#Hassan#Introduction-Scope-Intended

Owned by Xiaoxia Chen
Last updated: Jun 29, 2021
4 min read

Guidance on Information Management

Abstract

This document provides Best Practices related to information management. The publication and usage of information designed to help support a self-sustaining ecosystem. Information should be discoverable and understandable by humans and machines. Where information is used in some way, whether by the originator of the information or by an external party, such usage should also be discoverable and the efforts of the information publisher recognized. In short, following these Best Practices will facilitate interaction between publishers and consumers.

Introduction

The efficient and effective provision of weather, water, and climate services depend fundamentally on a reliable underpinning data and information infrastructure at the global, regional and national levels, informed by standards and guidance on recommended practices. Such guidance includes recommendations and requirements for sourcing, securing, managing, archiving, exchanging, and providing easy access to data and information.

The principles and Best Practices described below have been developed to encourage and enable National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs), and other entities such as research institutions or data centers, with responsibility for planning and undertaking the creation, stewardship, exchange and provision of weather, water and climate data and information to become increasingly aligned in their use and management of information, drawing their own local strategy and practices from a common set of principles and best-practices.

In broad terms, data publishers aim to share data either openly or with controlled access. Data consumers (who may also be producers themselves) want to be able to find, use and link to the data, especially if it is accurate, regularly updated and guaranteed to be available at all times. This creates a fundamental need for a common understanding between data publishers and data consumers. Without this agreement, data publishers' efforts may be incompatible with data consumers' desires.

In this context, it becomes crucial to provide guidance to data providers and publishers that will improve consistency in the way information is managed. Such guidance will promote the reuse of information and foster trust in the data among developers, whatever technology they choose to use, increasing the potential for genuine innovation.

About the information management

Information management at its simplest is the management and execution of tasks relating to the whole lifecycle of information, including the definition of information requirements as well as information acquisition or production, checking and delivery. 

Managing information effectively and appropriately is essential for NMHS and research institutions or data centres to the delivery of secure, seamless and efficient operational services. It provides the basis for informed decision making and the platform upon which performance can be measured. Modern, knowledge-based service delivery underpinned by effective information architecture and open standards will support National Meteorological and Hydrological Services to build more transparent, trusted and efficient information exchange processes.

The necessity for good information management is heightened further with the move to digital ways of working.  In order to unlock efficiencies and effective use and reuse of information we need to specify, produce, check, approve and exchange information in a consistent and structured manner.  While the use of technology brings many benefits, it relies on these consistent and structured approaches.  The risks generated by poor procurement and management of information delivered digitally could be considered greater than its analogue predecessor via, for example, inappropriate access or distribution of information and security breaches.

Scope

This document aims at providing guidance on generic practices that apply to all forms of scientific data and information. More detailed and domain-specific guidance and regulations will be specified by individual programmes, such as climate, hydrology, weather and marine services.

Six main focus areas are identified and described in the Guidance, representing seven "categories" of Information Management. These are:

  • Information creation or acquisition, including information generation, quality assurance process, documentation, and ensuring there is sufficient planning and resourcing; Data entry/ingest (e.g., checking for data integrity, data expected but not received etc); domain-specific provenance metadata; data supply agreements.

  • Representation and Metadata of the data/information, including data formats, domain-relevant community standards and conventions; contextual metadata; ensuring linkages between the metadata and the data to which they apply; controlled vocabularies; versioning of the data.

  • Quality control and modification: including roles on data and modification procedures as part of the governance procedures. Need to be a process and the ability to modify the data.

  • Publication, including discovery metadata; persistent identifier such as Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs); Catalogues; accessibility to communities outside NMHS by publishing in multiple formats; clear and accessible data licensing; open data versus restrictions.

  • Exchange considerations including readily available and interoperable data and information, standardised communication protocols  

  • Archive/Cache/Disposal, including backup and restoration policy and procedures; mirroring arrangements; data/information synchronisation between original and backup copy; information and integrity verification (mentioned also in Creation); quality control of the data/information; retention policies and procedures, including procedures for disposal; access/modification controls; data/information rescue and technology migration strategies and verifications; storage type, including Cloud; database administration; physical security (natural and manmade hazards, Cyber-security; policy and procedure on decommissioning (including documentation as part of metadata); provenance and versioning.

  • Usage, including guidance on access to/use of the data; limitations; user feedback mechanism; communication strategy for changes to data.

Some overarching requirements that apply to some or all categories include governance, documentation and competencies.

 

Intended audience

The Guidance is primarily aimed at personnel within National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs), and other entities such as research institutions or data centres, with responsibility for planning and undertaking the creation, stewardship, exchange and provision of weather, water and climate data and information. Being high-level guidance, it is not, in general, of a technical nature; more detailed technical guidance can be accessed via linkages and appendices referenced in the text.

Specifically, the guidance will have four main target audiences across the data/information lifecycle chain:

  • Information producers (those who create, acquire and manage the information) or publishers;

  • Information managers

  • Information providers (those responsible for the provision of the information, and for ensuring that appropriate access is enabled, licensing, etc);

  • Information consumers (understanding of the rights, responsibilities etc associated with use of the data);

  • Catalogue provider (maintaining an easy-access guide to data/information availability, and information needed to assess fitness for purpose).

It is also intended that the Guidance will lead to the development of training materials required to ensure that all NMHS and similar entities have access to information about the requirements, best practices and standards, responsibilities and competencies required for effective information management.