A centre of expertise in digital information management What Does Openness Mean For The Institutional Web Manager? Open Standards, Open

A centre of expertise in digital information management

www.ukoln.ac.uk

What Does Openness Mean For The Institutional Web Manager?Open Standards, Open Content and a Model For Openness

Brian KellyUKOLNUniversity of [email protected]

UKOLN is supported by:

http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/workshops/webmaster-2006/talks/metcalfe/http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/events/workshops/webmaster-2006/talks/metcalfe/

Acceptable Use PolicyRecording/broadcasting of this talk, taking photographs, discussing the content using email, instant messaging, Blogs, SMS, etc. is permitted providing distractions to others is minimised.

Acceptable Use PolicyRecording/broadcasting of this talk, taking photographs, discussing the content using email, instant messaging, Blogs, SMS, etc. is permitted providing distractions to others is minimised.

This work is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 licence (but note caveat)


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ContentsThis brief talk will cover:Open Standards

• Standards are great • Standards don't always work • Layered approach developed by UKOLN

Open Content• Creative Commons• Let's do it!

A Model For Openness• Beware the fundamentalist• A risk assessment approach• A user-focussed model for openness


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Open Standards Are Great …

HEI IT development / JISC's development programmes:• Traditionally based on use of open standards to:

Support interoperabilityMaximise accessibilityAvoid vendor lock-inProvide architectural integrityHelp ensure long-term preservation

UKOLN's involvement in standards work:• eLib Standards document (v1 – 1996, v2 – 1998)• DNER Standards document (2001)• NOF-digi Technical Standards• Lots of standards development in metadata areas

(e.g. Dublin Core, Collection Descrioption, …)

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Open Standards


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… But Don't Always Work

There's a need for flexibility:• Learning the lesson from OSI networking protocols

Today:• Is the Web (for example) becoming over-complex

"Web service considered harmful" The lowercase semantic web / Microformats

• Lighter-weight alternatives being developed• Responses from the commercial world

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RSS: Great lightweight standard Well, two 'standards' with flawed governances,

arguments, proprietary extensions & technical flaws But still provide valuable, user-focussed services

RSS: Great lightweight standard Well, two 'standards' with flawed governances,

arguments, proprietary extensions & technical flaws But still provide valuable, user-focussed services

Open Standards


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The Context

There will be a context to use of standards:• The intended use:

Mainstream Innovative / research Key middleware component Small-scale

deliverable

• Organisational culture: HE vs FE vs home … Teaching vs Research Service vs Development …

• Available Funding & Resources: Significant funding & training to use new standards Minimal funding - current skills should be used

• …

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An open standards culture is being developed, which is supportive of use of open standards, but which recognises the complexities and can avoid mistakes made in the past

An open standards culture is being developed, which is supportive of use of open standards, but which recognises the complexities and can avoid mistakes made in the past

Open Standards


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Quality Assurance

External factors: institutional, cultural, legal, …

The Layered Standards Model

JISCJISC

JISC / project

JISC / project

3rd Parties

3rd Parties

Owner

Annotated Standards Catalogue

Purpose Governance Maturity Risks …

Prog. n Funding Research Sector …

Context: Policies

External Self assessment Penalties Learning

Context: Compliance

JISC's layered standards model, developed by UKOLN. Note that one size doesn't always fit all

Open Standards


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Sustainability

How do we • Sustain, maintain & grow the standards catalogue?• Develop a sustainable support infrastructure?

Suggestions:• More resources for support infrastructure• Extend model to related areas to gain buy-in, etc• Encourage participation from the wider user

community (including IWMW 2006 delegates)• Exploit learning gained by projects, reuse

experiences, encourage sharing, etc.: Build on QA Focus approach (briefing docs and case

studies) Contractual requirement for projects to produce end-user

deliverables and deliverables related to development process

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Open Standards


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Creative Commons

Creative Commons:• Recognises importance of existing copyright

legislation …• … and build on this by allowing copyright owners to

exercise their rights by allowing others to:• Use, modify resources subject, if desired, to various

conditions (attribution, non-commercial, …)• Now has legal status in UK

Open Content

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Note also Science Commons approach for open access to data

Note also Science Commons approach for open access to data


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Using Creative Commons

Creative Commons licences can be used:• Blog postings, RSS feeds, Wiki pages to help

clarify reuse of such resources• On PowerPoint slides • …

Open Content

Let's Free IT Support Materials!• Paper by Kelly, Knight, Casey & Guy given at

EUNIS 2005 conference • Described business reasons for CC licences for QA

Focus documents (see QA For Web handbook) to maximise impact of work & support take-up of ideas)

• Argued that support services should provide CC licences on their documents, training materials, etc.

• An opportunity for you!

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Support Infrastructure

How do we integrate the standards catalogue with implementation experiences, etc.

• Linking to related information in Wikipedia (the world can help the updating)

• Uploading information to Wikipedia – the wider community can help to update and maintain it

• Making information available with CC licences – so others can use it, update it – and hopefully give feedback on enhancements

• Use of syndication technologies (RSS & OPML)

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Note this is a Web 2.0 approach:• Uses Web 2.0 syndication technologies• Trusts users and benefits from a wide user base• Contributes to Web 2.0 services

Note this is a Web 2.0 approach:• Uses Web 2.0 syndication technologies• Trusts users and benefits from a wide user base• Contributes to Web 2.0 services

Open Content


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What You Can Provide!

JISC & JISC Services have an openness culture to help maximise impact (and organisations such as MIT & the OU which have made their teaching resources available)You can be part of this for the HE/FE sector:

• You are willing to help & share (cf web-support list)• You can do more:

Use a Wiki to develop & maintain communal resources (e.g. Best Practices For CMSs / VLEs / Intranets)

Write a QA Focus briefing paper or Case Study …

Why?• We'll all benefit• Sharing the load can make it happen• 75% of audience write a 2 page case study & 25%

edit, proofread, etc – we've got a great resource

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Open Content


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Web 2.0

Aspect of Web 2.0 include:• Reuse of content (syndication, mashups,

…)• Always beta (sometimes taking a risk)• Trust• Standards• Web services, APIs, …

Web 2.0

Web 2.0 applications and openness:• Google Maps, GMail, … APIs, RSS, to allow use

by others

Web 2.0 applications and openness:• Google Maps, GMail, … APIs, RSS, to allow use

by others

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Web 2.0 & MapsUniversity of Northumberland early Google Maps adopters This provides:

• Overlays• Zooming• Annotations• Personalisation

(e.g. from home)Note openness isn't just about open source & standards. It's about:

• A mixed economy• Being user-focussed• Risk management• …


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Ownership ChallengeTraditional View

• Must own (buy) our mission-critical IT servicesOpen Source Perspective

• Must/should/can download open source software for our mission-critical IT services

Today:• Should/ provide an appropriate and sustainable

environment for the outcomes of the services

The World Is Changing • There's a need to revisit these (old and new) orthodoxies.• There are risks, but there are also benefits.• Organisations are increasingly out-sourcing services (why

should we invest in virus scanning software, for example).• IT is often innovative, changing existing ways of working – we

now need to rethink our own orthodoxies

The World Is Changing • There's a need to revisit these (old and new) orthodoxies.• There are risks, but there are also benefits.• Organisations are increasingly out-sourcing services (why

should we invest in virus scanning software, for example).• IT is often innovative, changing existing ways of working – we

now need to rethink our own orthodoxies

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Risk Management

Concerns?• I can't use open source software 'cos …• But open standards sometimes don't work• IPR is scary – what about the risks of

Creative Commons, …• Bill Gates said "Free Culture advocates =

Commies". Is he right?• Can I trust Wikipedia, …?• What happens if Google goes out of

business?

Risk Management

Valid questions, which need to be addressedNeed for a risk assessment/management approach

Valid questions, which need to be addressedNeed for a risk assessment/management approach

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IWMW 2006 & Risk Management IWMW 2006 has taken a risk management approach to its evaluation of Web 2.0 technologies:

• Agreements: e.g. in the case of the Chatbot.• Use of well-established services: Google &

del.icio.us are well-established & financially security. • Notification: warnings that services could be lost. • Engagement: with the user community: users actively

engage in the evaluation of the services. • Provision of alternative services: multiple OMPL

tools. • Use in non-mission critical areas: not for bookings! • Long term experiences of services: usage stats• Availability of alternative sources of data: e.g.

standard Web server log files.• Data export and aggregation: RSS feeds,

aggregated in Suprglu, OPML viewers, etc.

Risk Management

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R=AxBxCxDProf. Charles Oppenheim's (lightweight) formula (for copyright infringements):

Risk = A (probability that you're illegal) XB (probability you'll be found out) XC (probability they'll want to do something)

XD (extent of financial risk)

Risk Management

So you're probably OK if:You're legal; they don't know what you've done; they won't bother chasing you or they won't chase you for more than £1,000

So you're probably OK if:You're legal; they don't know what you've done; they won't bother chasing you or they won't chase you for more than £1,000

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R=f(A, B, C, D)Brian Kelly's adaptation to open standards & Web 2.0: Open standards risk (Ros) is a function of:

• Maturity of standard body OSI=100% (ISO)• Support within community OSI=10% (UK

HE, ..)• Commercial take-up, competition, .. OSI=1%• Architectural merit OSI=1%• ….

Web 2.0 risk (Rweb2.0) is a function of:• Maturity of service provider• Risk culture within organisation & members• Dangers of data/service loss• Significance of loss• …

Approach reflected in "Matrix for Selection of Standards" and "Top Tips For Selecting Open Source Software" docs & in "Risk Assessment For Making Use Of Web 2.0 Services"

Approach reflected in "Matrix for Selection of Standards" and "Top Tips For Selecting Open Source Software" docs & in "Risk Assessment For Making Use Of Web 2.0 Services"

Risk Management

ExampleRis

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Also need to considerRweb2.0


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Beware The IT Fundamentalist!We need to avoid simplistic solutions to the complexities:

• Open Standards Fundamentalist: we just need XML• Open Source Fundamentalist: we just need Linux• Vendor Fundamentalist: we must need next version of

our enterprise system (and you must fit in with this)• Accessibility Fundamentalist: we must do WAI WCAG• Ownership Fundamentalist: must own everything we

use • User Fundamentalist: we must do whatever users want• Legal Fundamentalist: it breaches copyright, …• Perfectionist: It doesn't do everything, so we'll do

nothing• Simplistic Developer: I've developed a perfect solution

– I don't care if it doesn't run in the real world

User Focus

IT Director, March 2006 "I could give names of the individuals in my department!"

IT Director, March 2006 "I could give names of the individuals in my department!"

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RANDP

There's a need to recognise:• Institutional cultures• Departmental cultures (e.g. IT services, Marketing,

Library and Academics)We also need to recognise personal perspectives (personal beliefs, prejudices, etc.)We need to ensure these are:

• Reasonable And Non-Discriminatory Prejudices ("No MS cos I don't like Bill Gates" is discriminatory)

• Reasonable And Non-Discriminatory Preferences is better

An open debate about future plans isn't helped by immutable prejudices

An open debate about future plans isn't helped by immutable prejudices

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Pollard Model

Computer Says No!

Time to ditch this catch phrase

User Focus

Folksonomies? Library says noSkype? UKERNA says noWikis? IT Services says no

Folksonomies? Library says noSkype? UKERNA says noWikis? IT Services says no

Yer, but, no, but, yer

Time to embrace the ambiguities & complexities acknowledged by Vicky Pollard

Yer, like Wikis are well cool, but, OK so I copied my homework, but, like I always copy my homework

Yer, like Wikis are well cool, but, OK so I copied my homework, but, like I always copy my homework

Images from BBC Web site

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User-Focussed Approach

There is a need for a user-focussed approach to address the benefits & problems if openness, rather than dogma, ideology or political correctness

We are 100% committed to open source / access /standards

Even if it doesn't work; even if it alienates users?

We strive to make use of open source / access / standardsin order to provide richly functional, widely accessible & interoperable …for our broad user communities

A user-focussed approach, which allows for flexibility of the open stuff doesn't work

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Other Examples

Science Commons• Promote science by

lowering costs of sharing scientific data

http://sciencecommons.org/http://sciencecommons.org/

http://www.freeourdata.org.uk/http://www.freeourdata.org.uk/

Free Our Data• Guardian-led campaign

Your Views• Absolutely – and relates

to other aspects of openness

• Thatcherite trick to reduce public investment – OS maps will be like the trains


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What Openness is Not

IMHO openness is not:• An excuse to knock Microsoft, or the commercial

company you'd like to knock • Getting things for free• A simplistic slogan• A stepping stone to the eradication of western

capitalism

Openness is also:• Not infallible• May need changes in culture, in law, etc. in order

to fufill promises


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Why Openness?

Openness:• Reflects our broad educational & research goals

(benefits to society, …)• Reflects personal beliefs, for many• Can bring benefits …• ..but sometime doesn't• So:

Be tolerant Take a risk assessment approach But have an open culture

• Openness helped if we are providers of open resources and not simply consumers

Don't just talk openness, do it!


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Let's Do It!!Why us?

• The Web management community based on trust, openness, collaboration & willingness to experiment

• Social networks provide exponential benefits as nos. grow (cf. the telephone)

What:• Contributing to Wikis• Using Creative Commons licences on resources• Sharing staff development resources; case studies; …• Exploiting collaborative software • …


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Map-A-Campus Day?

Background:• Northumbria Univ. has

campus map available on Google Maps

• Benefits if all of us did likewise (end users; sharing of best practices, code, etc.; involvement with others e.g. students)

http://www.stanford.edu/hpcgi/map/index.plhttp://www.stanford.edu/hpcgi/map/index.pl

IdeasGet students (Comp Sci., Geography) with GPS devices mapping buildings, providing metadata. Engage with Google Maps API experts. Discuss best ways of doing this. etc, etc.

IdeasGet students (Comp Sci., Geography) with GPS devices mapping buildings, providing metadata. Engage with Google Maps API experts. Discuss best ways of doing this. etc, etc.


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Questions

Any questions?

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Note resources cited in the talk & accompanying paper are bookmarked in del.icio.us using tag ''iwmw2006-plenary-kelly-metcalfe"

Note resources cited in the talk & accompanying paper are bookmarked in del.icio.us using tag ''iwmw2006-plenary-kelly-metcalfe"

Documents

A centre of expertise in digital information management What Does Openness Mean For The Institutional Web Manager? Open Standards, Open