explore how paths of discovery for disclosed
  assets might affect the metadata quality required
• to assess the effect of various metadata
  schemason metadata quality
• to build up an understanding of
  potentialmetadata creation processes, in terms
  of effectiveness, efficiency, practicability and
  sustainability, and to address any barriers,both
  cultural and technical

5
Terms of reference

• based on this detailed understanding, to make
  recommendations on best practice within the JORUM
  national service and at institutional repository
  level
• to recommend metadata workflow models that
  produce metadata of sufficient quality to
  support
• the required functionality of the JORUMsystem
• the disclosure of institutional assetsfor
  internal and external discovery

6
Terms of reference

• to consider potential roles and responsibilities
  for creation of metadata for actors at
  institutional, intermediate and national
  repository service level
• to consider at which levels quality assurance
  measures should be implemented
• to identify training needs and support mechanisms
  for those creating metadata and managing
  repositories within the e-learning and e-prints
  communities
• to construct a UML model of JORUMworkflows and
  list system requirementsarising from the study

7
Aims and methodology

• Primary aim is to develop a good understanding
  of
• the factors which influence the definition of
  metadata quality, and the effectiveness,
  efficiency, practicability and scalability of the
  processes used to create it
• the operational and strategic context within
  which recommendations are to be made
• Methodology
• information gathering
• synthesis and analysis
• recommendations and reporting
• dissemination

8
Information gathering

• a review of the literature - including both
  theoretical and practical perspectives from UK
  and elsewhere
• a review/survey of existing e-prints and e-theses
  archives, leaning object repositories and
  associated service providers
• a review of current training and support
  mechanisms for repository managers and metadata
  creators
• a consultation exercise within the UKe-learning
  and e-prints communities
• a series of case studies representinga range of
  scenarios

9
Synthesis

• Identify factors defining metadata quality, in
  areas of
• resource discovery, retrieval and reuse
• repository management
• interoperability
• Identify factors influencing the design of
  metadata creation processes, in terms of
• effectiveness
• efficiency
• practicability
• scalability

10
Analysis

• Draw up a typology of influencing factors arising
  from
• the information architecture
• the required functionality
• the community context
• Map against the information architecture,
  functionality and context of the JORUM and
  individual repositories
• From this typology, draw out
• specific recommendations for the JORUM
• a generic framework for the designof metadata
  creation processes inindividual repositories

11
Mapping to terms of reference
12
Group exercise

• Task
• identify factors defining metadata quality
• identify factors influencing design of processes
  to create high quality metadata
• Benefits for participants
• awareness and understanding of metadata quality
  issues and creation processes within repositories
• Benefits for the project
• information gathering
• test framework for synthesis and analysiswith
  representative sample of data