Statistics New Zealand Classification Management System

Andrew Hancock

Statistics New Zealand

Prepared for 2013 Meeting of the UN Expert Group on

International Statistical Classifications

Contents

Overview

History/Background of existing CARS System

Reasons for Change

Vision

CMS Overview

2013 UN Expert Group Meeting

Overview

Statistics New Zealand currently undergoing 10 year programme of change (Statistics 2020)

Programme will:• mitigate legacy computer systems • transform the way statistics are delivered• bring about efficiencies to systems

Provides opportunity to rethink the way classifications are developed, maintained and disseminated

2013 UN Expert Group Meeting

History/Background of CARS

Classification and Related Standards (CARS) created in 1996

Is a respository of all classifications, concordances and coding indexes used in Statistics NZ

Currently holds 4625 classifications, 5627 versions and 2218 concordances

Provides common ways to update, access and use standard classifications data

2013 UN Expert Group Meeting

2013 UN Expert Group Meeting

Reasons for change

The rationale for moving to a new classification management system is due to:• The need to mitigate a legacy system

• The need to move from a classification repository system to a full classification management system

• The need to reduce proliferation of like classifications and versions

• A desire to introduce a new approach to the management, storage and dissemination of classification related attributes and entities.

2013 UN Expert Group Meeting

Vision

Move to a concepts based system

Allow greater relationships between attributes

Automated authorisation and dissemination processes

Greater search and discovery

Enable greater reuse and reduce duplication ie store once and use in multiple locations.

2013 UN Expert Group Meeting

CMS Overview

Proposed CMS model relates to other standards and models eg ISO/IEC 11179, Neuchatel, DDI, SDMX

Being designed primarily to support classification management within a single organisation but planned for wider use across Official Statistical System

Joint venture between Statistics New Zealand and Metadata Technology North America (MTNA)

2013 UN Expert Group Meeting

CMS Components

Core – This portion of the model focuses on identification, versioning, and describing contexts within which classifications are used.

Classification – This package gives a general model for classifications in their generic sense, and then gives more specific extensions for formal statistical classifications and derived classifications.

Coding – This package describes the relationships needed for integration with the SNZ coding system, and hold constructs such as synonyms, and synonym sets.

Conceptual – This is the place where the concepts and their uses are modelled, along with the model for categories (that is, units of meaning).

Concordances – This package describes all the relationships which can exist in concordances.

2013 UN Expert Group Meeting

2013 UN Expert Group Meeting

class Classifications

«skos:ConceptScheme»Conceptual::CategorySet

Classification

«interface»Core::VersionedObject

Lev el

+ allowParent: boolean

ClassificationVersion

Code

+ codeValue: java.lang.String

«interface»Core::ObjectVersion

Conceptual::CategoryVersion

A Code is derived from a Category for the purposes of inheriting and overriding its information.

+category 1

+basis 1

+parent0..1

+child 0..*{basissemanticallynarrower}

1..*{based onClassificationCategorySet}

+residuals 0..*

1..*{addOnly}

+level 0..1{CategoryVersionfrom CategorySetof Level}

+child 0..*{categorysemanticallynarrower orsame}

+parent 0..1

1..*

+/objectVersion 1..*

2013 UN Expert Group Meeting

class Categories

«skos:ConceptScheme»CategorySet

«skos:Concept»Concept

{Although SKOS does not formally enforce this, the CMS will require the Categories within a CategorySet be narrower Categoriesof the baseConcept.}

«interface»Core::

VersionedObject

«interface»Core::

ObjectVersion

CategoryVersion CategoryCore::Version

Core::PropertyValue

Core::PropertyDefinition ConceptualQuery

usageOf

0..1{frozen}

+/version

1

+/objectVersion

1..*

+allowedProperty 0..*

«skos:hasTopConcept»

+baseConcept

1

+includedConcept

0..*

0..1

Conclusions

A new classification management system, and not merely a repository

The model is designed to be flexible and extensible

Builds on many of the best features of other models and standards

Associates concepts and other types of relationships between classifications

2013 UN Expert Group Meeting

Statistics New Zealand Classification Management System

Andrew Hancock

Statistics New Zealand

Prepared for 2013 Meeting of the UN Expert Group on

International Statistical Classifications