Strategic Information Management: The Roles of XML, StratML & Records Management

Owen AmburCo-Chair Emeritus, xmlCoP & Member, FIRM Board

Presentation to Tim Sprehe’s ClassUniversity of Maryland

April 19, 2007

Agenda

• Extensible Markup Language (XML)• Strategy Markup Language (StratML)• Records Management– Attributes of a Record (ISO 15489)– Management & Metadata (ANSI/AIIM/ARMA TR-48)– DoD Standard 5015.2

• FEA Data Reference Model (DRM)• Human Factors (If time permits)– Records Management Metrics

XML

• W3C Recommendation– http://www.w3.org/XML/ – http://www.w3.org/TR/2006/REC-xml11-20060816/

• General-purpose markup language– <Syntax>– Facilitate data sharing across orgs & systems– International lingua franca

• Open, nonproprietary– No software dependencies

XML CoP, xml.gov & ET.gov

• Two proposals made in February 2000– Render .gov forms & gather data in XML– XML metatags to categorize/manage .gov records

http://xml.gov/documents/completed/genesis.htm

• Current charter & history– http://xml.gov/documents/completed/charter.htm– http://xml.gov/documents/completed/history.htm

• Emerging Technology site/process– http://et.gov/history.htm

StratML• Original proposal to AIIM

– Specifying an XML Schema for Strategic Plans: The First Step toward the Strategic Management of Documents/Records/Contenthttp://www.xml.gov/draft/AIIMProjectProposalXSDforStrategicPlans.htm

• Value Proposition– Standardize expression of .gov agency goals & objectives– Citizens would no longer have to translate differing terms used by

agencies to describe same strategic planning and performance concepts– Mapping (linkage) of actions (i.e., records) to strategic goals and

objectives– Enhanced application of content for reporting and research– More efficient/intuitive search/discovery of strategic plans, actions, and

records, as well as potentially sharable services and strategic alignmentshttp://xml.gov/documents/completed/gpo/stratml.pdf

• StratML CoP– Adam Schwartz of GPO co-chairing– https://collab.core.gov/CommunityBrowser.aspx?id=6232

ISO 15489

• International standard for records management– Attributes of a record• Authenticity• Reliability• Integrity• Usability

– Attributes = metadata• XML metatags• Readily share metadata

– Search, discovery, aggregation, analyses, etc.

Metadata

• In the context of electronic information systems, Management = Metadata– Management functions can be automated based

upon metadata

• ANSI/AIIM/ARMA TR-48-2006– Document/records management metadata

DoD Std. 5015.2

• Legal, logical & technical requirements for ERMS• Endorsed by NARA for use by all .gov agencies• DoD certification process– Product register

• Agencies failing to use certified products are either:– Risking failure to meet legal requirements, or– Reinventing the standard & certification process• At needless cost to the taxpayers

DRM• Data Description

– Attributes of the data (implicit metadata, made explicit)• Data Context

– Taxonomies (external metadata)– Such as strategic goals & objectives (StratML & FEA PRM)

• Data Sharing– “Exchange packages”

• Transaction sets• Documents/records

“As one example, the Exchange Package concept in the Data Sharing standardization area may be represented via different messaging standards (e.g. eXtensible Markup Language (XML) schema, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) transaction set) in a concrete system architecture for purposes of information sharing.”

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/egov/a-5-drm.html

Human Factors• Memory

– The Seven Sins of Memory: How the Mind Forgets and Remembers, Daniel Schacter

• Lies– Lies! Lies! Lies! The Psychology of Deceit, Charles Ford

• Irrationality– Everyday Irrationality: How Pseudo-Scientists, Lunatics, and the Rest of

Us Systematically Fail to Think Rationally, Robyn Dawes

• Naturalistic decision-making– Sources of Power: How People Make Decisions, Gary Klein

• More– http://mysite.verizon.net/ambur/index.html#recordkeeping

RM Metrics• What gets measured gets done• Euphemisms

– Transparency– Internal Controls– Governance

• Good records appropriately shared with stakeholders can dramatically reduce, if not eliminate, waste, fraud & abuse

• If business is conducted by electronic means, possible to maintain virtually perfect records … IF we choose to do so– Information can be managed “strategically”

• Link (literally) records to goals & objectives• Metrics required to overcome human factors

– .gov agencies have particular responsibility to keep & share records– FIRM forum at FOSE

More Info

• http://xml.gov • This presentation:– http://xml.gov/documents/completed/firm/20070419.ppt– http://xml.gov/documents/completed/firm/

20070419.htm

• http://et.gov • http://mysite.verizon.net/ambur/ • Owen.Ambur@verizon.net