Deployment of Digital iD and Data Manifolds

Service Provisions

As a result of the advanced development work undertaken by RWCS for clients using this architecture,  RWCS in conjunction with Systems Ability are now able to offer the provision of advanced DOI RA services, providing leading edge Integrated Handle and portal solutions as an ASP lease services or integrated provision :

The RWCS service provides 3 levels in its architecture hosted using Systems Ability hosting frameworks with advanced use of virtual servers

  • Web Portal: Presentation and Access services to surface your service to the user community
  • Middle Ware : administration and business processing applications
  • DOI / Handle Business data services : Handle ID Manifold and DOI ID data management

These services are deployable in two forms of supply

Solution One : remote fully outsourced

This is aimed for the putative RA who want to have the lowest footprint of cost for setting up reliable DOI services as a IDF DOI Registration Agency : the whole service is operated remotely on behalf of the agency with web based access, using the standardised set of business DOI / Handle functions with web portal presentation customised to client requirements

Solution Two : Services Integrated into existing provision

This is aimed for the putative RA organisation who want to use the advanced RWCS DOI Handle Architecture, and have it fully integrated into its existing IS provision, as core components or as a complete application framework, to operate free standing DOI services as an IDF DOI Registration Agency :

The whole service is operated by the agency with web based access, using the standardised set of business DOI / Handle functions with web portal presentation customised to client requirements, with SLA services from RWCS & Systems Ability

RWCS Configuration / Set-Up of DOI iD & Data Manifold Services

The RWCS approach is broken down into four distinct areas:

  • Architecture: designing the customer iD & Data Manifold framework
  • Construction: building the infrastructure (people and tools) to enable RA to offer services for DOI iD & Data Manifold creation
  • Maintenance: services to enable the creating and updating DOIs
  • Deployment: making use of DOI RA iD & Data Manifold.

Architecture

There are four stages involved in creating for clients a DOI iD & Data Manifold architecture:

  • Context setting
  • Information audit
  • DOI iD & Data Manifold design
  • DOI RA programme strategy

Context setting

In order to understand the requirements of the RA client s its vital to understand the goals, business drivers and resources of the RA client, together with any other
factors which will influence the success of the project.

Typical areas to consider are:

  • stated strategies and policies
  • communities of interest
  • stakeholders
  • resources: budget, staffing, equipment, etc
  • users.

Information audit

The next stage is to look at the RA’s content itself and its CMS environment. Typical questions are:

  • what are the different types of content (reports, emails, spreadsheets, etc), and how much of each type is there?
  • what are the important levels of granularity for each type of content?
  • how is the current content held?
  • what is the authoring process?
  • is there any DOIs attached to the content at all, and if so, who creates it?
  • are there any guidelines or schemas?
  • are any controlled vocabularies or other editorial disciplines used?
  • are there links between and within individual pieces of content?
  • what controls are required for pieces of content? (e.g. version control, access control).

When the scope of the RA DOI service is understood, consideration is then given to recommended schemas and vocabularies. During this stage it is also very important to look at how intended users currently search and navigate for DOI content with use case information.

RWCS DOI iD & Handle Data Manifold design

Once the context has been understood, the requirements are clear, and the current content and processes have been scoped out, it is possible to begin to design the RWCS iD & Data Manifold framework. As mentioned above, if there are existing standards, schemas or vocabularies which are relevant to the content, these should be taken into consideration.

The RWCS iD & Data Manifold framework will contain recommendations for the following:

  • RWCS iD & Data Manifold schema(s): what are the elements and refinements required? Can one schema cover all requirements? Is there a core set of elements which is common to all content types?
  • controlled vocabularies
  • taxonomies
  • id encoding schemes
  • editorial disciplines and best practice
  • identifier strategies
  • levels of information granularity
  • discovery strategies.

Programme strategy :

Once the RWCS iD & Data Manifold framework has been agreed, it will be necessary to draw up a programme strategy to map out every aspect of preparing the organisation and individuals for its introduction and implementation. The programme strategy normally includes the following areas:

  • set-up of organisational structures to support the implementation and use of RWCS supplied DOI iD & Data Manifold
  • RWCS DOI iD & Data Manifold migration strategy, including recommendations for data capture, transformations and mappings
  • process mapping
  • project plan:
  • timetable
  • required resources (internal/external)

people : hardware : software

  • acquisition (or identification), training and management of relevant staff
  • reporting methodology (quantitative and qualitative)
  • dependencies
  • risk assessment

Construction

The construction or service configuration set-up phase of the RWCS DOI iD & Data Manifold Service covers all the activities, tools and resources required to carry out the client’s preferred solution.  The resources, tools and processes in this phase may be used by clients to create their own iD & Data Manifold or by RWCS on the client’s behalf.

The suite of services within the construction phase consists of the following:

  • configuration of Portal, WebPages and business process middleware, RWCS iD & Data Manifold repository, the storage and maintenance of customer iDs & Data Manifolds
  • development of portal WebPages and business processes
  • customisation and integration of specific iD & Data Manifold tools such as taggers, templates, automatic classification software, and automatic summarisation software to facilitate RWCS iD & Data Manifold creation
  • development of vocabularies, including controlled lists, thesauri, taxonomies.
  • development and integration of linking tools to create and manage relationships between and within content
  • employment and training of staff to manage and carry out RWCS iD & Data Manifold creation and maintenance
  • migration of existing RWCS iD & Data Manifold to the new framework
  • mapping of existing schemas, RWCS iD & Data Manifold or vocabularies to integrate with the new framework
  • development, reconfiguration or licensing, and integration of search software
  • set-up and documentation of processes
  • testing of systems, data and processes
  • project management
  • project reviews with the client.

Maintenance

Maintenance covers the actual creation and updating of RWCS iD & Data Manifold, either by the client or by RWCS on behalf of the client.

Where the client is creating its own iD & Data Manifold, RWCS services may include:

  • hosting the RA Portal and the DOI iD & Data Manifold repository
  • ASP service provision of DOI iD & Data Manifold architecture
  • updating associated taxonomies
  • advising on DOI architecture best practice
  • extending DOI iD & Data Manifold framework to accommodate new material or activities.

Where RWCS is providing the DOI Portal iD & Data Manifold Service, the services may additionally include:

  • updating of iD & Data Manifolds
  • linking of related iD & Data Manifolds
  • regular reporting on outputs
  • monitoring of costs..

Deployment

RWCS also offers services around the deployment of iD & Data Manifold, i.e. the facilities required by users of iDs & Data Manifold. Users may be staff deploying the RWCS iD & Data Manifold to help them manage the collection, or anyone wishing to search the collection. Users are expected to be carrying out one or more of the following activities:

  • resource discovery (searching on any element or part thereof; browsing)
  • workflow management (e.g. version control)
  • records management (e.g. identifying documents for disposal)
  • rights management
  • relationship management

About RWCS

 RWCS is one of Europe’s most innovative digital information consultancies on DOI and Handle architectures.  In terms of experience and understanding the knowledge and capability on DOI Registration Architectures Handle services is world class :

Rob Wilson , Founder of RWCS has been working internationally on Identifier and Metadata architectures for over 16 years .

Rob was the 1st Director of the TSO Stationery Office DOI and Metadata service, setting up and establishing the first UK DOI Registration Agency  :  RWCS and its partners  have been the lead agency in setting a up a full strength Gov’t Handle ID service for UK Government at the DFES,  to fully proof and test advanced deployment of Handle™ architecture with integrated web 2.0  / webservices :

The DFES UPID brief is to proof a full strength Handle™ service  of persistent digital identification, & content service applied to critical DFES informations assets,  to derive significant benefit in offering reliable, unambiguous dissemination of information to providers in government and the wider educational communities.

As a result of this kind of innovative work with Handle™ Architecture, RWCS was selected  by the Australian Department of Education, Science Training and USQ to be the lead IA consultants  defining and outlining new digital ID services and policies which are to be based on Cordra www.cordra.net and Handle Architecture.