1. WIS Workshop on Information Access Enablers
WIS Overview
28 November 2018
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Observing and Information Systems Department WMO Information System (WIS)
WMO
WIS Workshop on Information Access Enablers
Claire:
Good morning everyone. It is time to call this meeting to order.
I am Claire Martin, and I will chair this Workshop on Information Access Enablers.
Now I would like to just now quickly remind everyone that we are not creating something for the great web-abyss!
We are here to help drive a huge number of “searchers” through WIS
17-18 May 2010 WMO, Geneva, Switzerland

2. Who Gets The Data? Essentially who is your target audience?
WIS Overview
Who Gets The Data?
28 November 2018
Essentially who is your target audience?
Who might end up needing access to the data?
Once WIS is up and running – how will we promote/publish it?
Communication is the key.
Claire:
I’m looking at this purely from a “communication” stand point. I am here to remind you that delivering the data is as important as collecting and researching and owning the data.
We have to be aware of our “audience”
28 November November 2018
WIS Overview

3. Make it easier to discover data and information
WIS Overview
What is the objective?
28 November 2018
Make it easier to discover data and information
The objective of catalogs searching is simply stated: We want to make it easier to discover data and information.
In WIS, this applies in at least two distinct ways:
We want to make data and information easier to find by "internal searchers": experts, managers, and decision makers across the full breadth of WMO Members and associated organizations.
Also, we want to make WMO holdings more easily found by "external searchers": people everywhere who could make good use of this data and information, perhaps by including pointers to these holdings in discovery services of their own.
Use Olympics as an example of how hard it was to generate climate info for other TV stations etc.
28 November November 2018
WIS Overview

4. WIS Overview
Good vs Bad
28 November 2018
Example of a “bad” data delivery service.
Example of a “good” data delivery service
K.I.S.S.
Claire:
Just a couple of examples of good web sites vs bad web sites.
Remember.. We do not need to re-invent the wheel. But we must be useful.
Having the web site delivery an answer to a question immediately is very useful.. It’s a “hook”.
But we need to do more, be more.
Do we make ourselves simply a “portal” to other agencies. Do we try to stream some of the more “readily accessible” data.. ie basic climate data. Or do we throw people to the relevant NMHS?
28 November November 2018
WIS Overview

5. Global Telecommunication System (GTS)
WIS Overview
Global Telecommunication System (GTS)
28 November 2018
Exeter
Sofia
Melbourne
Buenos Aires
Tokyo
Beijing
Nairobi
Washington
Cloud I
Jeddah
Prague
Toulouse
Dakar
Algiers
Offenbach
Brasilia
Cairo
New Delhi
Moscow
Cloud II
Claire
Bear in mind – we have this sort of chain of networks under our umbrella.
28 November November 2018
WIS Overview

6. Making it easier via Metadata
WIS Overview
28 November 2018
Making it easier via Metadata
As Peiliang said, the 180+ WMO Members are implementing WIS and its comprehensive catalogue of data and information.
WMO Members will be hosting hundreds of portal services, mostly on their own systems, to help users to find relevant data and information resources. But, these portals by themselves are clearly not the only way for potential users to discover and use the data and information available.
This brings us to the point of this Workshop: How should WMO Members encourage intermediaries and other information providers (libraries, information services, Internet search services, etc.) to leverage this wealth of information, enhancing access for all who may need it.
Here, I conclude my presentation.
Are there any questions on these topics?
[Discussion if questions arise]
Thank you.
Now, let me pass back to Claire, the Chair.
28 November November 2018
WIS Overview

7. Prompting Questions How should WMO Members:
WIS Overview
Prompting Questions How should WMO Members:
28 November 2018
improve the linkage from information to supporting data?
improve their outreach to libraries?
simplify documentation of data quality assurance procedures?
promote stronger data user services?
promote and cross-link "Ask-an-expert" services?
Claire:
How should WIS improve the linkage from information to supporting data? Scientific articles cite supporting sources for important assertions and facts, including data sources and models. This practice is now becoming more common in information for general audiences, as seen in popular online sources such as Wikipedia. Perhaps the WIS catalogue can help increase citations to underlying sources, especially in online versions of products involving WMO.
How should WMO Members improve their outreach to libraries? Historically, the world's libraries and information services have been fundamental to the free flow of information in most societies. Perhaps WMO should have a focused effort to help libraries provide "finding aids" that simplify access to WMO data and information resources.
How should WMO Members simplify the documentation of data quality assurance procedures? One of the principles of WIS is that metadata should describe the quality of the data for anticipated uses. But, data and information are handled through a wide range of technical regulations, review procedures, and advisory committees across diverse disciplines and organizations. Perhaps it would be helpful to maintain a continuous online WMO publication with current consolidated references to documentation about data quality procedures.
How should WMO Members promote stronger data user services? In addition to supporting access to data and information products, organizations in WMO Member countries often provide additional guidance, ranging for example from a static set of FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) to forwarding questions from users directly to the data originators. Perhaps it would be useful to more actively encourage such "best practice" services.
How should WMO Members promote and cross-link "Ask-an-expert" services? Many organizations within WMO Members have such services already (e.g., Ask-a-Meteorologist, Ask-a‑Hydrologist, Ask-a-Librarian). Perhaps maintaining links to such services would be helpful in better addressing questions that are cross-disciplinary or spanning regional to global scales.
28 November November 2018
WIS Overview

8. Prompting Questions How should WMO Members:
WIS Overview
Prompting Questions How should WMO Members:
28 November 2018
re-package data into common formats?
promote data brokerage services?
make metadata simpler to use?
promote stronger coordination of alerting services?
explore new technologies for digitization of data?
put more emphasis on long-term data archiving?
Claire:
How should WMO Members re-package data into more common formats? Each of the major scientific disciplines of WMO--meteorology (including climatology), hydrology, etc--uses data formats that are well‑known among experts, but not commonly used outside the discipline. Perhaps tools for re ‑packaging data into common formats would make the WMO data resources easier to use.
How should WMO Members promote data brokerage services? When an analyst needs data that comes from multiple nations, it can be difficult to deal with the varied procedures and policies. Perhaps it would be helpful if WMO Members were to encourage more regional services acting as brokers to help analysts get the data resources they need.
How should metadata become simpler to use? The current standard for WIS metadata follows a complex standard developed for geospatial information systems. Perhaps simpler common bibliographic practice would be more appropriate to the broad scale of WIS data and information.
How should WMO Members promote stronger coordination of alerting services? National alerting authorities are awakening to the need for an all-hazards, all-media approach to public warning. WMO has begun to promote necessary standards and now has a register of WMO Member alerting authorities, recognizing that meteorological services are often the main national alerting authority. Perhaps WMO Members should become more vocal proponents for international coordination of alerting.
How should WMO Members explore new technologies for digitization of data? In many places even today, data is recorded in writing on paper forms or in other ways that complicate its use in digital systems. WMO Members do support many ongoing activities in data rescue. Perhaps there are new digitization technologies that WMO Members should exploit more fully.
How should WMO Members put more emphasis on long-term data archiving? To discern long-term trends it is very important that key data sets are archived and accessible for decades to come. Perhaps WMO Members should further promote international programmes in this area.
28 November November 2018
WIS Overview

9. ation Systems Department WMO Information System (WIS)
WIS Overview
28 November 2018
ation Systems Department WMO Information System (WIS)
WMO
WIS Workshop on Information Access Enablers
Claire:
Of course, these are just some of the ideas we will consider in this Workshop. All participants are encouraged to bring up additional ideas for discussion.
Now, we have scheduled our morning break.
We will convene again promptly at 11:00.
17-18 May 2010 WMO, Geneva, Switzerland