Metadata usage in the statistical production process (Q1584174)

Information about data is part of the whole statistical production process, encompassing problem formulation, design of surveys, data collection, data evaluation, data analysis and interpretation. For such metainformation different types of classifications and typologies have been proposed. A useful typology by distinguishing conceptual metadata for definition and standardizing statistical concepts, operational metadata for automating statistical activities, logic metadata for storing moving and retrieving data, documentary metadata for the end-user and processing metada about dynamic aspects of statistical processing has been introduced recently. Up to now emphasis was on research in the first four categories and a number of systems have been designed. Only few proposals have been made for organizing and using process metadata in the statistical production process. In this paper, based on the analysis of the statistical production process inside and outside national statistical offices requirements for metadata structures accompanying statistical data are outlined. Furthermore, a transformation model is sketched which allows the use of metadata in production activities and some conceptual issues for the architecture of metadata driven statistical processing systems are discussed.