Current Situation:

Recently the GSIM Implementation Group has agreed to include a new object into the model - Unit Type.

The (draft) definition of this object is: "A Unit Type describes a class of Unit". It is used to describe a group of units for which explicit boundaries and meanings are identified through the Unit Type.

Currently in GSIM we also have the object Logical Record, which is defined as "Describes a type of Unit Data Record for one Unit within a Unit Data Set". In other words, "a Logical Record describes the record using variables of which one or more can uniquely identiy the record (Identifier Component). It represents characteristics of a real or artificially construct Unit, which could be represented by a Concept. The relationships between Logical Records are given by Record Relationships." (GSIM v1.0)

 Suggested Inclusions:

With the inclusion of Unit Type into the Model, it would make sense that when setting up a Logical Record, you could identify which Unit Type that Logical Record represents within the Unit Data Record.

For example, if you had a Data Structure which contained two Logical Record - one of Household data, and one of Person data, this could be shown through links frome ahc Logical Record back to the Household and Person Unit Types.

Potentially, this relationship could also help with other aspects of the Logical Record - the Record Relationship that describes the link between these two Logical Records could build upon the previously documented relationship between the two Unit Types themselves (the proposed Unit Type definition includes a Unit Type references Unit Type relationship). Plus it could give an indication of which variables will be included via the Data Structure Component relationships - the Represented Variables included in this Logical Record would have the same Unit Type associated with them (the Unit Type proposal also included the suggestion to change Variables and Represented Variables to reference Unit Type rather than Population).

Proposal:

Add new relationship to Logical Record, so that it can reference a Unit Type.