1. Tyler Stevens GIS/Services Coordinator Tyler.B.Stevens@nasa.gov
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Who are the Users and Best Practices for Developing and Maintaining the Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)
Tyler Stevens
GIS/Services Coordinator

2. Outline I. Introduction II. Who are the Users?
III. What are Users/Staff Contributing?
IV. The ESIP Example
Best Practices
Demonstrations
NASA’s Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)

3. I. Introduction to the Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)
Contains over 20,000 metadata records describing Earth science and environmental data sets and services relevant to global change research.
Enables users to search and refine by “controlled” keywords, full- text, spatial coverage, data resolution, and temporal coverage.
Provides direct access to Earth Science data and relevant OGC services.
Offers an intuitive online metadata authoring tool.
NASA’s Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)

4. GCMD Software Version 9.8
Added a "Privacy" field to allow authors to restrict the data set description from being publicly available.
Implemented automated link checking.
Included direct links to related data from Instrument and Platform ancillary descriptions.
Improved website navigation with direct links to “Portals” from homepage. 
2 clicks to the ESIP portal
Why did we do this. We listen to the user community
Some of these are UWG recommendations, NASA recommendations, Antarctic collaborations
We listen to the user community
Software released in June 2008
NASA’s Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)

5. II. Who are the GCMD Users?
This was a UWG recommendation.
This form is new – June 2008: 1373 users.
NASA’s Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)

6. From Where do Our Users Come?
January– June 2008
Asia
Europe
Australia
South America
Africa
Other
North America
NASA’s Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)

7. How Do Users Access the GCMD?
January– June 2008
Others (15%)
GCMD Direct
Access (11%)
Yahoo (4%)
NASA (2%)
Wikipedia
NOAA
USGS
AOL
Since we allowed robots to index the GCMD, usage has increased significantly (from less then 600,000 to over 2 million, average 3 million a month)
Google (68%)
NASA’s Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)

8. When Do Users Access the GCMD?
January– June 2008
Days of the Week
Time of the Day
Eastern Standard Time
NASA’s Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)

9. What Data and Services are the Users Searching?
January– June 2008
Science/Service Keyword Searches:
Climate Indicators
Atmosphere
Agriculture
Oceans
Land Surface
Data Analysis and Visualization
Solid Earth
Human Dimensions
Models
Biosphere
Full-Text Searches:
Global Warming
AMD
Jamstec
China
Temperature
OBIS/SCARMARBIN
Wind
Africa
Global
OBIS
NASA’s Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)

10. III. What Metadata are Users/Staff Contributing? (May 2007- June 2008)
Number of Metadata Records
New Data Sets and Data Services
NASA’s Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)

11. ESIP Contributions – Data Sets
Total DIFs
24 % of the population is ESIP for DIFs
NASA’s Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)

12. ESIP Contributions – Data Services
Total DIFs
27 % of the population is ESIP for SERFs
NASA’s Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)

13. How Are Users Contributing?
Data Sets
validate
Highly Recommended and Recommended
GCMD more compatible with FGDC and ISO
Fields are required are also the what is required in FGDC
Are fields are crucial for searching.
Data Services
NASA’s Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)

14. How Are Users Contributing?
Platforms
Instruments
NASA’s Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)

15. How Are Users Contributing?
Data Centers
Projects
NASA’s Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)

16. Search Data Services by ESIP Type
IV. The ESIP Example
Data Services describe data related tools that help users utilize, visualize, and model Earth science data.
Search Data Services by ESIP Type
NASA’s Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)

17. Provides Direct Access to OGC Web Map and Web Coverage Services
Data Service Description
Type 3 ESIP – Data Fed, Washington University in St. Louis
Provides Direct Access to OGC Web Map and Web Coverage Services
This was a collaboration with Data Fed. They wrote the stylesheet to translate to SERF and GCMD harvested the metadata from their system,
NASA’s Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)

18. Data Service Description
REASoN– Research, Education, Applications Solutions Network
This person wrote this SERF
NASA’s Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)

19. Direct Access to OGC Services Through Related URL in Metadata
GET SERVICE > GET WEB COVERAGE SERVICE (WCS)
GET SERVICE > GET WEB FEATURE SERVICE (WFS)
GET SERVICE > GET WEB MAP SERVICE (WMS)
Refers to Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) services that provide access to geospatial coverages, features, and spatially referenced information.
Multitudes of OGC Services
NASA’s Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)

20. V. Best Practices Software Development Cycle and Tools Website Design
Search Options
Keyword Management/Rules
Metadata Sharing
Metadata Management
Collaborations
NASA’s Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)

21. Software Development Cycle
Gather Requirements
Prepare Documentation
Develop and Test Locally
Capability Maturity Model Integration
GCMD is at level 2
We have tools such as Plone, Fogbugz, and Media Wiki.
is a process improvement approach that provides organizations with the essential elements of effective processes. It can be used to guide process improvement across a project, a division, or an entire organization. CMMI helps integrate traditionally separate organizational functions, set process improvement goals and priorities, provide guidance for quality processes, and provide a point of reference for appraising current processes.
Deploy on Test Machine
Move Code to Staging Machine
Move to Production Machine
NASA’s Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)

22. Website Design [Redesign website every few years.]
Website redesign every 3 years, based on User Working Group Recommendation
Improvement for user community
NASA’s Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)

23. Ancillary Keyword Search
Search Options
Keyword Search
Ancillary Keyword Search
Search Refinements
Spatial Search
Science Keywords
Service Keywords
“DRAFT”
[Provide multiple search options]
Users want multiple pathways to search for Earth Science data and services.
NASA’s Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)

24. Keyword Management Keyword Revisions How to Cite GCMD Keywords:
We are pleased with the increased interest and use of the Global Change Master Directory's (GCMD) Earth science keywords. At this time, we are requesting that the following citation be used by those individuals and groups using the GCMD keywords.
Olsen, L.M., G. Major, K. Shein, J. Scialdone, R. Vogel, S. Leicester, H. Weir, S. Ritz, T. Stevens, M. Meaux, C.Solomon, R. Bilodeau, M. Holland, T. Northcutt, R. A. Restrepo, NASA/Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Earth Science Keywords. Version
[Provide “controlled” science keywords.]
GCMD revises keywords based on user feedback and scientist.
Before users submit new keywords, they should view the science keyword rules.
Science Keyword Rules:
The following rules have been used in determining TERMs and three levels of VARIABLEs (known as Variable_Level1, Variable_Level2, Variable_Level3) for the GCMD keywords. These rules are used in GCMD's procedures for modifying TOPICs, TERMs, and VARIABLEs to assist the user in locating Earth science data sets of interest….
NASA’s Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)

25. Metadata Sharing Policy
Metadata Harvesting:
OAI-PMH
Z39.50
Translate metadata for ISO and FGDC standards, common XSLT
Metadata Request:
Users
GCMD Metadata
Metadata Sharing Policy
Collaborators
Data Centers
NASA’s Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)

26. Harvesting to Confusion
OAI-PMH makes it too easy to distribute metadata.
Duplication of metadata?
Outdated metadata?
Ownership?
How can the GCMD help prevent confusion?
Only re-distribute NASA metadata!
Metadata from non-NASA partners only re-distributed at their request.
Request partners to harvest updated/new metadata on a regular basis.
Provide Direct Object Identifier (DOI) links in the Related_URL field.
Persistent identification of metadata.
Assign unique DOIs to each NASA metadata document.
Links to the DOI object do not change with time.
Always link to the metadata source.
[Develop a metadata sharing policy.]
Distributing using XSLT
NASA’s Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) 26

27. Metadata Management Validate QA/QC Internal Metadata Management Tool
[Allow for validation and quality control of metadata.]
Plans to create a web-based version of the software and provide privileges to trusted partners –
Critical mass/turning point to accommodate users reduce maintenance.
Validation, quality control is important
Validate
QA/QC
NASA’s Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)

28. Collaborations NASA’s Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)

29. Community Driven “Portals”
Collaborations
Community Driven “Portals”
NASA’s Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)

30. Best Practices - Summary
Software Development Cycle and Tools
Website Design
Search Options
Keyword Management/Rules
Metadata Sharing
Metadata Management
Collaborations
Create consistent software development procedures.
Redesign website every few years.
Provide multiple search options, “controlled” science keywords, and direct access to data.
Provide keyword versions and develop keyword rules.
Develop a metadata sharing policy.
Allow for validation and quality control of metadata.
Provide customized community driven “portals”.
NASA’s Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)

31. Platforms/Instrument Interface
VI. Demonstrations
GCMD Interface
docBUILDER
Platforms/Instrument Interface
NASA’s Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)

32. Thank You Tyler Stevens (GIS/Services Coordinator)
Special Thanks to GCMD staff for
their assistance and contributions.
Image source:
NASA’s Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)