Name and version: SDMX Content-Oriented Guidelines, Annex 1: Cross-Domain Concepts (2009 version)

Alternative name: Cross-Domain Concepts

Valid: From 2009

Description: Cross-Domain Concepts describe concepts relevant to many statistical domains. The use of these concepts is recommended to promote re-usability and exchange of statistical information and their related metadata between organizations.

Cross-Domain Concepts are part of the SDMX Content-oriented Guidelines and are used in:

• Data structure definitions, which define the valid content of data sets;
• Metadata structure definitions, which define the valid content of metadata sets;
• Data and metadata messages used for the exchange of data and metadata.

Cross-Domain Concepts have three basic roles:

• As Dimensions in a data structure definition, used to identify each statistical observation (for example, a dimension named "Reference Area" would explain which country a specific standard observation refers to);
• As Attributes in a data structure definition, qualifying the data further (for example, an attribute named "Unit of Measure" might provide information about whether statistical data are measured in currency units, and if so which currency, or as a pure number);
• As Attributes in a metadata structure definition to report metadata about, for example, a data flow, using concepts like timeliness, reference period or data compilation. 

Intended use: Any organization providing information about statistical data uses a set of metadata concepts (e.g. frequency of dissemination, reference area, timeliness, type of source data) in order to present the characteristics and quality of the data. Interoperability between data providers will be enhanced when the same concepts are used by many exchange partners and across statistical domains. This is the reason why SDMX recommends the use of this set of common concepts.

Maintenance organization: SDMX consortium

ISO Standard Number: not applicable

References:

SDMX Cross-Domain Concepts: http://sdmx.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/01_sdmx_cog_annex_1_cdc_2009.pdf

SDMX Content-oriented Guidelines: http://sdmx.org/?page_id=11

Relationships to other standards: The concepts included in Cross-Domain Concepts are a subset of the concepts in SDMX Metadata Common Vocabulary.

Language: English

Template last updated / validated: 25/9/2009