| What is Metadata?
Metadata can be understood as data about data, a tool enabling
users, seekers and owners of information resources to find
and manage them.
What is the Office of the e-Envoy's role?
The OeE is the lead authority for implementing and maintaining
the e-Government Interoperability Framework (e-GIF) and the
e-Government Metadata Standard. It runs the Metadata Working
Group and its sub-groups, acts as a focal point for coordinating
activity, and publishes updates to the Standard, and runs
the Govtalk web site.
The e-GIF version 5 incorporates the earlier Metadata Framework
(e-GMF), and includes metadata policy across the public sector.
Metadata forms part of the information management policy and
structure for joined-up and web-enabled government, for the
UK Online Portal and Gateway, Electronic Service Delivery,
and for Electronic Records Management. The e-Government Metadata
Standard (e-GMS) lists the structure to be followed by the
public sector.
Key points:
- The e-GMS is the result of national and international
consultation and reflects best practice and advice from
experts in both the public and private sectors working the
field.
- The e-GMS adopted the international Dublin Core standard.
- The standards are mandated for many new systems and legacy
information systems.
Main facts
- The e-GMS was published on 7 April 2002, following wide
consultation on the UK GovTalk website. Version two was
published on 16 May 2003.
- Semantic definition of information resources will be achieved
through the Government Category List (GCL), which can be
mapped to existing departmental thesauri and other vocabulary
control tools. GCL version 1.4 is now available on GovTalk.
- The e-GMF applies to all information resources that will
be made available to the public, businesses or other government
departments.
- The e-GMS provides an implementation strategy using the
UK GovTalk™ website as the mechanism for consultation
and communication.
- The principles of e-GIF have been welcomed across the
public sector in the UK, and have raised interest internationally
with foreign governments and the EC.
Recent developments
The e-GMS will be further enhanced to ensure it fully meets
the needs of the UK public sector. The standard is available
on GovTalk.
Documents
The e-Government Metadata Standard and supporting documents
can be accessed on GovTalk within the Interoperability section
under the heading, Metadata. They can be downloaded in either
Adobe Acrobat or RTF format.
Links
>
Government Metadata Standard
>
Government Metadata Framework
>
Government Category List
>
The Dublin Core
>
e-GIF 5
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