Changes for page SDMX 3.0 Standards. Section 1. Framework for SDMX technical standards

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  == 3.1 Process Patterns ==
--SDMX identifies three basic process patterns regarding the exchange of statistical data and metadata. These can be described as follows:
++[[SDMX>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.Statistical data and metadata exchange.WebHome]] identifies three basic process patterns regarding the exchange of statistical data and metadata. These can be described as follows:
 . //Bilateral exchange~:// All aspects of the exchange process are agreed between counterparties, including the mechanism for exchange of data and metadata, the formats, the frequency or schedule, and the mode used for communications regarding the exchange. This is perhaps the most common process pattern.
 . //Gateway exchange~:// Gateway exchanges are an organized set of bilateral exchanges, in which several data and metadata collecting organizations or individuals agree to exchange the collected information with each other in a single, known format, and according to a single, known process. This pattern has the effect of reducing the burden of managing multiple bilateral exchanges (in data and metadata collection) across the sharing organizations/individuals. This is also a very common process pattern in the statistical area, where communities of institutions agree on ways to gain efficiencies within the scope of their collective responsibilities.
 . //Data-sharing exchange~:// Open, freely available data formats and process patterns are known and standard. Thus, any organization or individual can use any counterparty’s data and metadata (assuming they are permitted access to it). This model requires no bilateral agreement, but only requires that data and metadata providers and consumers adhere to the standards.
--This document specifies the SDMX standards designed to facilitate exchanges based on any of these process patterns, and shows how SDMX offers advantages in all cases. It is possible to agree bilaterally to use a standard format (such as SDMX-ML or SDMX-JSON); it is possible for data senders in a gateway process to use a standard format for data exchange with each other, or with any data providers who agree to do so; it is possible to agree to use the full set of SDMX standards to support a common data-sharing process of exchange, whether based on an SDMX-conformant registry or some other architecture.
++This document specifies the [[SDMX>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.Statistical data and metadata exchange.WebHome]] standards designed to facilitate exchanges based on any of these process patterns, and shows how [[SDMX>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.Statistical data and metadata exchange.WebHome]] offers advantages in all cases. It is possible to agree bilaterally to use a standard format (such as [[SDMX-ML>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.SDMX-ML.WebHome]] or [[SDMX-JSON>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.SDMX-JSON.WebHome]]); it is possible for data senders in a gateway process to use a standard format for data exchange with each other, or with any [[data providers>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.Data provider.WebHome]] who agree to do so; it is possible to agree to use the full set of [[SDMX>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.Statistical data and metadata exchange.WebHome]] standards to support a common data-sharing process of exchange, whether based on an [[SDMX>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.Statistical data and metadata exchange.WebHome]]-conformant registry or some other architecture.
--The standards specified here specifically support a data-sharing process based on the use of central registry services. Registry services provide visibility into the data and metadata existing within the community, and support the access and use of this data and metadata by providing a set of triggers for automated processing. The data or metadata itself is not stored in a central registry – these services merely provide a useful set of metadata about the data (and additional metadata) in a known location, so that users/applications can easily locate and obtain whatever data and/or metadata is registered. The use of standards for all data, metadata, and the registry services themselves is ubiquitous, permitting a high level of automation within a data-sharing community.
++The standards specified here specifically support a data-sharing process based on the use of central registry services. Registry services provide visibility into the data and metadata existing within the community, and support the access and use of this data and metadata by providing a set of triggers for automated processing. The data or metadata itself is not stored in a central registry – these services merely provide a useful set of metadata about the data (and additional metadata) in a known location, so that users/applications can easily locate and obtain whatever data and/or metadata is registered. The use of standards for all data, metadata, and the registry services themselves is ubiquitous, permitting a high (% style="color:#2ecc71" %)level(%%) of automation within a data-sharing community.
--It should be pointed out that these different process models are not mutually exclusive – a single system capable of expressing data and metadata in SDMX-conformant formats could support all three scenarios. Different standards may be applicable to different processes (for example, many registry services interfaces are used only in a data-sharing scenario) but all have a common basis in a shared information model.
++It should be pointed out that these different process models are not mutually exclusive – a single system capable of expressing data and metadata in [[SDMX>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.Statistical data and metadata exchange.WebHome]]-conformant formats could support all three scenarios. Different standards may be applicable to different processes (for example, many registry services interfaces are used only in a data-sharing scenario) but all have a common basis in a shared information model.
--In addition to looking at collection and reporting, it is also important to consider the dissemination of data. Data and metadata – no matter how they are exchanged between counterparties in the process of their development and creation – are all eventually supplied to an end user of some type. Often, this is through specific applications inside of institutions. But more and more frequently, data and metadata are also published on websites in various formats. The dissemination of data and its accompanying metadata on the web is a focus of the SDMX standards. Standards for statistical data and metadata allow improvements in the publication of data – it becomes more easily possible to process a standard format once the data is obtained, and the data and metadata are linked together, making the comprehension and further processing of the data easier.
++In addition to looking at collection and reporting, it is also important to consider the dissemination of data. Data and metadata – no matter how they are exchanged between counterparties in the process of their development and creation – are all eventually supplied to an end user of some type. Often, this is through specific applications inside of institutions. But more and more frequently, data and metadata are also published on websites in various formats. The dissemination of data and its accompanying metadata on the web is a focus of the [[SDMX>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.Statistical data and metadata exchange.WebHome]] standards. Standards for statistical data and metadata allow improvements in the publication of data – it becomes more easily possible to process a standard format once the data is obtained, and the data and metadata are linked together, making the comprehension and further processing of the data easier.
--In discussions of statistical data, there are many aspects of its dissemination which impact data quality: data discovery, ease of use, and timeliness. SDMX standards provide support for all of these aspects of data dissemination. Standard data formats promote ease of use, and provide links to relevant metadata. The concept of registry services means that data and metadata can more easily be discovered. Timeliness is improved throughout the data lifecycle by increases in efficiency, promoted through the availability of metadata and ease of use.
++In discussions of statistical data, there are many aspects of its dissemination which impact data quality: data discovery, ease of use, and [[timeliness>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.Timeliness.WebHome]]. [[SDMX>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.Statistical data and metadata exchange.WebHome]] standards provide support for all of these aspects of data dissemination. Standard data formats promote ease of use, and provide links to relevant metadata. The (% style="color:#2ecc71" %)concept(%%) of registry services means that data and metadata can more easily be discovered. [[Timeliness>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.Timeliness.WebHome]] is improved throughout the data lifecycle by increases in efficiency, promoted through the availability of metadata and ease of use.
--It is important to note that SDMX is primarily focused on the //exchange// and //dissemination// of statistical data and metadata. There may also be many uses for the standard model and formats specified here in the context of internal processing of data that are not concerned with the exchange between organizations and users, however. It is felt that a clear, standard formatting of data and metadata for the purposes of exchange and dissemination can also facilitate internal processing by organizations and users, but this is not the focus of the specification.
++It is important to note that [[SDMX>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.Statistical data and metadata exchange.WebHome]] is primarily focused on the //exchange// and //dissemination// of statistical data and metadata. There may also be many uses for the standard model and formats specified here in the context of internal processing of data that are not concerned with the exchange between organizations and users, however. It is felt that a clear, standard formatting of data and metadata for the purposes of exchange and dissemination can also facilitate internal processing by organizations and users, but this is not the focus of the specification.
  == 3.2 SDMX and Process Automation ==
--Statistical data and metadata exchanges employ many different automated processes, but some are of more general interest than others. There are some common information technologies that are nearly ubiquitous within information systems today. SDMX aims to provide standards that are most useful for these automated processes and technologies.
++Statistical data and metadata exchanges employ many different automated processes, but some are of more general interest than others. There are some common information technologies that are nearly ubiquitous within information systems today. [[SDMX>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.Statistical data and metadata exchange.WebHome]] aims to provide standards that are most useful for these automated processes and technologies.
  Briefly, these can be described as:
@@ -181,29 +181,29 @@
 . //Presentation and Transformation of Data~:// In order to make data and metadata useful to consumers, they must support automated processes that transform them into application-specific processing formats, other standard formats, and presentational formats. Although not strictly an aspect of exchange, this type of automated processing represents a set of requirements that must be supported if the information exchange between counterparties is itself to be supported.
--The SDMX standards specified here are designed to support the requirements of all of these automation processes and technologies.
++The [[SDMX>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.Statistical data and metadata exchange.WebHome]] standards specified here are designed to support the requirements of all of these automation processes and technologies.
  == 3.3 Statistical Data and Metadata ==
--To avoid confusion about which "data" and "metadata" are the intended content of the SDMX formats specified here, a statement of scope is offered. Statistical "data" are sets of often numeric observations which typically have time associated with them. They are associated with a set of metadata values, representing specific concepts, which act as identifiers and descriptors of the data. These metadata values and concepts can be understood as the named dimensions of a multi-dimensional co-ordinate system, describing what is often called a "cube" of data.
++To avoid confusion about which "data" and "metadata" are the intended content of the [[SDMX>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.Statistical data and metadata exchange.WebHome]] formats specified here, a statement of scope is offered. Statistical "data" are sets of often numeric observations which typically have time associated with them. They are associated with a set of metadata values, representing specific (% style="color:#2ecc71" %)concepts(%%), which act as identifiers and descriptors of the data. These metadata values and (% style="color:#2ecc71" %)concepts(%%) can be understood as the named [[dimensions>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.Dimension.WebHome]] of a multi-dimensional co-ordinate system, describing what is often called a "cube" of data.
--SDMX identifies a standard technique for modelling, expressing, and understanding the structure of this multi-dimensional "cube", allowing automated processing of data from a variety of sources. This approach is widely applicable across types of data and attempts to provide the simplest and most easily comprehensible technique that will support the exchange of this broad set of data and related metadata.
++[[SDMX>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.Statistical data and metadata exchange.WebHome]] identifies a standard technique for modelling, expressing, and understanding the structure of this multi-dimensional "cube", allowing automated processing of data from a variety of sources. This approach is widely applicable across types of data and attempts to provide the simplest and most easily comprehensible technique that will support the exchange of this broad set of data and related metadata.
--The term "metadata" is very broad indeed. A distinction can be made between “structural” metadata – those concepts used in the description and identification of statistical data and metadata – and “reference” metadata – the larger set of concepts that describe and qualify statistical data sets and processing more generally, and which are often associated not with specific observations or series of data, but with entire collections of data or even the institutions which provide that data.
++The term "metadata" is very broad indeed. A distinction can be made between “structural” metadata – those (% style="color:#2ecc71" %)concepts(%%) used in the description and identification of statistical data and metadata – and “reference” metadata – the larger set of (% style="color:#2ecc71" %)concepts(%%) that describe and qualify statistical [[data sets>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.Data set.WebHome]] and processing more generally, and which are often associated not with specific observations or series of data, but with entire collections of data or even the institutions which provide that data.
--The SDMX Information Model provides for the structuring not only of data, but also of “reference” metadata. While these reference metadata structures exist independent of the data and its structural metadata, they are often linked. The SDMX Information Model provides for the attachment of reference metadata to any part of the data or structural metadata, as well as for the reporting and exchange of the reference metadata and its structural descriptions. This function of the SDMX standards supports many aspects of data quality initiatives, allowing as it does for the exchange of metadata in its broadest sense, of which quality-related metadata is a major part.
++The [[SDMX Information Model>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.SDMX Information Model.WebHome]] provides for the structuring not only of data, but also of “reference” metadata. While these [[reference metadata>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.Reference metadata.WebHome]] structures exist independent of the data and its [[structural metadata>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.Structural metadata.WebHome]], they are often linked. The [[SDMX Information Model>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.SDMX Information Model.WebHome]] provides for the attachment of [[reference metadata>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.Reference metadata.WebHome]] to any part of the data or [[structural metadata>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.Structural metadata.WebHome]], as well as for the reporting and exchange of the [[reference metadata>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.Reference metadata.WebHome]] and its structural descriptions. This function of the [[SDMX>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.Statistical data and metadata exchange.WebHome]] standards supports many aspects of data quality initiatives, allowing as it does for the exchange of metadata in its broadest sense, of which quality-related metadata is a major part.
--Metadata are associated not only with data, but also with the process of providing and managing the flow of data. The SDMX Information Model provides for a set of metadata concerned with “data provisioning” – metadata which are useful to those who need to understand the content and form of a data provider’s output. Each data provider can describe in standard fashion the content of and dependencies within the data and metadata sets which they produce, and supply information about the scheduling and mechanism by which their data and metadata are provided. This allows for automation of some validation and control functions, as well as supporting management of data reporting.
++Metadata are associated not only with data, but also with the process of providing and managing the flow of data. The [[SDMX Information Model>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.SDMX Information Model.WebHome]] provides for a set of metadata concerned with “data provisioning” – metadata which are useful to those who need to understand the content and form of a [[data provider>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.Data provider.WebHome]]’s output. Each [[data provider>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.Data provider.WebHome]] can describe in standard fashion the content of and dependencies within the data and [[metadata sets>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.Metadata set.WebHome]] which they produce, and supply information about the scheduling and mechanism by which their data and metadata are provided. This allows for automation of some validation and control functions, as well as supporting management of data reporting.
--SDMX also recognizes the importance of classification schemes in organizing and managing the exchange and dissemination of data and metadata. It is possible to express information about classification schemes and domain categories in SDMX, along with their relationships to data and metadata sets, as well as to categorize other objects in the model.
++[[SDMX>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.Statistical data and metadata exchange.WebHome]] also recognizes the importance of classification schemes in organizing and managing the exchange and dissemination of data and metadata. It is possible to express information about classification schemes and domain [[categories>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.Category.WebHome]] in [[SDMX>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.Statistical data and metadata exchange.WebHome]], along with their relationships to data and [[metadata sets>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.Metadata set.WebHome]], as well as to categorize other objects in the model.
--The SDMX standards offer a common model, a choice of syntax and, for XML, a choice of data formats which support the exchange of any type of statistical data meeting the definition above; several optimized formats are specified based on the specific requirements of each implementation, as described below in the SDMX-ML section.
++The [[SDMX>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.Statistical data and metadata exchange.WebHome]] standards offer a common model, a choice of syntax and, for XML, a choice of data formats which support the exchange of any type of statistical data meeting the definition above; several optimized formats are specified based on the specific requirements of each implementation, as described below in the [[SDMX-ML>>doc:xwiki:Glossary.SDMX-ML.WebHome]] section.
  The formal objects in the information model are presented schematically in Figure 1, and are discussed in more detail elsewhere in this document.
  [[image:SDMX 3-0-0 SECTION 1 FINAL-1.0_en_a3e7967f.png||height="921" width="629"]]
--Figure 1: High Level Schematic of Major Artefacts in the SDMX 3.0 Information Model
++**Figure 1: High Level Schematic of Major Artefacts in the SDMX 3.0 Information Model**
  == 3.4 The SDMX View of Statistical Exchange ==