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The I-MAN project team successfully designed
and constructed an information repository structure. As the
key accompanying component of the project, the team also constructed
the West Sussex Metadata Standard (WSMDS). The actual deliverables
were an XML Schema and Document Type Definition (DTD) which
described the metadata that had to be collected for a networked
resource.
Additionally, where applicable, it described
all the possible values that could be applied to constrained
fields. The schema used the Simple Dublin Core as its construction
baseline. Additional items will include Geographical Information,
Process Information, Service and Category Information. The
schema will also be versioned, in order to allow further refinements.
A prototype searching tool was also built and
deployed to enable a user to query the Information Repository
and retrieve URI links to resources that matched the query
terms. The search parameters included:
- all 15 tags from the Simple Dublin Core
- spatial locator search (geographical/location
search)
- process search (including, but not restricted
to, Customer Unique Process Identifiers (CUPIDs) and Life
Events/Episodes)
- category/service search (Government Category
list, and other relevant lists)
- constraining information retrieval/results
that included only those items that the query originator
was allowed to access for security reasons
- A thesaurus was constructed in order to resolve
synonyms into their chief West Sussex metadata keywords.
A solution was planned to allow maximum interoperability
with any content management solution or query tool that was
subsequently deployed. This was effectively catered for by
the exposure of the repository data and services via Web Services.
An e-GIF compliant management interface was
provided for the manipulation of the various repository data
items.
A tool was provided that enabled the construction
of metadata compliant with the West Sussex metadata schema,
in a 'wizard' (question and answer) format. The resultant
metadata provided in a choice of formats including:
- RDF compliant HTML 4.0 (that can subsequently
be pasted into the HTML page)
- eXtensible Mark-up Language (XML) standalone
document
- Format suitable for inclusion in the Information
Repository (and a facility for doing so)
In taking account of the I-MAN project's
deliverables, it is worth noting that the West Sussex Category
List formed part of the West Sussex Metadata Standard. It
is a simple classification scheme, or constrained vocabulary,
for use in adding SUBJECT metadata to public sector resources.
It will provide a directory structure for improved citizen
access to information.
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