EXPERIENCES FROM DISTRIBUTED REGISTERING OF METADATA IN METAPLUS Klas Blomqvist and Lars-Göran Lundell Statistics Sweden

Agenda Background –The metadata system –Organisational impact –Reorganisation Experiences Future plans

Statistics Sweden’s metadata system SCBDOK Description of the statistics MetaPlus Metadata repository SCBDOK MetaPlus Description of the statistics KDB Quality Declaration

Organisational impact Decentralised organisation –Strong subject matter departments –Functional departments Decentralised registration of metadata –Central support and coordination (R&D dept.) –Central dissemination (Info dept.)

Organisational impact New organisation –The Process Department –The Research and Development Department –The Communication Department –Classifications, metadata and content harmonisation (KMI)

Re-organising Statistics Sweden Standardised production and tools –Process orientation –Customer focus –Efficiency –Standardisation –Quality control

MetaPlus - Contents Standard variables Variables Object classes Classifications and value domains Registers created and used Population

MetaPlus current functionality, some examples Documentation Reuse Harmonisation Classifications Variable groups Advanced search Web interface Longitudinal registers Time series Historical information Administration Personal Data Act Administration System Archiving

MetaPlus - Model Object class Value domain Context Population Variable Population Context variable Object variable Register Register version Register variant Conceptual value domain Value

Registering metadata with MetaPlus Organisational issues for registering metadata –Decentralised organisation –Stovepipe production model –Documentation is a burden The KMI Group Networks

The KMI Group Governance and development of the metadata system –Implementation and maintenance of MetaPlus –User training, helpdesk and support –Presentation on the web Harmonisation –Classifications and classification related methods –Contents within the metadata systems

The documentation network All departments represented ”Standard” PCA – Supplying methodology resources Bridge between central knowledge and subject matter expertise

PCA Graphical view Dept. ADept. B KMI KOM

Contents Harmonisation History: The Metadok system A constant demand Lack of understanding from users Stepwise approach 1. Classify contents Statistical, Administrative and General variables 2.Remove duplicates 3.Subject matter control

Statistics and evaluation The Management –Monitors overall progress –Follows up and takes relevant actions The KMI Group –Follows up and evaluates the detailed contents of the MetaPlus database –Reports to Management

Experiences from working with MetaPlus Disadvantages of the decentralised mode: –Central control is more difficult –Coordination and harmonisation of contents is more difficult –Registration of documentation is not always prioritised locally

Experiences from working with MetaPlus Advantages of using a decentralised mode: –Relatively sparse and efficient use of central resources –Enforces knowledgeable participation from the subject matter specialists –Possibility to join the metadata system with other systems

MetaPlus and archiving Long-term archiving –Data sent to the National Archives Dedicated archiving system –Creates archive files in required format –Converts archive files to database tables –Uses MetaPlus information Metadata from MetaPlus and SCBDOK is a required part of the archived material

Future plans Web presentation of metadata based on the MetaPlus database –First version to be launched later this year –Documentation (variables, micro registers, statistical units, populations, etc) –Classifications MetaPlus used by other Swedish providers of statistics

Future plans Planned additions –Web presentation will include links between metadata on micro and macro levels –End-user tool for metadata driven production of tables –Expanded classification database

Use in the life cycle