In both the DDI and SDMX mapping the naming of the GSIM information object "Representation" has been queried. Representation means something quite different in the standards and perhaps this will cause confusion? 

7 Comments

  1. Jenny Linnerud

    Definition: A "custom-built" artefact that has a consumable (human or machine) format. It is the output of a Dissemination Service. It is what is ultimately delivered to the consumer. 

    Explanatory text:

    A Representation brings together various maintainable artefacts and their related artefacts. It is essentially the application of rules to an artefact (and possibly its related artefacts) which transform the object into a format fit for consumption. This consumption may be something that is understandable to a person or a machine.

    Representation can be in different forms; e.g. tables, graphs, structured data files.

    Examples:

    - A table of data. Based on a Data Set, the related Data Structure is used to label the column and row headings for the table. The Data Set is used to populate the cells in the table. Reference metadata is used to populate footnotes and cell notes on the table. Confidentiality rules are applied to the Data Set to suppress any disclosive cells.

    - A data file based on a standard (e.g. SDMX). - A PDF document describing a Classification.

    - Any structural metadata object expressed in a standard format (e.g. DDI 3.1 XML).

    - A list of Products or services (e.g. a product catalogue or a web services description language (WSDL) file).

    - A web page containing Classifications, descriptions of Variables, etc.

    Synonyms:

    presentation, publication, delivery, product

  2. user-8e470

    DDI Documentation:

    Element - Representation: With optional attributes of measurementUnit, aggregationMethod, additivity

    Usage - Describes how the variable is represented in the data file according to one of the following. Attributes are optional as this information is listed in the NCube when the variable is used as a dimension or attribute of an NCube.

  3. Adam Brown

    Agree that it is confusing to name the current Representation object as such.

    Could we look to a publishing standard of some kind to take inspiration for naming?

     

  4. Jenny Linnerud

    Perhaps Presentation?

    This could be dynamic or static, by a machine or a person.

  5. user-f9ef6

    Agree with Jenny's suggestion "Presentation"

  6. Alistair Hamilton

    Of the four synonyms listed, I prefer "Presentation" too. 

    If we knew that in all cases this object is returned dynamically from a DisseminationService and/or defined through an OutputSpecification then I think we could give the object a more specific name (for example, DynamicallyGeneratedContent).  According to the UML, however, it is a case of "maybe, or maybe not".

  7. Jenny Linnerud

    Recommendation:

    Change the name of Representation to Presentation in the next version of GSIM.