Overview

Information should be published with common metadata to facilitate discovery and integration.

Why

Search engines can use metadata, so its inclusion will assist optimization for them.

Most discovery of data for machine processing is currently performed by people, but it is desirable that computer applications should be able to discover the data that they process. Machine-processable metadata increases the possibility of this. Improved discoverability will help to address the identified problem of it being hard to define commercial products and services.

As well as enabling computer applications to discover data, machine-processable metadata improves their ability to process data and to integrate data from different sources. Inability of computers to process data is another of the identified problems that limits achievement of the goals.

Intended Outcome

Data for machine processing can be discovered easily, and data from different sources can be integrated.

Possible Approach

Common metadata means that public sector bodies use the same terms, or terms that can be translated to each other directly, to describe the same information. It may not be possible to achieve a single standard terminology, because different bodies have historically used different terms, and because different countries use different languages, but it should at least be possible to map the used terminologies to each other so that translation is possible.

The Open Group UDEF standard provides a framework for the development of common metadata of this kind.

How to Test

Use of common metadata can be tested by inspecting publication websites.

Evidence

The Open Public Sector Data Business Scenario identifies publication with common metadata as a requirement.

Lifecycle Stage

Planning and publication.

Audience

Everyone responsible for the creation or publication of public-sector information.

Related Best Practices

(To be added once the list of best practices is complete.)