2.1 Principles
The terrestrial ecosystems of the World have been observed and studied for centuries, resulting in massive quantities of data and information in a range of formats and media. It is also true that GTOS has, and will always have, limited resources available to perform its functions. These two realities mean that GTOS must carefully circumscribe its scope, and be ruthlessly practical in approaching data and information management. This leads to establishing a series of practical principles to guide policy and actions.
2.1.1 GTOS Facilitates Information Exchange and Use
GTOS is a facilitator, not a collector or "owner" of data. It serves to facilitate and co-ordinate the collection, exchange, processing, integration, and archiving of relevant data, and to promote the generation and use of the data and information products.
2.1.2 Build on Existing Networks and Procedures
GTOS must rely on building co-operative partnerships to achieve its objectives in all areas, including those relating to data and information.
Existing institutions and networks will have data and information management policies and procedures in place and it is most unlikely that these will be easily put aside in favour of any directives imposed by GTOS. The approach has to be of building on existing data and information management practices by ensuring that their practices are compatible with GTOS aims. In some instances, existing practices may be deficient and partnership with GTOS will stimulate improvement to the advantage of the new GTOS participant.
In other cases, practices will be very much in line with GTOS principles and may have features which could be adopted to lead to improvement of GTOS overall. Thus while GTOS principles and high-level policies should be established and agreed upon, the implementation will use evolving guidelines rather than a rigid framework.
2.1.3 Build on Existing Institutions
GTOS does not seek to be a new and separate agency, but rather to form linkages with existing data repositories and centres of expertise in information processing and archiving. This means, more specifically that no GTOS "Computer Centre" is to be considered. Not only is it unlikely to be cost-effective, but modern methods of electronic data exchange make it unnecessary.
2.1.4 Use Appropriate Technology
GTOS should employ commonly accepted "good practices" in information management, using, as far as possible, internationally accepted standards for both data and systems technology. This means that GTOS will not seek to be "on the cutting edge" of information technology, but would follow the cutting edge by applying proven widely-used technology, particularly taking advantage of methods to exchange information between disparate systems brought about by the advent of Internet and telecommunications standard interchange protocols and formats.
2.1.5 Allow for Evolution
GTOS data and information management guidelines and related action plans must be subject to frequent review for appropriateness and thereby continuously evolve to stay in harmony with changing overall GTOS plans and policies, and with advancing technology.
2.2 Conceptual Framework
2.2.1 Data and Information
Information scientists often make a clear distinction between "data" (facts that result from measurements or observations of a phenomenon) and "information" (derived from data through assembly, analysis, interpretation or summarisation into a meaningful form). In day-to-day usage the distinction is much less clear. In the context of information systems it is common to use "data" for the input to any process and call the output "information" - which may then subsequently be the "data" that is input into the next process and so on. One agency’s information (or "information product") is another’s data, even though it may be far removed from the initial raw scientific measurement.
Figure 1 illustrates this, with data at the base of the triangle and, moving towards the apex, information is generated from data as they are processed, manipulated, summarised, etc. At any level, do you have data or information? The figure also illustrates that in moving "up" the triangle:
i) the data (or information) volume is likely to decrease
ii) the nature of the user will change
iii) subjectivity increases
iv) it will take time and resources to move from data to information.
One of the main information management functions of GTOS is to facilitate the move up the triangle - to help transform raw scientific observation into global syntheses suitable for decision making and early-warning.
2.2.2 GTOS Products
The GTOS Plan states that:
outputs will range from basic data sets of the variables observed, through transformed, derived and generated data that are in forms more easily handled by specific user groups, to technical assessments of the state and trend of particular environmental factors, situations or areas.
In essence, this means that GTOS products may come from any point in the path shown in Figure 1, i.e. a product may be a primary dataset (at the base of the triangle) or some output developed from such datasets.
Given that GTOS is envisaged as a facilitator, all products will come as a result of co-ordination and promotion of activities among GTOS partners. There needs to be clear agreement between all participants as to what will be designated GTOS products and what such designation involves. It is not intended to usurp ownership in any way - that will remain with the appropriate GTOS partner and will be acknowledged as such.
The attaching of a GTOS "label" to a product must imply that the product has been judged to meet GTOS needs and, in the case of datasets, that they are in fact "high-quality, compatible, comparable, reliable". The success of GTOS will depend on products meeting these high standards and therefore some formal procedure to ensure that is achieved needs to be established (see Sec 8, and Appendix 1). This is envisaged to be along the lines of a "sign-off" mechanism through the Secretariat.
2.2.3 Data Management Framework
In moving towards defining its own role, the JDIMP listed the following elements in an overall view of the "end-to-end" data management process for the three Observing Systems, from defining needs through scientific and political priorities to long-term delivery of products. Science issues and political issues are the driving forces behind the required applications and define which variables are of concern to the three Observing Systems. Measurements are made i.e. new data collected through the definition of observing procedures, the types of instruments, required quality control and metadata. Data archaeology is undertaken i.e. existing data reviewed for its utility. Data is assembled and integrated into a database (data processed, additional metadata provided, quality control and datasets from separate sources merged). Products are generated. Data and products are distributed to users. Archive procedures are undertaken to preserve the various levels of data and information (with the required metadata) for future use. Metadata products, such as data inventories, are also generated.
The Joint Panel then identified those elements for which they - a Data and Information Management body - would take primary responsibility, and those for which the Data and Information aspects were more of a secondary, and supportive, nature. For instance, archiving procedures are seen as being a clear Data and Information responsibility, whereas defining overall requirements (issues, applications, variables to be measured) is the responsibility of the various Science Panels. In almost all cases however, it is important to have both scientific and information management expert input to ensure feasible and practical approaches to systems.
Figure 2 focuses on those elements of the end-to-end process most relevant to the content of this GTOS Plan and which will be the main issues to be kept under consideration by a Data and Information Working Group and/or Panel. The figure shows that archiving, quality management and data and information distribution are activities that may occur at any point in the process. It should also be noted that metadata, mentioned above but not explicit in the figure, is a vital element of the data management framework.
2.3 Structure of the Data and Information Plan
The GTOS Data and Information Plan is structured into three components - process elements, GTOS data management activities, and GTOS support.
The first, process elements, addresses the mechanisms required to enable implementation of the Plan, outlining what is in place now, discussing requirements and proposing actions to be taken (Section 3).
The second, GTOS data management, covers the range of activities, functions and processes required for the management of GTOS data and information, in the framework described above. It is divided into a number of basic elements, not totally independent, but intended to provide a convenient structure for presentation and discussion. These are:
User Requirements for Data and Information
Custodianship of Data and Information
Access and Release of Data and Information Products
Metadata
Data Quality
Data Harmonisation
Archiving
For each, there is a brief statement of the recommended GTOS policy, followed by discussion of the issues, and list of actions needed for implementation (Sections 4-10).
The third, GTOS support, deals with data management activities which GTOS must undertake as part of its own operations e.g. management of the TEMS database (Section 11).
All the action items identified in Sections 3 to 11 are brought together in an implementation plan that specifies detailed tasks to be undertaken (see Section 12). It is expected that the principles and policies identified will evolve over time, requiring some update as conditions change. This evolution will be, however, fairly slow - perhaps following a review every three years. On the other hand, the tasks required will change more quickly as implementation proceeds. It is expected that the policy and guidelines resulting from completed action items will eventually be incorporated into a GTOS Data and Information Management Handbook. The evolving work programme forms part of the overall GTOS action plan.
