Developments with the FGDC and ISO Metadata Standards 

By: Rick Pearsall

FGDC Metadata Coordinator

rpearsall@usgs.gov

NSDI

GIS/LIS 98				                                                         November 11, 1998

Metadata

(From the Wisconsin Land Information Association)

What Is the National Spatial Data Infrastructure?
        -  NSDI is the technologies, policies, standards, and human resources necessary to acquire, process, store, distribute, and improve the utilization of geospatial data.
        -  Executive Order 12906 - Coordinating Geographic Data Acquisition and Access: The National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) - April 1994
        -  Managed/Coordinated by the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) 
        -  “Part of” a Global Spatial Data Infrastructure 

NSDI

National Spatial Data Infrastructure

Partnerships

Clearinghouse (catalog)

Metadata

Framework

GEOdata

Standards

Geospatial DataSome Examples

Field Measurements

Maps

Remotely-sensed Images

Spatially-referenced Data

Roles of Metadata
        - To provide inventory of ones own work or to share in the local work group (inventory)
        - To support search and advertising of a data set based on its extended properties for others to find (catalog)
        - To provide end-users of data sets with adequate information for proper use (documentation)

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FGDC CSDGM
        -  Content Standard for Digital Geospatial 		Metadata Version 1 (FGDC-STD-001)
        -  Approved June 8, 1994
        -  Provided basic framework for metadata activities
        -  Content Standard for Digital Geospatial 		Metadata Version 2 (FGDC-STD-001-1998)
        -  Approved June 19, 1998
        -  Supersedes CSDGM V1 - June 8, 1994
        -  Provides for Profiles & User Extensions
        -  FGDC V1 Compliant Metadata Records still 		compliant

NSDI

Objectives (Does)
        -  Supports common uses of metadata.
        - internal investment - clearinghouse - transfer
        -  Developed from the perspective of "what

 	do I need to know about a data set?"
        - availability - fitness - access - transfer
        -  Identifies metadata semantics and 			schema
        -  Provides a common set of terminology

 	and definitions, and information

	about values to be provided.

NSDI

Objectives (Doesn't)
        - The standards do not specify:
        - the means to organize information in

 	a computer system.
        - the means to organize information in

 	a data transfer.
        - the means by which the information

 	is transmitted, communicated, or 		presented to the user.

NSDI

Evaluation Criteria
        -  Availability — data needed to determine the sets of data that exist for a geographic location.
        -  Fitness for Use — data needed to determine if a set of data meets a specific need.
        -  Access — data needed to acquire an identified set of data.
        -  Transfer — data needed to process and use a set of data. 

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ISO Metadata Standard 
        -  ISO Metadata Standard
        -  Being developed by ISO Technical 			Committee 211, Project 15046-15			 (20+ Projects - Subject Area Experts)
        -  Developed via consensus                      	
        -  Voluntary Standard
        -  Initial development began 1996

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ISO Metadata StandardCont’d 
        - ISO Metadata Standard
        - First Working Draft - CSDGM Version 1
        - Supports Profile/User Extensions
        - ISO Metadata Standard 					Development/Implementation     			geared to national “profile(s)”
        - At Committee Draft Phase of ISO 			Standards Development Process (5 steps) 
        - Scheduled to be approved Late Summer 			1999

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FGDC Link to ISO
        -  FGDC Member of American National Standards Institute (ANSI) L1 Committee - Geospatial Standards
        -  ANSI L1 is Voting Member to ISO TC211

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FGDC Plans for the ISO Metadata Standard
        -  Why worry ISO Metadata Standard?
        -  Office of Management & Budget Circular A-119

    - Directs preference in use of International Standards & 	National Standards
        -  Global environment - Global Spatial Data Infrastructure
        -  FGDC plans to adopt ISO Metadata Standard once approved.
        -  Will replace CSDGM Version 2
        -  US/FGDC “Profile” development early spring 1999 using		 ISO Draft International Metadata Standard

NSDI

FGDC Registered Review of ISO Metadata Standard Committee Draft
        -  July 13, 1998 - September 11, 1998
        -  210 Registrants - US Citizens or            	represent interests of US Companies
        -  Over 450 comments					received/adjudicated
        -  FGDC comments provided to ANSI for 	incorporation with other US 			comments

NSDI

       FGDC			ISO 

Metadata
        - Identification
        - Data Quality
        - Spatial Organization
        - Spatial Reference
        - Entity/Attributes
        - Distribution
        - Metadata Reference
        - Citation
        - Contact
        - Time 

Metadata
        - Identification
        - Data Quality
        - Lineage
        - Spatial Organization
        - Spatial Reference
        - Entity/Attributes
        - Distribution
        - Metadata Reference
        - Citation
        - Responsible Party
        - Address
        - Extent (BP, VT, Tmp)
        - On-line resource

NSDI

ISO Metadata & FGDC CSDGM V2
        - ISO/FGDC Metadata Standard Differences
        -  ISO more elements then FGDC
        -  Many more “Optional” elements
        -  Addresses many known deficiencies in FGDC CSDGM 

(ie	Raster/Imagery)
        -  Necessary to meet “international” requirements
        -  ISO - 2 levels of compliance (“catalog” & “complete/full”)
        -  Terminology Differences
        -  Obligation differences
        -  Element Name differences
        -  FGDC Metadata Records are not ISO compliant

NSDI

ISO Metadata Standard Implementation/Education
        -  Implementation Issues
        -  Software development to migrate FGDC Metadata 	records to ISO 
        - Metadata Collection/Validation Software (ISO Metadata 	Tools/parsers/editors/...). 
        -  Education
        -  Training
        -  Materials - ie factsheets, workbooks
        -  Timetable
        -  Migration of existing metadata records
        -  Population of new metadata records

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For further informationContact the FGDCweb: www.fgdc.govemail:fgdc@www.fgdc.gov

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