1. Any data..! Any where..! Any time..! Linking Process and Content in a Distributed Spatial Production System Pierre Lafond HydraSpace Solutions Inc www.hydraspace.com

2. HydraSpace “Linking People and Information” Why Metacontent? Users separate from Information! l time - viewing historical data at some point in the future l space - physically separated or having limited proximal access to the data and data collectors l subject area - not being a specialist in the information domain that the data represents

3. HydraSpace “Linking People and Information” A Hierarchical view of meta-content Needs Managing Harmonization, Integration, Creation, Preservation, Retention, Disposal Finding Time, Place, Theme, Focus Assessing Relevance, Quality, Cost, Timeliness, Concepts, Methods, Sources, Using Classifications, Questionnaires, Codebooks, Dictionaries, Database Schemas, Record Layouts

4. HydraSpace “Linking People and Information” The Components of Metacontent Database Metadata (database schema) Controls & Guides Meta-information (repository & web documents) Describes fitness for use Metacontent are facts that describes both database organization and the data's fitness for use. linked & Referenced

5. HydraSpace “Linking People and Information” Metacontent - Fitness for use l content, l ownership, l collection and processing methods, l lineage, l resolution, l accuracy, l spatial location and extent, l temporal location and extent

6. HydraSpace “Linking People and Information” Levels of Metacontent Staticmetacontent Ownership, Lineage, Resolution, Accuracy, Spatial location and extent, Temporal location and extent Dynamicmetacontent Collection and processing methods, what was done what is being done Prospective metacontent metacontent what is planned to be done

7. HydraSpace “Linking People and Information” Metacontent Management through the Business Life cycle Planning Marketing External collection Data Acquisition Production Distribution Product Data Management CUSTOMER Static and Dynamic Metacontent ProspectiveMetacontent Survey/ internal collection

8. HydraSpace “Linking People and Information” l l Static metacontent è è Recording facts about data during acquisition Evolution of Metacontent Management l l Dynamic metacontent è è Manually logging process steps executed on datasets è è Process steps automatically logged by system as they are being executed è è System-monitored standard processes l l Prospective metacontent è è Planned and actual processes managed together Process Management

9. HydraSpace “Linking People and Information” Why Process Management? (other than for metacontent) l Quality è Project planning and monitoring  Repeatability è Version control  Quality assurance è Intergroup coordination l Isolating user tasks from complexity of integrating many computer programs è loading datasets è discovering feature links l Ability to better identify impact of new or updated source data on products l Ability to reduce time to market from source acquisition to product

10. HydraSpace “Linking People and Information” The Concept of Session A session is a set of activities carried out over a period of time and covering a specified geographic area, which will produce a new or updated spatial dataset. A session layer is a common mechanism by which users perform activities to acquire, integrate and make use of spatial data.

11. HydraSpace “Linking People and Information” Process Manager Components Basic Session Operations Process configuration Source acquisition session operations Product maintenance session operations Source integration session operations Workflow Process tracking and reporting SESSION CORE Task Manager and Scheduler

12. HydraSpace “Linking People and Information” Automated Task Manager l Allows users to deal with a user task interface instead of computer programs at the command line l Example: Commands required to be run to extract data for validation: execute cwodi.dropwindow('check3'); execute cwodi.createwindow('check3','halifax',-65.597,42.665,-63.59,44.67); cwco userid=pierre/xxxx table=halifax window_name=check3 mdffile=check3co.mdf rangecols=pro_depth hhsort.exe hhsort.con check3sort.mdf check3co.mdf l Users only need to specify the user task they want to do and the parameters for this task l Tasks can be re-configured at any point to take advantage of upgrades, without the user needing to know new syntax l Task manager generates metacontent

13. HydraSpace “Linking People and Information” Distributed process architecture è Remote collaboration handled through standard distributed database architecture and networking St John’s Ottawa Montreal Halifax Validation hydrographerSurvey hydrographer Production Quality Control Cartographer

14. HydraSpace “Linking People and Information” Case Study Canadian Hydrographic Service l Their challenges: è Distributed organization in four offices è More powerful data acquisition systems - large volumes è More types of products - adoption of IHO S-57 standard è New ENC update distribution method è Fewer staff - less budget

15. HydraSpace “Linking People and Information” Attacking the problem Data acquisition In-house survey 3rd party survey Other documents/sources Data validation and integration Chart production Data Management Process Management Oracle CubeStor HHViewer Caris Caris Object Manager Custom utilities

16. HydraSpace “Linking People and Information” CHS Progression l Specific process management tool for production

17. HydraSpace “Linking People and Information” CHS Progression (cont’d) l More generic process management model defined for data acquisition and validation Basic Session Operations Process configuration Source acquisition session operations Source integration session operations Workflow Process tracking and reporting SESSION CORE Task Manager and Scheduler

18. HydraSpace “Linking People and Information” CHS Progression (cont’d) l Implement generic model for all operations l Allow vizualisation of all projects graphically Product maintenance session operations Basic Session Operations Process configuration Source acquisition session operations Source integration session operations Workflow Process tracking and reporting SESSION CORE Task Manager and Scheduler

19. HydraSpace “Linking People and Information” Keys to effective process management in spatial data warehousing and production l Define standard processes l Define user tasks executed by a series of automated tools l Plan work sessions (projects) l Log user tasks as they are carried out l System-generated metacontent as automated user tasks are executed l Monitor and control standard processes l Location independence - distributed architecture

20. HydraSpace “Linking People and Information” Questions? Pierre Lafond plafond@holonics.ca Henry Kucera hkucera@mercator-sys.com www.holonics.ca