[GeoNetwork-users] Work flow in the GeoNetwork interface [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

Hockaday_John · July 4, 2011, 1:24am

Hi All,

First of all I don't want to criticise GeoNetwork. I think it is the best CSW around at the moment and it's wonderful work that the developers have done so far. However, ...

What I find extremely frustrating with GeoNetwork interfaces is that it is so hard to see a map of the data. Users want see a map image more than seeing the metadata or downloading the resource but there doesn't seem to be a button to select in the metadata search results page that will add that map to the existing map.

The flow should be search for something, look at the WMS image on the existing map and then download it if the user wants that data. Hence "see metadata", "show map" and "download resource" should be the three major things of equal importance available on the search results page. Of course many resources don't have WMS images but those that do are not that easy to display.

Having nice things like publish to twitter, face book and rate this metadata record is OK but the most important things that a user wants are:

1. what's available (search)

2. what does it look like (show the map)

3. look at metadata and

4. download the data.

In most cases looking at the metadata is the last or second but last thing that a user wants to do when the user wants to find out more about the data yet it is mostly the only thing that one can do with GN interfaces.

Are there any GeoNetwork interfaces where I can do a search and then immediately "show the map"? I'd like to demonstrate this to some toffs to show that GN is a really good tool for users and not just a presentation of developers skills.

Thanks in advance for any useful GN interfaces.

John Hockaday
Spatial Standards Group (OSDM)
GPO Box 378
Canberra ACT 2601
(02) 6249 9735
http://www.osdm.gov.au/
john.hockaday\@osdm.gov.au

Heikki_Doeleman · July 4, 2011, 11:12am

hi John,

What I find extremely frustrating with GeoNetwork interfaces is that it is

so hard to see a map of the data. Users want see a map image more than
seeing the metadata or downloading the resource but there doesn't seem to be
a button to select in the metadata search results page that will add that
map to the existing map.

What about the button "interactive map" ? (see screenshot here
http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=6qyud3&s=7). When clicked, it adds the map
to the existing map. Or is this not what you are talking about?

Kind rehards
Heikki Doeleman

On Mon, Jul 4, 2011 at 2:24 AM, <john.hockaday@anonymised.com> wrote:

Hi All,

First of all I don't want to criticise GeoNetwork. I think it is the best
CSW around at the moment and it's wonderful work that the developers have
done so far. However, ...

What I find extremely frustrating with GeoNetwork interfaces is that it is
so hard to see a map of the data. Users want see a map image more than
seeing the metadata or downloading the resource but there doesn't seem to be
a button to select in the metadata search results page that will add that
map to the existing map.

The flow should be search for something, look at the WMS image on the
existing map and then download it if the user wants that data. Hence "see
metadata", "show map" and "download resource" should be the three major
things of equal importance available on the search results page. Of course
many resources don't have WMS images but those that do are not that easy to
display.

Having nice things like publish to twitter, face book and rate this
metadata record is OK but the most important things that a user wants are:

1. what's available (search)

2. what does it look like (show the map)

3. look at metadata and

4. download the data.

In most cases looking at the metadata is the last or second but last thing
that a user wants to do when the user wants to find out more about the data
yet it is mostly the only thing that one can do with GN interfaces.

Are there any GeoNetwork interfaces where I can do a search and then
immediately "show the map"? I'd like to demonstrate this to some toffs to
show that GN is a really good tool for users and not just a presentation of
developers skills.

Thanks in advance for any useful GN interfaces.

John Hockaday
Spatial Standards Group (OSDM)
GPO Box 378
Canberra ACT 2601
(02) 6249 9735
http://www.osdm.gov.au/
john.hockaday\@osdm.gov.au

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All of the data generated in your IT infrastructure is seriously valuable.
Why? It contains a definitive record of application performance, security
threats, fraudulent activity, and more. Splunk takes this data and makes
sense of it. IT sense. And common sense.
http://p.sf.net/sfu/splunk-d2d-c2
_______________________________________________
GeoNetwork-devel mailing list
GeoNetwork-devel@lists.sourceforge.net
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/geonetwork-devel
GeoNetwork OpenSource is maintained at
http://sourceforge.net/projects/geonetwork

Jose_Garcia · July 4, 2011, 11:57am

Hi John

To show the Interactive map button in the search results, your metadata
requires the online resources properly filled (see this:
http://geonetwork-opensource.org/manuals/2.6.4/users/quickstartguide/new_metadata/index.html#linking-wms-online-resources
).

Also for the data to download you can check in the manual how to manage (
http://geonetwork-opensource.org/manuals/2.6.4/users/quickstartguide/new_metadata/index.html#linking-data-for-download
)

Regards,
Jose García

On Mon, Jul 4, 2011 at 1:12 PM, heikki <tropicano@anonymised.com> wrote:

hi John,

>What I find extremely frustrating with GeoNetwork interfaces is that it is
so hard to see a map of the data. Users want see a map image more than
seeing the metadata or downloading the resource but there doesn't seem to be
a button to select in the metadata search results page that will add that
map to the existing map.

What about the button "interactive map" ? (see screenshot here
http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=6qyud3&s=7). When clicked, it adds the map
to the existing map. Or is this not what you are talking about?

Kind rehards
Heikki Doeleman

On Mon, Jul 4, 2011 at 2:24 AM, <john.hockaday@anonymised.com> wrote:

Hi All,

First of all I don't want to criticise GeoNetwork. I think it is the best
CSW around at the moment and it's wonderful work that the developers have
done so far. However, ...

What I find extremely frustrating with GeoNetwork interfaces is that it is
so hard to see a map of the data. Users want see a map image more than
seeing the metadata or downloading the resource but there doesn't seem to be
a button to select in the metadata search results page that will add that
map to the existing map.

The flow should be search for something, look at the WMS image on the
existing map and then download it if the user wants that data. Hence "see
metadata", "show map" and "download resource" should be the three major
things of equal importance available on the search results page. Of course
many resources don't have WMS images but those that do are not that easy to
display.

Having nice things like publish to twitter, face book and rate this
metadata record is OK but the most important things that a user wants are:

1. what's available (search)

2. what does it look like (show the map)

3. look at metadata and

4. download the data.

In most cases looking at the metadata is the last or second but last thing
that a user wants to do when the user wants to find out more about the data
yet it is mostly the only thing that one can do with GN interfaces.

Are there any GeoNetwork interfaces where I can do a search and then
immediately "show the map"? I'd like to demonstrate this to some toffs to
show that GN is a really good tool for users and not just a presentation of
developers skills.

Thanks in advance for any useful GN interfaces.

John Hockaday
Spatial Standards Group (OSDM)
GPO Box 378
Canberra ACT 2601
(02) 6249 9735
http://www.osdm.gov.au/
john.hockaday\@osdm.gov.au

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All of the data generated in your IT infrastructure is seriously valuable.
Why? It contains a definitive record of application performance, security
threats, fraudulent activity, and more. Splunk takes this data and makes
sense of it. IT sense. And common sense.
http://p.sf.net/sfu/splunk-d2d-c2
_______________________________________________
GeoNetwork-devel mailing list
GeoNetwork-devel@lists.sourceforge.net
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/geonetwork-devel
GeoNetwork OpenSource is maintained at
http://sourceforge.net/projects/geonetwork

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All of the data generated in your IT infrastructure is seriously valuable.
Why? It contains a definitive record of application performance, security
threats, fraudulent activity, and more. Splunk takes this data and makes
sense of it. IT sense. And common sense.
http://p.sf.net/sfu/splunk-d2d-c2
_______________________________________________
GeoNetwork-devel mailing list
GeoNetwork-devel@lists.sourceforge.net
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/geonetwork-devel
GeoNetwork OpenSource is maintained at
http://sourceforge.net/projects/geonetwork

Armin_Retterath · July 4, 2011, 12:16pm

hi john,

we use an alternate approach. we store the service metadata in a special
postgres database and search directly in the database. the information model
is not the one which is defined by ogc csw 2.0.2 ap iso 1.0.
we allow searching after single wms layers, wfs featuretypes which are
configured before (a simple wfs client definition is done by the service
providers) and after wmc documents. these docs can be published by the
different providers.

i think, that the standard based approach - implementing a client for the csw
interface - is not the right way. there are many informations which are not
part of the iso19115 or iso19119. (quality/validity of services, licences,
authorization, ...).
a central sdi portal have to handle all this information. the iso metadata is
only a part of it.

we use geonetwork as a broker and cause it has a csw interface which is
demanded for the european sdi (inspire). for this purposes it is a very good
software (many apis and conform to many standards).

we push the service-/dataset metadata from our 'service registry' into
geonetwork. this metadata is conforment to the iso standards and in many cases
the needed service-/data metadata coupling is given.

to make use of the concept behind csw 2.0.2 ap iso 1.0 the clients have to
harvest all metadata and resolve the linkages between services (layer) an the
corresponding data-metadata. the biggest problem is that all the records have
to be consistent .

i think, that it will only be possible to handle this thru a harvesting of
service-metadata like geonetwork implements it. the system create a metadata
record for every laytaer which has a MetadaUrl entry.

maybe you can try to search for maps in our portal:
http://www.geoportal.rlp.de/portal/en/service/search.html?cat=dienste&searchfilter=searchText%3D*%26resultTarget%3Dfile%26outputFormat%3Djson%26languageCode%3Den

note: i dont think, that all this a problem of the geonetwork software. it is
a problem of the used standards

regard
armin

Am Montag 04 Juli 2011, 03:24:07 schrieb john.hockaday@anonymised.com:

Hi All,

First of all I don't want to criticise GeoNetwork. I think it is the best
CSW around at the moment and it's wonderful work that the developers have
done so far. However, ...

What I find extremely frustrating with GeoNetwork interfaces is that it is
so hard to see a map of the data. Users want see a map image more than
seeing the metadata or downloading the resource but there doesn't seem to
be a button to select in the metadata search results page that will add
that map to the existing map.

The flow should be search for something, look at the WMS image on the
existing map and then download it if the user wants that data. Hence "see
metadata", "show map" and "download resource" should be the three major
things of equal importance available on the search results page. Of course
many resources don't have WMS images but those that do are not that easy
to display.

Having nice things like publish to twitter, face book and rate this
metadata record is OK but the most important things that a user wants are:

1. what's available (search)

2. what does it look like (show the map)

3. look at metadata and

4. download the data.

In most cases looking at the metadata is the last or second but last thing
that a user wants to do when the user wants to find out more about the
data yet it is mostly the only thing that one can do with GN interfaces.

Are there any GeoNetwork interfaces where I can do a search and then
immediately "show the map"? I'd like to demonstrate this to some toffs to
show that GN is a really good tool for users and not just a presentation
of developers skills.

Thanks in advance for any useful GN interfaces.

John Hockaday
Spatial Standards Group (OSDM)
GPO Box 378
Canberra ACT 2601
(02) 6249 9735
http://www.osdm.gov.au/
john.hockaday\@osdm.gov.au

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
--- All of the data generated in your IT infrastructure is seriously
valuable. Why? It contains a definitive record of application performance,
security threats, fraudulent activity, and more. Splunk takes this data
and makes sense of it. IT sense. And common sense.
http://p.sf.net/sfu/splunk-d2d-c2
_______________________________________________
GeoNetwork-users mailing list
GeoNetwork-users@lists.sourceforge.net
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/geonetwork-users
GeoNetwork OpenSource is maintained at
http://sourceforge.net/projects/geonetwork

--
Im Auftrag
--
Armin Retterath

Zentrale Stelle Geodateninfrastruktur
LVermGeo RP

Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße 15
56073 Koblenz
Telefon 0261/492-466
Telefax 0261/492-492
armin.retterath@anonymised.com
http://www.geoportal.rlp.de

Hockaday_John · July 4, 2011, 10:33pm

Hi All,

First of all thanks very much for your prompt replies.

Secondly, I apologise for not remembering the "Interactive Map" and "Download" buttons. Apparently the metadata on our site that I thought had both of these hasn't any more so I couldn't see them in our interface.

Also, we are using the 'guiwidgets' interface and it was even harder for me not to see the icons for map and download. I think I will look into changing those into more obvious buttons. ;--)

Finally, I'm very impressed with the responses. I have seen some very nice interfaces and I thank you all for sending them to me. I also feel, that although I was wrong in my first post, that the thread has provided some nice discussion so I am happy with the results even if it was to my embarrassment. ;--)

I think that a users workshop like the developers hack fest may help GeoNetwork break into the non-GIS users area.

Thanks.

John

-----Original Message-----
From: Hockaday John
Sent: Monday, 4 July 2011 11:24 AM
To: geonetwork-users@lists.sourceforge.net;
geonetwork-devel@lists.sourceforge.net
Subject: [GeoNetwork-devel] Work flow in the GeoNetwork
interface [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

Hi All,

First of all I don't want to criticise GeoNetwork. I think it
is the best CSW around at the moment and it's wonderful work
that the developers have done so far. However, ...

What I find extremely frustrating with GeoNetwork interfaces
is that it is so hard to see a map of the data. Users want
see a map image more than seeing the metadata or downloading
the resource but there doesn't seem to be a button to select
in the metadata search results page that will add that map to
the existing map.

The flow should be search for something, look at the WMS
image on the existing map and then download it if the user
wants that data. Hence "see metadata", "show map" and
"download resource" should be the three major things of equal
importance available on the search results page. Of course
many resources don't have WMS images but those that do are
not that easy to display.

Having nice things like publish to twitter, face book and
rate this metadata record is OK but the most important things
that a user wants are:

1. what's available (search)

2. what does it look like (show the map)

3. look at metadata and

4. download the data.

In most cases looking at the metadata is the last or second
but last thing that a user wants to do when the user wants to
find out more about the data yet it is mostly the only thing
that one can do with GN interfaces.

Are there any GeoNetwork interfaces where I can do a search
and then immediately "show the map"? I'd like to demonstrate
this to some toffs to show that GN is a really good tool for
users and not just a presentation of developers skills.

Thanks in advance for any useful GN interfaces.

John Hockaday
Spatial Standards Group (OSDM)
GPO Box 378
Canberra ACT 2601
(02) 6249 9735
http://www.osdm.gov.au/
john.hockaday\@osdm.gov.au

--------------------------------------------------------------
----------------
All of the data generated in your IT infrastructure is
seriously valuable.
Why? It contains a definitive record of application
performance, security
threats, fraudulent activity, and more. Splunk takes this
data and makes
sense of it. IT sense. And common sense.
http://p.sf.net/sfu/splunk-d2d-c2
_______________________________________________
GeoNetwork-devel mailing list
GeoNetwork-devel@lists.sourceforge.net
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/geonetwork-devel
GeoNetwork OpenSource is maintained at
http://sourceforge.net/projects/geonetwork

ByronCinNZ1 · July 4, 2011, 9:27pm

I think you make some good points John. And I don't think that anything you
list here would be major hurdles to implement. Most the pieces are already
in the interface, but how the are emphasized and used makes a big
difference. GIS is a visual discipline. When we work we tend to first look
at the data then the textual descriptions. There is a huge desire amongst us
to "see it for ourselves". I think your summation is good -

1. what's available (search)

2. what does it look like (show the map)

3. look at metadata and

4. download the data.

So to discover "whats available (search)" we tend to like good visuals. A
good enhancement to the visual approach to searching is the inclusion of
wireframes of the metadata search results in an enlarged "Where?" map. This
is relatively easy to implement. The improvement I would like is to then
make these wireframes interactive - allowing refining the search by
selecting wireframes.

I personally think the thumbnail approach is the best way to present the
answer to "what does it look like". Creating thumbnails (large and small)
that provide the most informative visual representation of a data set often
takes a good deal of design skill and cannot be automated. But doing this
can often provide more informative visuals than presenting the the data
whole. In the search results display I like to emphasize the thumbnail. One
improvement I would like to implement is to have the large thumbnail appear
on a mouse-over event and then perhaps bring up the wms or other mapservice,
if present, when clicked.

As for "looking at the metadata", in practice, one of the first thing I want
to know generally, is "where did it come from" or "who made it". In all the
shops that I have been in this is the first question asked regarding the
quality of the data. (We should already know "where is it" from the enhanced
search, but this could also be emphasized by highlighting the wireframe
extents on the "Where?" map.) I also want to know the Title, a bit of the
abstract, and maybe keywords at first glance. The rest of the metadata I
would only want to see if I felt that the data were a good match to my
needs. Then access this information in a drill down fashion.

"Downloading the data", while it sounds straight forward, in practice, often
isn't. For instance, if the metadata repository is being used primarily to
manage internal resources, this may need to provide an internal link to the
location of the source data, the folder or database in which it resides. If
it is serving data to a broader external audience then download links from a
repository or maybe a map service might be appropriate. Every shop is
different. Perhaps a good approach is to remove these different options from
the main search results page and place them in a single configurable "Get
Data" button.

These are just a few of my thoughts and experiences to throw into the
conversation. I think this is a good conversation to have because from my
experience, issues of workflow and presentation have been some of the
biggest barriers to implementing GeoNetwork, or any other metadata system
for that matter.

Cheers,
Byron

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