Framework for the Specification and Standardization of Data

Elements

Part1 of ISO/IEC 11179

by

Daniel W. Gillman, editor

Chairman, NCITS/L8

U.S. Bureau of the Census

ISO/IEC 11179

• 6 Parts

• Parts 3 - 6 are IS

• Parts 1 & 2 are CD

Parts of ISO/IEC 11179

• Part 1: Framework

• Part 2: Classification

• Part 3: Basic Attributes

• Part 4: Formulation of Definitions

• Part 5: Naming and Identification

• Part 6: Registration

Organization of Framework Document

• Definitions

• Fundamental Concepts

• Other parts

• Informative Annexes

Purpose

• Basic Information about Data

• Facilitates– Understanding– Sharing– Maintenance– Access– Manipulation– Processing

Data Element

• A fundamental unit of data an organization manages.

• A unit of data for which the definition, identification, representation, and permissible values are specified by means of a set of attributes.

Data Element

IdentifierDefinitionNameValue DomainEtc.

Data Element

IdentifierDefinitionNameValue DomainEtc.

Data Element

IdentifierDefinitionNameValue DomainEtc.

Database, File, Etc.

Record, Segment, Class, Tuple, Etc.

Field, Column, Etc.

Character, Image, Sound, Etc.

Database, File, Etc.

Transaction, Exchange Unit, Etc.

Fundamental Model

• Taken From Data Modeling

• 3 Components– object class– property– representation

Object Class

• Things for which we want to manage data

• Entities in E-R Models

• Classes in O-O Models

• Employers, Persons, Automobiles, Orders, etc.

Property

• A peculiarity common to all members of an object class.

• Distinguishes or Describes Objects

• Attributes or Data Members in Models

• SIC Code, Age, VIN, Date, etc.

Important Distinctions

• Object Class Name

• Property Name

• English vs. Chinese

• Complex Object Classes– Women Between 15 and 45 Who Had One

Live Birth in last 12 Months

Representation

• The combination of a value domain, datatype, and, if necessary, a unit of measure or a character set.

Definition: Value Domain

• A set of permissible values.

• Enumerated– Census State Codes

• Non-Enumerated– All Real Numbers Between 0 & 1

• List of SIC Codes, Integer 0 - 125,

• 17 Char Alpha-Num, YYYYMMDD

Value Domains

• Re-Use of Domains– SIC, NAICS, SOC Codes– Geographic Codes– Chemical Names– Biological Classification

Data Element Concept

• Object Class + Property

• Example: Annual Household Income

• Many Possible Representations– Non-Negative Integers– Categories

• 1 = 0 $15000

• 2 = $15001 $30000

• 3 = $30001 $60000

• 4 = $60001 +

DATA ELEMENT CONCEPT DATA ELEMENT

Property Property

Representation

(1:1) (1:1)

(1:1)

(1:N)

Object Class

(1:N)

Object Class

(1:N)

Object Class

Value Domain

Data Element

Data Element Concept