2005 MGI ForumLynn Herbert, Manager/Enterprise Information Architecture

Internet Channel Office, E-Channels DivisionService Delivery Branch, Social Development Canada

Managing Metadata to Support Managing Metadata to Support Service ImprovementService Improvement

of the Internet Channelof the Internet Channel

Objectives for today

Metadata tools and strategies to deliver the HRSDC/SDC web site

Transformations and challenges

Some future directions

From 170 sites and silos of information architecture

Consolidation of 170+ sites

Transforming our fragmented Internet presence

None or inconsistent metadata

No applications using metadata

No ability to manage the content and identify duplicates, overlaps, outdated versions, ownership

Into a single Internet Channel site for HRSDC/SDC

• consolidated site launched March 2004, managed by Internet Channel Office

• metadata-driven dynamic linking pages – “topics”

• citizen-centered “doors”

• metadata-enabled ECM tools

• enterprise metadata management - 21 metatags, using Dublin Core

• dynamic and advanced metadata delivery

• GTEC Gold Medal winner 2003

Elements of the metadata info-structure

• Metadata profile and governance:– 21 metatags, using Dublin Core rules– GoC CLF, plus optional standard schemes (audience, type,

geospatial)– HRSDC/SDC-specific (taxonomy)– descriptive and administrative metadata, enhanced by

“delivery” metadata– centralized business and technical management

• Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS):– Verity K2 (2001)– Interwoven (2002)

Elements of the metadata info-structure

• Metatagging tool:– author interface to create and edit metadata– enforced through workflow, with business process for

review/approval– vocabulary management tool

• Metadata indexes and searching:– within the full-text index to enhance free-text search results– within the structured index to filter results (as in the dynamic

topics pages)– combining both indexes (as on the HRSDC/SDC search

page)

Maximizing the strategic use of metadata

• site integration with metadata-enabled “doors”• unlimited facet combinations (location, type,

taxonomy value, etc)• metadata-based searches to deliver the dynamic

navigational parts of the web site• over 800 “topics” pages in each language

(linking/menu pages)• English / French page linkages• Contact Us• advanced search• weighting control and topic page sorting• back-end content and site management

Metadata is a service transformation enabler

• Improved service delivery:– predictable metadata syntax and values for dynamic uses– enhanced searching and results weighting and sorting– no linking/menu pages with dead links– target specific user interests and client segments– identifiable information overlaps and gaps

• Improved content quality:– accountability of content ownership and metadata choices– content intelligence and automated metatagging– ensuring metadata governance and quality through workflows– authors can focus efforts on selecting better metadata values, not

on the mechanics of tag standards, syntax or vocabulary development

– enhanced quality control of content

Metadata is a business transformation enabler

• Sustainability:– dynamic “topics” pages replace need to manually maintain

menu pages to content links– saves enormous manual effort– transcends differences in how content owners manage their

content, and how the consumers of that content need to retrieve it

– sustainable service offerings and clusters– scalability and reusability of metadata in HTML source

But metadata requires human and organizational transformation

Organizational Change• governance• evolving workplace vocabulary and concepts

Connecting Technologies and People

Meta-whata? • introducing concept and overcoming resistance• ongoing communications, support and training

People are the key, technology is the enabler

Make tech work for business

• phase tool development• demonstrate value of technology

Managing Metadata

Key requirements for successful metadata

management

• Governance of metadata• Processes and resources• Expertise• Culture Shift• Technical infrastructure and

tools

• Multiple “views” to present horizontal and vertical information

• Content intelligence

• Change management tools and processes

Evolving E-Government environment

GoC priorities Service Canada GoL Clusters funding TBS Metadata Working Group and Strategy GoC CMS Functional Working Group CMS Metadata Working Group Evolving vocabularies and schemes

How SDC does it - ICO metadata governance

• coordination of business authors and liaison with metadata technical team

• metadata profile and vocabularies• information architecture and topics pages• metatagging guides development and training support• metatagging review and revise• search expertise• develop stored searches for use in dynamic portion of site• align with Service Canada vision• assure harmonization with GoC CMS and clusters metadata • team participates in GoC Metadata Working Group and multiple

sub-groups• Chair of upcoming CMS Metadata WG• ongoing communications to aid metadata adoption in

organization (horizontally as well as vertically)

Challenges in managing metadata usage

• Author-related issues:– understanding - some “get it” and some don’t – poor metadata value selections – always either too many, not

enough or too much the same– failure to review auto-generated metadata– should tagging be done by business authors or experts?

• Some quality control solutions:– English/French consistency reports– chart for number of links per dynamic topic page– taxonomy usage and review– Type and Location metatag usage reports– quality of descriptions or titles monitoring/editing– ongoing documentation, training and support– managing expectations– showing authors the “why” of metadata is most effective

Challenges in managing metadata change

• Metadata implementation has a set of challenges• But metadata must be managed in order to be flexible and

adaptive for continuous service improvement and expansion • And managing the metadata and its change requirements over

time has a different set of challenges

• Change process:– Balancing stability with flexibility– change a tag or vocabulary (add, edit, delete)– then modify all supporting files in ECM (XML, lookup, stored queries, topics

pages processor)– analyze impact of change on existing content and develop plan for

modification– plan change with Systems and business authors– tools exist only for managing the vocabularies, not for changing all the

supporting files and accommodating change in existing content

Internet is a key Service Delivery Channel

And metadata will play a key role in the future of

service delivery Efficient and effective way to deliver seamless citizen-centric services

GoC enterprise service offerings

Clusters sustainability and GoC CMS

Separate policy/program information from service information

Tailor information to meet different jurisdictional levels

Deliver information across channels for use by intermediaries and support personnel

Continuous improvement

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Other (parks, libraries,

police, etc.

Mail

Phone

Officevisit

Kiosk

*Internet /email

Service Quality Rating (0 - 100)

The Internet channel is rated highest by Canadians for service quality compared to all other channels used for interacting with government

Sources: MSC Profile of the Internet Channel, draft - December 16,2003, p.22; Measuring Government On-Line – take-up and channel management, draft – January 6, 2004, pp. 19-21

What does the future hold?

• information in content objects instead of documents, for repurposing and reuse

• will require metadata at the content object level, and increase issues of metadata management

• tools for managing the metadata, not just for creating and searching metadata - will be a necessity, not a luxury

• managing metadata across applications, content repositories, clusters, search interfaces, etc

• web services• GoC standards for CMS, metadata• tag consistently across departments for Service Canada and

clusters offerings

Please Visit Us @

www.hrsdc.gc.ca and

www.sdc.gc.ca