Seeing Standards:
A Visualization of the Metadata Universe

 

Poster of visualization (PDF, 36in x 108in)
Metadata standard glossary, poster form (PDF, 36in x 41in)
Metadata standard glossary, pamphlet form (PDF)
Dataset of standards with analysis, for visualization

The sheer number of metadata standards in the cultural heritage sector is overwhelming, and their inter-relationships further complicate the situation. This visual map of the metadata landscape is intended to assist planners with the selection and implementation of metadata standards.

Each of the 105 standards listed here is evaluated on its strength of application to defined categories in each of four axes: community, domain, function, and purpose. The strength of a standard in a given category is determined by a mixture of its adoption in that category, its design intent, and its overall appropriateness for use in that category.

The standards represented here are among those most heavily used or publicized in the cultural heritage community, though certainly not all standards that might be relevant are included. A small set of the metadata standards plotted on the main visualization also appear as highlights above the graphic. These represent the most commonly known or discussed standards for cultural heritage metadata.

Content: Jenn Riley
Design: Devin Becker
Work funded by the Indiana University Libraries White Professional Development Award
Copyright 2009-2010 Jenn Riley

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.