IOOS DMAC Standards Process and Lessons Learned Anne Ball DMAC Steering Team Ocean.US

IOOS DMAC Standards Process and Lessons Learned

Anne Ball

DMAC Steering Team

Ocean.US

Topics

• Brief overview– IOOS– DMAC

• DMAC standards process

• Lessons learned

• Links to more information

• Discussion

IOOS DMAC Overview

Integrated Ocean Observing System

IOOS

Tracking, predicting, managing, and adapting to changes in our coastal and ocean environment

Integrated Ocean Observing System

SEE

Safety Economy Environment

Oceans Coasts Great Lakes

Integrated Ocean Observing System

• Safety– Earlier and better predictions of severe

weather– Search and rescue– Protect water quality– Homeland security

Integrated Ocean Observing System

• Economy– Optimized shipping routes based on improved

forecasts– More accurate, longer-term forecasts for agriculture– Better planning for coastal construction and zoning– Potential sources for medicines and new technologies– Alternative energy sources– Improvements in offshore drilling practices

Integrated Ocean Observing System

• Environment– More timely and accurate predictions for oil

spills and other pollutants– Reduced vessel groundings– Better ecological protection– Fisheries– Protection and restoration of marine

ecosystems

Integrated Ocean Observing System

• Three subsystems– Observations and Data Telemetry– Data Management and Communications

(DMAC)– Modeling and Analysis

Integrated Ocean Observing System

• 11 Regional Associations

• Federal agencies

• National programs

Data Management and Communications

• DMAC Goal– design the system that efficiently and

effectively links observations to applications by enabling rapid access to diverse data from multiple sources as needed

Data Management and Communications

• Infrastructure– Data discovery, access, transfer, metadata,

archive– identify the technologies, formats, and

protocols that support an infrastructure needed to meet its goal.

– must interact with regional, national, and international systems.

Data Management and Communications

• Usability– Quality assurance, quality control, information

requirements– Data must be accompanied by the information that

supports its proper use and sound results when combined with additional data.

– This information may vary between different types of observations and collection methods.

– DMAC will adopt quality assurance, quality control, and content requirements identified by expert communities and ensure this information is carried within the DMAC infrastructure.

DMAC: One of three IOOS subsystems

ObservingSubsystem

Satellites

Aircraft

Fixed Platforms

Ships

Drifters & Floats

AUVs

Metadata standards

Data discovery

Data transport

Online browse

Data archival

Safe & EfficientMaritime Operations

Homeland Security

Natural Hazards

Climate Change

Public Health

Ecosystem Health

Living MarineResources

DMACSubsystem

Modeling & AnalysisSubsystem

DMAC Implementation

Team approach

• Steering Team

• Expert Teams

• Caucuses• Working groups• Interagency Oversight Working Group

DMAC Steering Team

• Representatives from government, industry, academia, public, and non-profits

• Coordinate and oversee DMAC standards evolution

• Identify and provide recommendations on gaps

• Conduct process in an open, objective, and balanced manner

DMAC Teams

• Expert teams– Archive– Metadata and data discovery– Transport and Access

• Working group– Systems engineering

• Address key issues as defined in DMAC plan• Review and make recommendations on

standards

DMAC Caucuses

• Outreach and community engagement– International– Private sector– Education

• K-12• Professional development

– Modeling– Regional

Interagency Coordination

Interagency Oversight Working Group (IOWG)

• Representatives of federal agencies

• Oversight of DMAC implementation within agencies

Roles

• Teams:– Review standards– Make recommendations– Identify gaps

• Organizations– Implement standards and recommendations– Fill-in gaps

Standards and standard process

Standards

Standards are key to the success of DMAC

• Identify standards needed• Coordinate with other standards processes• DMAC standards mantra:

– Adopt– Adapt– Develop only as a last resort

DMAC Standards Process

• Identifying existing standards is a first step

• Often need to “standardize” the standard– Ex. Use FGDC metadata – not good enough

to describe waves, so must develop a waves profile

• Data providers may be required to use different standards– Crosswalks, interoperability is critical

DMAC Standards Process

Three status levels for standards:• Submitted

– Has no standing within IOOS.

• Proposed– Has status within IOOS and can be used provisionally

by IOOS information system managers for evaluation purposes.

• Recommended– All IOOS data systems should consider supporting

these guidelines wherever applicable

DMAC Standards Process

Originator Submits a Standard

Internal Review

DMAC Chair –Applicable?

Gatekeeper –Complete?

Start

Expert ReviewDMAC ST

Polls

Public Comments

Community Conducts

Tests/Pilots

DMAC ST Polls

End

“SUBMITTED STATUS”

“RECOMMENDED STATUS”

“PROPOSEDSTATUS”

Website: ioosdmac.fedworx.org

Submission Entry

DMAC Standards Process

• Entry fields:– Name– Type (new, existing, adaption)– Data mgmt function (metadata, transport, …)– Abstract– Purpose– Technical description– Statutory requirement or international agreement?

DMAC Standards Process

• Entry fields (continued)– Relationships, dependencies, conflicts– Current usage– Justification– References– Acronyms– Contact information– Supporting parties/members

DMAC Standards Process

• Semi annual review schedule:– Expert review

• 1 month• September and March

– Steering team review• 1 month• October and April• Steering team initial poll (on-line)• Recommendations written

– Steering team final poll• May and November meetings

DMAC Standards Process

• Chair drafts recommendations based on polling and distribute to Steering Team

• Steering Team discusses recommendations at semi-annual meeting– Try to reach consensus– If consensus is not possible (per Terms of Reference):

• Vote is carried by 75% of those members voting “approve” or “disapprove.”

• Quorum consists of 60% of members.

• Support of multiple strategies may be the most prudent approach. As long as the consideration of multiple options does not violate the spirit of IOOS interoperability, the IOOS-ST may move forward without consensus.

DMAC Standards Process

• Steering team may decide:– Move forward (“submitted” to “proposed”)– Request additions or changes– Table and revisit in next round– Reject

Lessons Learned

First round - November 2007

Eight standards submitted:

• IOOS Vocabulary Version 1

• Required and Recommended Vocabularies for IOOS Metadata

• Metadata Catalog Services

• Data Access Protocol – DAP 2.0 (transport)

• Real Time Quality Control Tests for In Situ Ocean Surface Waves

• Quality Control Standards for Real-Time, In Situ Currents Measured by Teledyne RD Instruments

• High Frequency Radar Surface Currents

• Standards Package for the Representation and Transport of Gridded Data: netCDF+CF+OPeNDAP+aggregation

First round

Four moved to “proposed”:

• IOOS Vocabulary Version 1 • Metadata Catalog Services • Data Access Protocol – DAP 2.0 (transport) • Standards Package for the Representation and Transport of

Gridded Data: netCDF+CF+OPeNDAP+aggregation

First round

Four tabled:

• Required and Recommended Vocabularies for IOOS Metadata

• Real Time Quality Control Tests for In Situ Ocean Surface Waves

• Quality Control Standards for Real-Time, In Situ Currents Measured by Teledyne RD Instruments

• High Frequency Radar Surface Currents

First round

• Tabled submissions:– Real Time Quality Control Tests for In Situ Ocean

Surface Waves – Quality Control Standards for Real-Time, In Situ

Currents Measured by Teledyne RD Instruments – High Frequency Radar Surface Currents

• Should DMAC be involved in QA/QC?• If so, how?

First round

Tabled submission:• Required and Recommended Vocabularies for IOOS

Metadata

• Adopt multiple vocabularies?• Use technology/ontologies to map multiple vocabularies?

First round

• Findings– Wide variety of “standards” submitted– No clear definition of “standards” vs “best practices”– How do we handle QA/QC standards?– Need better instructions and/or help for submitters

Additional thoughts

• May need to better define what we’re looking for

• May need to focus more on data/metadata content

May 2008

• Addressed tabled submissions– Additional fields– Tried to refine definitions of fields– Tried to define “standards” vs “best practices”

QA/QC

• “Lessons Learned” discussion:– ST lacks technical expertise to confidently evaluate

QA/QC– Better criteria needed

• To guide ST in evaluation• To assist Originators in preparing “Work Packages”

– Draw on expertise of QA/QC-experienced organizations

• As Originators• During Expert review

– Devote more effort (time) to submission ‘Work Packages’ at front-end

QA/QC

• Is QA/QC a DMAC issue?– Regardless, DMAC must deal with QA/QC to move

forward– Develop supplemental criteria for reviewing QA/QC

submissions

QA/QC Applicability

• Does the submission:– Address an IOOS data type or parameter?– Significant to multiple applications or users?– If specific to a particular instrument, can approach be

extended to similar instruments?– Would it benefit IOOS if implemented more widely?

QA/QC

• Originating organization– Does Originator have recognized expertise in the

topic area?– Will the standard (including, if applicable, all

components of the submission) be maintained over time by a recognized organization?

• Supporting organizations– Are recognized organizations or programs supporting

the adoption of this as a standard?

More information

DMAC Documents

DMAC Plan

•Detailed plans for implementing DMAC •Created with input from federal and state governments, academia, non-profits, and private industry

http://dmac.ocean.us

DMAC Documents

Guide for IOOS Data Providers

• Draft of the IOOS Data Policy

• Guidelines for data and metadata interoperability standards and best practices

http://dmac.ocean.us

DMAC Standards Website

• Submit standards

• Provide feedback on standards (public comments)

Discussion