Linking Process and Content in a Distributed Spatial Production System

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

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

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

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

5. Metacontent - Fitness for use • content, • ownership, • collection and processing methods, • lineage, • resolution, • accuracy, • spatial location and extent, • temporal location and extent

6. Prospective metacontent what is planned to be done Collection and processing methods, Dynamic metacontent what is being done what was done Ownership, Lineage, Resolution, Accuracy, Spatial location and extent, Temporal location and extent Static metacontent Levels of Metacontent

7. Metacontent Management through the Business Life cycle Prospective Metacontent CUSTOMER Marketing Distribution Planning Production Product Data Management External collection Survey/ internal collection Data Acquisition Static and Dynamic Metacontent

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

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

10. 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. Source integration session operations Source acquisition session operations Product maintenance session operations SESSION CORE Process configuration Workflow Basic Session Operations Task Manager and Scheduler Process tracking and reporting Process Manager Components

12. Automated Task Manager • Allows users to deal with a user task interface instead of computer programs at the command line • 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 • Users only need to specify the user task they want to do and the parameters for this task • Tasks can be re-configured at any point to take advantage of upgrades, without the user needing to know new syntax • Task manager generates metacontent

13. Halifax St John’s Montreal Ottawa Distributed process architecture • Remote collaboration handled through standard distributed database architecture and networking Survey hydrographer Validation hydrographer Cartographer Production Quality Control

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

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

16. CHS Progression • Specific process management tool for production

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

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

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

20. Questions? Pierre Lafond plafond@holonics.ca Henry Kucera hkucera@mercator-sys.com www.holonics.ca