Skip to main content

INSPIRE metadata: conformity class

Published on: 10/05/2013 Discussion Archived

INSPIRE metadata include a statement concerning the conformity of a resource wrt a given implementing rule and, possibly, other specifications.

This is denoted by two elements:

  • specification: it denotes the implementing rule / specification the resource should conform to
  • degree (of conformity): it denotes whether
    • the resource is conformant, or
    • the resource is not conformant, or
    • conformity has not been verified

The use case for this feature basically depends on the characteristics of the “specification” a resource should conform to. E.g.:

  • If it refers to a data schema, all resources conformant with such specification are supposed to be interoperable. In such a case, users (including software agents) can use this information to identify the subset of relevant resources that can be aggregated and/or manipulated consistently
  • If it refers to a specification defining rules or best practices for data acquisition and manipulation, information on conformity may provide information about the quality of a resource.

As far as I know, there’s no existing vocabulary providing terms to model the INSPIRE notion of conformity degree. However, to specify that a resource is conformant with a given specification, two possible candidates are available from DCTerms and the Public Service Core Vocabulary:

  • dct:conformsTo
  • cpsv:follows

Considering their range (respectively, dct:Standard and cpsv:Rule) I’m not sure which of them is the more appropriate.

Component

Documentation

Category

feature

Comments

Makx DEKKERS
Makx DEKKERS Fri, 10/05/2013 - 15:54

This is an issue that requires more discussion in the Working Group. For the time being, I will not make any changes to the AP document that is being prepared for public review. We can discuss this on Joinup and on the call scheduled for 12 June. The resolution of this issue can be reflected in the version to be produced after that call.

Andrea PEREGO
Andrea PEREGO Fri, 10/05/2013 - 17:02

BTW; meanwhile, I would be grateful of any feedback from WG members.

Thanks!

Makx DEKKERS
Makx DEKKERS Tue, 09/07/2013 - 11:35
Consideration If there is a substantial collection of datasets (based on the INSPIRE implementation rules) that have this information, it may be useful to add such a property.   Proposed resolution Add dct:conformsTo to Dataset   Proposed action Update specification, adding dct:Standard (defined as “A basis for comparison; a reference point against which other things can be evaluated”) to the optional  classes in section 6.3 and dct:conformsTo to the list of optional properties in section 7.3.3.