Arctic Forum 2006

Information InfrastructurePrinciples, Components and Thoughts Regarding II for

the Support of Scientific Research

1. Information Infrastructure – Background and Principles

2. Components3. Special Needs, Issues and Challenges for II in

Scientific Communities4. Thoughts About the Road Ahead

Local/Regional/NationalSpatial Data

Infrastructures

Local/Regional/NationalSpatial Data

Infrastructures

Department GISDepartment GIS

Enterprise GISEnterprise GIS

Project GISProject GIS

GIS EvolutionGIS Evolution

Region YRegion Y

Organization

X

Organization

X

Institution

Z

Institution

Z

Person APerson A

Department

M

Department

M

Etc.Etc.

Data

Data

Data

Data

Data

Data

Data

DataData

DataData

Data Is The Single Most Significant Investment

Data Is The Single Most Significant Investment

Dat

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ata

Har

dw

are

Har

dw

are

Sof

twar

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oftw

are

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DataData

Data Value Can Be Leveraged Among Many Applications

Data Value Can Be Leveraged Among Many Applications

Utility Management

Utility Management

Disaster PlanningDisaster Planning

Urban PlanningUrban

Planning

Land RecordsLand

Records

Public HealthPublic Health

Etc.Etc.

A geographic information revolution is occurring…A geographic information revolution is occurring…

Spatial Data Infrastructure

(SDI)

SDI as a principle recognizes GIS data as a fundamental infrastructure component for national physical, cultural and economic development, akin to highways, telecommunications networks and educational facilities.

Transportation

Electricity

Telecommunications

Education

SDI

What is an SDI?What is an SDI?

National Spatial Data

Initiative (U.S.)

Permanent Committee on GIS Infrastructure for

Asia and the Pacific

European Union INSPIRE

Australian Spatial Data

Infrastructure

Growing Number of Regional Initiatives

Qatar National GIS

Oman National GIS

Global Spatial Data

Initiative

Libya Spatial Data Infrastructure

Kuwait SDI

19901980 2000

100 Countries Are Now Developing SDI At Some Level

50 Countries Have Signed To Participate in Global Spatial Data Infrastructure

The Community Is Growing Every Year

100 Countries Are Now Developing SDI At Some Level

50 Countries Have Signed To Participate in Global Spatial Data Infrastructure

The Community Is Growing Every Year

What is an SDI?

SDI is a Framework……….

Standards

Policies

Organization

Technology

….for sharing geospatial data

MetadataFGDS

Technology

PortalServicesNetwork

LegalFinancialTechnical

ExecutiveTechnical

FGDS CustodianAgency Enterprise

International SDI experience very valuable, and many “targets” are the same……………….

Standards

Policies

Organization

Technology

MetadataFGDS

Technology

PortalServicesNetwork

LegalFinancialTechnical

ExecutiveTechnical

FGDS CustodianAgency Enterprise

……but approach has to be tailored to the special needs of every “community”.

Standards

Policies

Organization

Technology

MetadataFGDS

Technology

PortalServicesNetwork

LegalFinancialTechnical

ExecutiveTechnical

FGDS CustodianAgency Enterprise

Metadata

…a catalog that contains data about data……

SDI Network Enables …

Search, Discovery, and Brokering of

access to geospatial resources

DataApplications

Web sitesDocuments

Metadata Plays an Integrating RoleMetadata Plays an Integrating Role

MetadataDiscovery metadata - What data sets hold the sort of data I am interested in? This enable organisations to know and publicise what data holdings they have.

Exploration metadata - Do the identified data sets contain sufficient information to enable a sensible analysis to be made for my purposes? This is documentation to be provided with the data to ensure that others use the data correctly and wisely. Exploitation metadata - What is the process of obtaining and using the data that are required? This helps end users and provider organisations to effectively store, reuse, maintain and archive their data holdings.

MetadataSeveral Geospatial Metadata “Standards”

• FGDC• OGC• ISO

Other Related Metadata “Standards”

• MARC• Dublin Core

MetadataEmerging Extensions in Various “Communities of Practice”

• Natural Resource Science• Engineering• Many others and growing………..

Standards

Policies

Organization

Technology

MetadataFGDS

Technology

PortalServicesNetwork

LegalFinancialTechnical

ExecutiveTechnical

FGDS CustodianAgency Enterprise

FGDS

…Fundamental Geospatial Data Sets (FGDS) data topics that are needed in common by many stakeholders……

Standards

Policies

Organization

Technology

MetadataFGDS

Technology

PortalServicesNetwork

LegalFinancialTechnical

ExecutiveTechnical

FGDS CustodianAgency Enterprise

FGDS

• Topics• Scale• Content• Format

National Information Infrastructure

Spatial Data Infrastructure

National Statistics and

Indicators

ITC National Computing

and Network Infrastructure

Other

Growing recognition that SDI is part of a larger societal issue

What Are the Common Components of NII??

What Are the Common Components of NII??

Standards

Policies

Organization

Technology

Many Commonalities and Dependencies

Information sharing “federations” are

happening all over the world in many different ways,

shapes, forms, and levels of organization

Many Geographic and Topical

“Communities of Interest and Practice”

There has already been huge international investment in the development of

general purpose “framework” data, methods and tools

There has already been huge international investment in the development of

general purpose “framework” data, methods and tools

Large numbers of environmental management organizations are developing

new and innovative methods, tools and data standards on top of this infrastructure

Large numbers of environmental management organizations are developing

new and innovative methods, tools and data standards on top of this infrastructure

Use of IS/GIS, and the formation of data sharing

networks by scientific research communities is still

highly variable

Use of IS/GIS, and the formation of data sharing

networks by scientific research communities is still

highly variable

2001 Arctic GIS Workshop and White Paperhttp://www.arcus.org/gis/2001_Workshop.html

Benefits to ScienceBenefits to Science

2001 Arctic GIS Workshop and White Paperhttp://www.arcus.org/gis/2001_Workshop.html

Some Special NeedsSome Special NeedsSoftware tools need to be extended to fit research needs

Data model ontologies need re-thinking

Dynamic modeling and simulation tools require more integrative capabilities

Better integration with monitoring and measurement technologies needed

Recognition of data collection and publishing as a valid scientific pursuit

Need stronger partnerships and collaboration with the GIScience, SDI and Information Science communities (among others)

US National Academy of Science’s Polar Research Board Arctic Observing

System (AOS) PanelCircumarctic

Environmental Observatories Network

(CEON) Study of Environmental

Arctic Change (SEARCH)

International Study of Arctic Change (ISAC),

Arctic Ocean Observing System (AOOS)

Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA)

Various IPY Initiatives

Arctic Research Planning (ICARP II)

Environmental Agencies Have Environmental Agencies Have Broad NeedsBroad Needs

Baseline reconnaissanceIssue identification and characterizationKnowledge and data gap discoveryField data collection program designField data collectionRemotely sensed data collectionRaw data processing and verificationData synthesis and analysisData derivation and extrapolation

Environmental Agencies Have Environmental Agencies Have Broad NeedsBroad Needs

Resource inventory and mappingMonitoring and assessmentEcosystem behavior simulation Indicator measurement and trend analysisPermit issuance and trackingViolation tracking and enforcementPollution tracking and assessmentCatastrophic pollution contingency planning and responseEcosystem science knowledge managementPolicy/management decision support

Supporting a Science-Based Environmental Agency With GIS

and Related Information Technologies Is A Special

Challenge That Requires Bridging Among Several Disciplines

Supporting a Science-Based Environmental Agency With GIS

and Related Information Technologies Is A Special

Challenge That Requires Bridging Among Several Disciplines

MANAGEMENTMANAGEMENT

POLICYPOLICY SCIENCESCIENCE

DATADATA

METHODSMETHODS TOOLSTOOLS

SCIENCESCIENCE

Most scientists are highly trained and intelligent individualists

Trained to question almost everything

Disdain political considerations and anything “unscientific”

Don’t like to be told what to do,especially by non-scientists

Most are not trained in information science and don’t knowwhat you mean if you tell them that

Are highly protective of their databecause no one else can possibly understandit and will likely use it for inappropriate uses

POLICYPOLICY

Most policy makers are highly trained and intelligent individualists

Trained to force everything into rational structures that avoid

pesky questions

Believe policy making is the primary reason for science to exist

Like to tell people what to do,especially scientists

Love scientists and information technology when they support the decisions the policy makers

have already made

MANAGEMENTMANAGEMENT

Most resource managers are highly trained and intelligent individualists

Don’t like to be told what to do, especially by scientists and policy makers

Feel that anything that isn’t “on the ground” is “blue sky”

DATADATA

METHODSMETHODS TOOLSTOOLS

Most information technology Professionals are highly trained and intelligent individualists

Disdain “non-technical” policy makers and scientists. Don’t know enough about resource managers to hate them much

Derive comfort from knowing that no one knows enough to really tell them what to do and know whether

it’s been done or not

Feel that people that don’t have a clearly defined“business case” need to get better organized

Road AheadRoad Ahead

• Continued awareness at many levels among the involved stakeholder communities;• Support of existing and planned research information “federations”;• Build common foundation infrastructure (portals, metadata catalogs, fieldwork infrastructure and catalogs, etc.)• Link to existing geospatial data clearinghouses and networks• Build and strengthen interlinkages among the Arctic research community

In the Internet Age, Information Infrastructure is more about people and

institutions……

…..than it is about technology

MINE!!!MINE!!!…..we constrain its distribution and use

As long as we treat information as a zero-sum game……

We Need A New Paradigm For How We Work Together

Ours!Ours!

CommunicateCoordinateCooperateCollaborate

Are we up to the challenge??

Are we up to the challenge??