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Purpose
This standard provides the minimum requirements for the management of metadata schemes for Government information assets and services. This standard draws on Queensland Government, Australian and international standards and practices for detailed implementation requirements.
This Information Standard, Metadata (IS34) fits under Mechanisms and Standards within the Enterprise Architecture Representation section of the Government Enterprise Architecture (GEA) Framework.
Policy statement
The Queensland Government recognises the importance of metadata in improving the management, visibility, accessibility and interoperability of its information and services. To facilitate seamless access, navigation and interoperability of government information assets and service delivery, Queensland Government agencies must apply consistent description and classification of information assets, through the implementation of metadata, ensuring:
- interoperability with the Australian Standard 5044 “AGLS Metadata Element Set”;
- that processes are in place to effectively plan, manage and improve the usability and quality of the agency metadata; and
- participation in relevant whole-of-Government initiatives to develop and implement frameworks to improve resource discovery and whole-of-life management through metadata.
Issue and review
This Standard was issued by the Director-General of the Department of Public Works in June 2006. Review of this Standard will occur on an annual basis.
Current Version: V2.02 (Reviewed March 2008)
Implementation
The authority for the implementation of the mandatory principles of the Information Standards is primarily derived from the Financial Management Standard 1997.
The implementation dates for this Standard are:
Implementation advice and toolboxes
Implementation advice and toolboxes are provided to assist agencies in implementing the mandatory principles of each Information Standard.
IS34 implementation toolbox
Mandatory principles
Principle 1 - Metadata implementation
To facilitate seamless management of, access to, and interoperability of, government information assets and services, agencies must ensure consistent description and classification of information through the implementation of metadata schemes. At a minimum, agencies must:
- adopt metadata schemes for information assets (including datasets, records and web based information and web services) which are interoperable with the Australian Standard 5044 “AGLS Metadata Element Set”; and
- ensure that where an extension of elements for metadata schemes is required to meet client or business needs, that this extension is implemented according to the metadata extension methodology defined in the standard being used.
The concept of Metadata was originally used to describe information about the way in which data was represented in database structures. The simplest useful definition of metadata is “structured information that describes and / or allows users to find, manage, control, understand or preserve other information over time”. Metadata describes information objects or resources and may be used for many purposes, including the management, control and discovery of records and information.
The many uses of metadata in resource discovery of electronic and paper-based resources include:
- to enable e-commerce, e-business and e-government;
- to allow users to search for the data;
- to allow users to determine if the data is what they want;
- to control the management of the data (eg. Retention and disposal requirements); and
- to facilitate ad hoc aggregation.
Agencies should refer to the Metadata Implementation Toolbox and to the National Archives of Australia website for further advice and detailed information regarding the use and implementation of AGLS metadata schemes. Further information on recordkeeping metadata is also available on the Queensland Archives website and in the Toolbox.
The AGLS metadata standard is an extended version of the Dublin Core Metadata Element Set for interoperable online metadata. Uniform and consistent description and classification will assist clients in navigating quickly and easily through Government online resources, and improve search results on some search engines. Using uniform and consistent description and classification of information will contribute to the overall quality of information assets.
The AGLS Metadata Set is the standard set of metadata elements for describing Australian Government resources. Queensland Government agencies at a minimum must be consistent with the AGLS Version 1.3 when implementing metadata.
Further information on Dublin Core and AGLS can be found in the Metadata Implementation Toolbox.
Agencies may need to implement more than one metadata scheme to adequately describe their information. Additional metadata schemes are often applied to meet specific industry needs. Commonly used schemes include:
- ANZLIC - Australia and New Zealand Land Information Council Standard for spatial information.
- EdNA - Education Network Australia for education services and resources.
- ERIN - Environment Australia Online for environmental information.
- Vetadata - Flexible Learning Advisory Group for VET educational resources.
Where possible, agencies should adopt additional schemes that are consistent with AGLS. Further information and resources regarding the mapping of AGLS and other metadata schemes can be found in the Metadata Implementation Toolbox.
Agencies may have a need to implement additional metadata elements that are specific to their area of work or client needs. Extending AGLS, or using a metadata extension methodology defined by another metadata scheme, are the recommended mechanisms for expanding metadata elements to meet specific needs.
Recordkeeping metadata is “Data describing the context, content and structure of records and their management through time.” It enables the creation, management and use of records through time and across domains. Recordkeeping metadata can be used to identify, authenticate and contextualise records; and the people, processes and systems that create, manage, maintain and use them.
Metadata is required for records in all formats, including paper and electronic records. Recordkeeping metadata should be built into the recordkeeping systems used to create and maintain records over time. The capture, creation, retention and preservation of metadata is particularly important in the electronic environment for ensuring that records provide authentic evidence of the business they document.
The Queensland Recordkeeping Metadata Standard and Guideline is interoperable with AGLS.
Agencies should ensure that public records are described and managed in accordance with the Queensland Recordkeeping Metadata Standard and Guideline. Refer to the Recordkeeping Standard (IS40) and the associated Best Practice Guide to Recordkeeping for further guidance on recordkeeping metadata requirements, or contact Queensland State Archives.
Spatial metadata describes spatial datasets and provides a consistent approach to the storage and retrieval of information related to spatial datasets. Agencies should adopt the Australia and New Zealand Land Information Council ANZLIC guidelines for spatial metadata implementation and management. Further information on the existing and draft ANZLIC guidelines is contained in the Metadata Implementation Toolbox.
ISO 19115:2003 Geographic Information - Metadata is an international standard issued through Standards Australia. This standard defines the scheme required for describing geographic information and services. It also provides information about the identification, extent, quality, spatial and temporal scheme, spatial reference and distribution of digital geographic data.
ANZLIC has published an Australian/New Zealand version of this standard - ANZLIC Profile 1.1 (August 2007) and accompanying ANZLIC Metadata Guidelines Version 1. ANZLIC intend to release a metadata compliant tool by late 2008. The National Archives of Australia has produced a recommended mapping from ANZLIC to AGLS metadata. Further related standards are referenced in the Metadata Implementation Toolbox.
Principle 2 - Management of metadata
Agencies must establish effective planning and management practices to ensure the implementation and review of agency metadata remains consistent with agency, client and whole-of-Government requirements. At a minimum, agencies must:
- implement management, quality assurance and control processes to ensure the capture, re-usability, integrity and consistency of metadata; and
- have documented processes and procedures in place to ensure the capture, quality, accessibility, accuracy and currency of metadata.
There is also benefit in capturing information about when metadata was created or updated, and who performed this function. This is called administrative metadata. AGLS does not include formal standards for administrative metadata. However, the Dublin Core Metadata Initiative and the Queensland Recordkeeping Metadata Standard include administrative elements. Use of the administrative metadata elements is recommended but may be adopted by agencies at their own discretion.
Thesauri and controlled vocabularies support consistent metadata by specifying allowed or controlled terms that can be used for a particular metadata element. This consistent use of language within metadata descriptions can aid discovery of information across agencies. Such consistent language comes from use of controlled vocabularies or thesauri.
A metadata standard will recommend different thesauri or controlled vocabulary for different elements. For example:
- a subject thesaurus captures the intellectual content of a resource - what the resource is about (will be used when selecting terms for the AGLS subject element); and
- a function thesaurus captures the role of the resource - the business activity to which the resource relates (will be used to support a function element).
In addition to thesauri and controlled vocabularies recommended by a metadata standard, other Queensland Government directives can inform the use of controlled vocabularies. For example the security classifications mandated in the Information Security Classification Framework under the Information Security Standard (IS18) forms a controlled vocabulary for a security classification element.
As the AGLS is designed for publicly available information, the rights element does not directly correspond to security classification. The Queensland Recordkeeping Metadata Standard does include a security classification element qualifier. Further advice on thesauri should be directed to the Queensland State Archives. Additional information is available in the Metadata Implementation Toolbox.
The management and reuse of metadata across business, technology and applications should be considered before the implementation of metadata schemes and systems. When implementing any metadata system it is important to consider how conceptually the metadata will be created, collected, stored, accessed and queried, so that new applications and services will be able to effectively use a central metadata repository.
There are a number of tools or systems available for the creation and management of general metadata. Ideally, metadata should be created and managed through the same tools that are used for creating or managing the resource, to ensure a seamless interface for users. If this is not possible, links between the resource management technology and metadata tools should be established.
The most appropriate metadata collection method will be influenced by existing systems and processes and should be viewed in the context of the agency's overall information architecture, supporting agency service delivery objectives.
Further information can be found in the Metadata Implementation Toolbox.
Metadata can be applied at a number of different levels. For example, metadata may be collected for each individual information asset; for groups of information assets; or for entire business systems. Agencies must determine the most appropriate level for metadata application, in line with their business needs and capabilities. Once the level(s) of metadata application have been determined, they must be reflected in agency information management frameworks.
Agency information management frameworks need to provide documented processes and procedures for the management, creation and use of metadata within the agency. The framework and procedures will vary across agencies, however, at a minimum, procedures should cover:
- Establishing business purpose for metadata;
- Identifying resources requiring metadata;
- Creation and maintenance of metadata;
- Tools and storage of metadata;
- Use of thesauri;
- Quality Assurance of metadata;
- Roles and responsibilities;
- Training; and
- Retention and disposal of metadata.
In many environments, for example resource discovery, only current metadata is required. However, metadata can form a record in its own right and may need to be retained for longer than the life of the resource it describes. In particular, some recordkeeping metadata is required to be retained permanently. This includes metadata relating to the disposal of the information resource to ensure accountability. For more information on metadata retention and disposal, see the Queensland Recordkeeping Metadata Standard or Guideline, or contact Queensland State Archives.
Principle 3 - Participation in whole-of-Government initiatives
To facilitate access, searching, navigation, management and use of information and services at a whole-of-Government level, agency metadata must be consistent to enable future cross-agency harvesting and indexing. At minimum agency metadata records describing information and service assets, must be lodged with or made available for harvesting and indexing in appropriate whole-of-Government information registers.
There are a number of whole-of-Government information initiatives that influence and guide metadata requirements in the future. These include:
This metadata standard will draw on standards set by these initiatives in future reviews.
Agencies are required to enter metadata describing their strategic information assets into the Register of Strategic Information, which is searchable through the DataHub. The DataHub is a portal on the Queensland Government's intranet that provides a single point of access to a range of data and information products.
The Register of Strategic Information (RoSI) was established by the Office of Economic and Statistical Research (OESR) in Queensland Treasury following a recommendation from the Aligning Services and Priorities Strategic Information Management Review, and following endorsement of this recommendation by the Cabinet Budget Review Committee.
RoSI is a searchable information catalogue containing metadata records which describe key Queensland government information assets. It is coordinated by OESR, with each agency retaining custodianship and responsibility for maintaining their metadata records. Records are accessible (depending on their nominated levels of access) through links on the Data Hub and the OESR website. Nominated records from RoSI are also uploaded to national repositories - the Australian Spatial Data Directory and the National Data Network. RoSI is currently undergoing redevelopment to remain consistent with more recent information standards, and to this end, OESR is working with Information Queensland to produce the Government Information Catalogue.
Further information regarding the Register can be sourced through the Metadata Implementation Toolbox or the Register website.
Information Queensland (IQ) is a whole-of-Government approach to improving the way the Queensland Government manages and delivers information. Queenslanders have access to a comprehensive range of Queensland Government information and services through a single point on the Queensland Government Gateway. Development will continue until July 2008 and is being jointly sponsored by the Department of Natural Resources and Water, Department of Public Works and Queensland Treasury.
IQ forms part of the whole-of-Government integrated service delivery strategy and aligns to Smart Service Queensland, the Queensland Government's single entry point for Government services. In particular, IQ promotes a web services focus and recognises the importance of metadata to support that focus by facilitating efficient access to Government information and services, particularly through the implementation of the metadata Catalogue.
Information Queensland has released an Information Management Manual which outlines a generic information management framework, and examples of policies, guidelines and operational documentation. Further information on this manual can be sourced through the Information Queensland’s govnet site (Queensland Government only).
The Document and Records Management (D&RM) Project aim is to provide whole-of-Government solutions and supported frameworks to allow agencies to implement electronic Document and Records Management Solutions (eDRMS) that include Web Content Management Solutions (WCMS) to allow for consistent capture of recordkeeping metadata and standard business processes. Further information may be obtained from the D&RM team.