Do conceptual systems improve concepts

effectiveness?

Joint UNECE/Eurostat/OECD Work Session on Statistical

Metadata (METIS)Lisbon, 11– 13 March, 2009

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Statistics Portugal/ Metadata Unit

Luísa Saraiva (luisa.saraiva@ine.pt)

ACCURACY

• collecting • treatment • sharing• dissemination

…of statistical information

Digging below the surface…

…the management and

interchange of data and metadata

Digging below the surface…

Terminology management » building of concept systems» harmonization of concepts

provide efficiency in the organization and representation of knowledge

…concerning concepts system in statistics

Portugal

concepts system

management consultation

IntranetInternet

(official website)

…concerning concepts system in statistics Portugal

Attributes

…concerning concepts system in statistics

Portugal

Information retrieval

CODED - OECD Glossary

…grasping the meaning, to occupy the right place…

Conceptual system• “structured set of concepts established

according to the relations between them, each concept being determined by its position in the set”

which characteristics – show their similarities and delimitations – are essential to the evaluation of the

connections supporting their relations – reveal gaps and inadequacies

…grasping the meaning, to occupy the right place…

Concepts do not exist as isolated units of knowledge,

but always in relation to others

Hierarchic Relations

• Generic• Partitive

Associative Relations

Essential conditions to build concept systems

• exhaustive understanding of the conceptualization that structures knowledge

• objectives and expectations of real and potential users

• changes, evolution and expansion that will inevitably occur

…tying designations and definitions

to their respective concepts!

…tying designations and definitions

to their respective concepts!Stages to be accomplished

• gathering of unstructured concepts

• consulting of sources of information

• the allocation of the concepts within the concept system

• the formulation of the definitions and the designations for each one.

…tying designations and definitions to their

respective concepts!• concepts selection• terms attribution • definitions formulation

the way the model of the concepts structure is achieved

…detail of a concept system (1)

Unstructured

concepts

Structured concepts

Environment

Environment

…Biological wasteWaste ContainmentDisposal of wasteHousehold wasteDumping at seaSolid wasteIndustrial wastesmanagementLandfilWaste collection

…4 Waste 4.1Biological waste4.2 Household waste4.3 Solid waste4.4 Industrial wastes4.5 Waste management4.5.1Disposal of waste4.5.1.1 Containment4.5.1.2 Landfil4.5.1.3 Dumping at sea4.5.2 Waste collection

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(1) Indented list

4 →

4.1 ; 4.2 4.3 ; 4.4

Generic Relations

4 → 4.5Associative Relations

4.5 →4.5.1 4.5.2

Partitive Relations

4.5.1

→

4.5.1.1

4.5.1.2

4.5.1.3

Partitive Relations

How far leads the path?

Convergenceis of vital importance for users in general:

ensures consistency reduces ambiguity avoids misunderstandings

How far leads the path?

However big the undertaking may be

…

… it’s worth running

the risk!

Statistics Portugal Concepts system

access and presentation

in real time

Thank you for your attention