Resource Data Federation: let's discuss

Data Management
1

We should make some time to talk about the challenges of resource data federation – by which I mean, enabling multiple directory maintainers to collaborate on data management across different information systems.

I think there are technical questions in here (like how to enable cooperation among people with different answers to questions like “what is a service?”) and also governance questions (like how to divide up responsibilities, incentives, conflict resolution etc) although the former might blur into the latter.

We certainly will need more than one conversation to really make progress, but maybe we could just start with a fishbowl discussion among people who have some experience. I’m happy to facilitate.

@klambacher has agreed to participate. I’m sure @skyleryoung will be interested. I also know of at least a couple of groups of people interested in pursuing this path who might not be here, but who I’d invite to listen in and bring questions.

NB: I want to wait for @MikeThacker to get back before picking a date because he’s asked for this for a while.

Who else is interested? What should be on our agenda? What questions would you want such a conversation to consider?

2

I’m definitely in. When is Mike back?

3

When is Mike back?

I’m back now.

4

OK great. I assume that since we’re spanning pacific coast to uk time, we’re looking at the 11a ET hour – sound right?

@klambacher @mikethacker @skyleryoung and anyone else who might be interested, let me know if you have any days in which 11a ET normally doesn’t work.

Next week i’ll schedule something after reaching out to the folks in the field who asked me for this convo.

5

OK I have folks from at least one state eager to join this conversation, so i’m ready to start scheduling.

I’m looking at 11a Eastern during any Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Friday during the last week of March or first week of April. I’ve created a poll here: Doodle

Please fill it out! And let me know if there’s anyone you think i should specifically invite. thank you :slight_smile:

6

OK we have picked March 25th at 11am Eastern for a discussion about resource directory data federation.

We’ll invite some opening remarks from @klambacher and also @skyleryoung. Then we’ll have discussion.

Please help set the agenda in advance: what questions come to mind when you consider the challenges and opportunities for different organizations using different information systems to collaborate in management of shared resource directory data? Please send in the questions you would most like to discuss, and I will try to shape an agenda that is worthwhile to everyone :slight_smile:

7

Hi folks – thanks so much to @klambacher for sharing with us the story of her epic journey through resource data federation. I’ve got notes here (feel free to add or clarify).

I know that several attendees had questions first and foremost about politics and trust and organizational strategy issues, so it was great to hear Kate’s lessons learned about those things. I don’t think we got very far into the technical challenges as pertains to some of our questions about evolving the specification – so I assume we may want at least one more round of discussion on this.

I will first check to see whether the same day/time will work for most folks next week or the week after – so, April 1st or 8th at 11a Eastern. Please let me know if that won’t work for you.

And please also share your observations and questions for the next agenda!

8

Good Afternoon, I am interested in participating in the next conversation(s) if possible please.
To your question about dates, I am available on the dates you mentioned as option (April 1st or 8th at 11a Eastern).
Thanks
Erika (No Wrong Door Virginia)

9

Hi folks – we’re scheduled to resume this conversation at 11a Eastern on tuesday next week.

Now that we’ve heard a real-world story of a federation experience from Kate, I’d like this next conversation to open up a bit to explore the technical and tactical challenges.

I know we have technical questions about structuring identifiers among distributed sources, and provenance metadata.

Also there’s the question of how to establish “official” or “core” or “golden” records that are reliably verified by a designated steward in a way that still enables others to add their own custom data.

We also have questions about structuring governance, and incentives – i.e. how organizations can be equitably compensated for distributed contributions.

What are your questions? Please let me know so we can do a bit of work in advance to shape the agenda :slight_smile:

10

@bloom it would be good to hear:

  • what motivates publishers to keep up-to-date with the latest version of HSDS/HSDA?
  • what additional properties do people add to help their federation? (e.g. Kate mentioned tags to decide what appeared in what outputs)
11

Hi folks – Thanks to those who joined for the time yesterday.

Notes are here: Standing Technical Committee Meeting Notes – Open Referral - Google Docs

I went through to bold the parts that I thought were most significant. I would welcome more comments and key takeaways from you all.

I know that this question pops out at me, and seems relevant to the feedback loop design question, and in turn the metadata specifications:
can/should there be nested (vertical) levels of responsibility? So vertical rather than horizontal redundancy – i.e. local/topical responsibility for record stewardship, overseen/bottom-lined by higher-level umbrella stewardship. (Is vertical vs horizontal the right frame?)

Should we pick up there? Are there other questions you want to discuss next?

I’m going to send out a calendar item to reconvene and continue the discussion for two weeks from now. Let me know if you’d like to keep this going and if that would work for you.