sharing your data – an update on airs xml and helpful tools marianne galleon – 211 la county...
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Sharing Your Data – An Update on AIRS XML and Helpful Tools
Marianne Galleon – 211 LA County(626) 350-1841 x2122, [email protected]
Teri Perkins – University of Nebraska Public Policy Center402-472-5620, [email protected]
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Today’s workshop
Data sharing between I&R databases– The big picture– AIRS XML Schema– Vendor role– Tool for automated processing of partner data– Things to think about when sharing data– Examples of on-line databases– Resources– Contact information
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Comprehensive databases that take advantage of the expertise of multiple database “owners” to more efficiently deliver referrals to those who need them
Enable routine sharing of information between I&Rs regardless of the software products they use
Goal and Objective
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Current Practice
In our communities and across our regions and states, there are many organizations keeping information about resources. Organizations maintain information to serve their clients:– Geographic– Age group– Type of service
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The Conundrum
I&Rs have specific expertise
But, clients may have needs beyond precise information that any one I&R can reasonably maintain…
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Duplication of effort?
Many I&Rs collecting information from many agencies
Many agencies providing information to many I&Rs
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Recognizes expertise Reduces duplication Joint promotion More responsive referrals
Groups of I&Rs working together…
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Alliance of Information and Referral Systems Accreditation…
I&R services within the system shall endeavor to participate in local database collaboratives as a means of avoiding duplication of database maintenance activities and achieving broader coverage of different types of community resources. The I&R services within the system shall: Appropriately divide information gathering tasks and oversee the regular and systematic exchange of resource database information; and Maintain comprehensive, accurate, and up-to-date information on the community resources for which they have maintenance responsibility. (p. 18)
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Exchanging InformationBetween Databases That Use
Different Software
Need a standard way to express data– XML allows users to create their own tagging
names and definitions (eXtensible Markup Language)
– AIRS volunteers developed and refined the AIRS XSD (XML Schema Definition) over the past three years
The AIRS XSD describes the structure and content of the data in an XML document
– AIRS Board approved the AIRS XML Schema
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AIRS XML Schema
Three levels of data
Agency
Site
Services
Site Site
Services Services Services Services Services Services Services Services Services
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AIRS Commitment
Standing Subcommittee of AIRS Technology Committee– Annual updates to the AIRS XSD (XML Schema)– Working on a “Style Guide”
Continuing to look at additional ways to promote interoperability through certifications and standards
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AIRS XSD
Data Sharing
ComprehensiveDatabase
CompliantXML export
of I&R B’s data
CompliantXML export
of I&R A’s data
I&R A’sVendor utility
program
I&R B’sVendor utility
program
Database – I&R B
Database – I&R A
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Vendor Role in Data Sharing
Vendors develop utilities for their software that allow mapping of customer data to an XML file that is compliant with the AIRS XSD– Eliminates manual conversion of the data into an
XML file by comprehensive database administrator
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Valid XML File – What Next?
Compliant XML files from databases using different software may be combined into a common database by either:
– Manually processing files– Using an automated processing system
One such tool for automated processing is in development– U.S. Department of Commerce Technology Opportunities Program
grant (#31-60-I03013) to develop a technological tool that will prepare data and create a new consolidated data set
University of Nebraska Public Policy Center / University of Nebraska Department of Computer Science & Engineering
Other tools may use different approaches to process XML files
Database Transformation – Manual Process
Database from DB owner Database tables
Reformat to ACCESS DB
XML fileVerify if the XML file is compliant
with XSD
Compare taxonomy tables
Read the file and insert records into the database on laptop; update tables
Typical
errors
Transform to XML file
• No mailing address or incomplete address (must have a zip code)• Wrong format of email, web-link, phone, etc.
(1) Check user login(2) Upload XML file(3) Validate XML file(4) Check addresses for validity
Create a file
Test DB on laptop
Upload approved DB to server
Feedback to DB owner for corrections
Check for record duplication and send feedback to DB owner; update invalid (i.e., missing information) records in comprehensive database
Communicate with DB
owners regarding duplicated
records
Updated DB on the server
Tool will implement these steps
Vendor implementsthese steps with
utility
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Processing System Tool - Features
Database Partners:– Login and view previously uploaded data– Login and upload an AIRS XSD compliant XML
data export
Comprehensive Database Administrator:– Run specialized data processing routines– Browse partner uploaded data– Promote data to live web applications
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Automated Tool - Partner Advantages
Database Partners:– Receive immediate feedback regarding
compliance of the structure of the data export with the AIRS XSD
– Manage their own content delivery schedules– Access audit trails of previous content deliveries
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Automated Tool –Administrator Advantages
Comprehensive Database Administrator:– Notified of content delivery only after successful
validation of content– Single point of access to work with data sets for
testing and management– Accurate data when content deliverables are
promoted to live websites
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Custom Processing
In addition to basic validation against a schema, the system allows extended processing to be plugged in, such as:
– De-duplication of records from multiple providers– Reclassification of taxonomy codes based on partner
recognized (customized) taxonomies
All processing is automated Flexible – allows manual adjustment of data before
promotion to the website
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Data Owner Work Flow
• After validation, all processing is done automatically - no user input is required
• Audit trails are generated
• Any automated processing can be manually adjusted after the database is updated
Automated Processing
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What will the web interface look like?
Login screen Welcome screen Upload file screen Browse files Successfully uploaded the file Successfully parsed the file
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Benefits of Processing System
Decrease the amount of interaction between comprehensive database administrator and database partners currently required to update website data sets
Provide greater control over partner database and comprehensive database content management processes
Web infrastructure facilitates management and sharing of I&R data
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Some general things to think about when sharing data…
Partners– Confidence in partner’s database– Skill in coding with the AIRS Taxonomy– Frequency with which partner data is checked and updated
AIRS Taxonomy– Levels to observe (customization)– Updating customized taxonomy– All partners must use the same version of the Taxonomy
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Things to think about (continued)…
Geographical Area Served– Search on this?– Required by XSD, but not defined
Define as County, City, Zip Code, other?
Differences in terminology used by partners– e.g., Program = Site = Provider
Urban / rural partners may have different interests– Level of indexing– Distance to travel for services
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Things to think about (continued)…
Resources needed to maintain a comprehensive database
– Time– Money– Technical expertise
AIRS XSD version Compliant XML file doesn’t guarantee you will have
the data you want for your database– Required / optional fields in the AIRS XSD– Work with software vendor regarding data to be included in
the XML file
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Things to think about when sharing data with
partners using different software…
– Different vendors may have different XML coding styles Number of levels of agencies Use of virtual agencies
– Terms added to the XML by vendor may be coded in proprietary format
– Unique / non-unique keys Unique key requirement not necessarily consistent among vendors
– Information may be coded at different locations within a field More than one way to use XML to code information
– All partners may not send information with same detail e.g., coding of target groups/modalities e.g., coding all Age, Gender, and Family exclusions vs. coding them
as Eligibility under Service
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Things to think about even if sharing data with
partners using the same software…
– Different taxonomy versions – Different XSD versions– Vendor may allow custom fields to be created by software user
Information in new fields not transferred to another user
– Differences in data standards e.g., names in upper case vs. mixed case
– Data stored in different locations e.g., Hours information may be stored at Site or Service level
– What needs to be identical to allow data sharing? e.g., county codes may not be identical between users of same
software
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Comprehensive Databases
Examples of 2-1-1 on-line databases– Los Angeles County
http://www.healthycity.org/index.php?c=fs
– Nebraska www.ne211.org
– Texas www.211texas.org/211/index.jsp
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Resources
AIRS XML Schema Definition (XSD)– http://www.airs.org/news/news_news.asp– Current XML Schema is at http://www.ne211.nebraska.edu/vendorinformation.htm, take
the “Current XSD” link Interoperability and Information and Referral
– Galleon, Marianne. (2006, January). AIRS working on way for I&Rs to share information. Alliance of Information and Referral Systems News, Volume XXVI No. 1, 1.
– Shank, N. (2004). Database interoperability: Technology and process for sharing resource information. Information & Referral, 26, 45-54.
AIRS/INFO LINE Taxonomy of Human Services– On-line version of taxonomy at http://www.211taxonomy.org/ – Bruni, M.G. (2000). Indexing with the AIRS/INFO LINE Taxonomy of Human Services.
Information and Referral, 22, 83-109.– Sales, G. (2003). An orientation to the structure and contents of the AIRS/INFO LINE
Taxonomy. Information and Referral, 26, 1-26. XML
– XML - A good resource about XML is the XML Schema Primer at www.w3c.org/TR/xmlschema-0/
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Contact Information
Marianne Galleon – 211 LA County– (626) 350-1841 x2122, [email protected]
Teri Perkins – University of Nebraska Public Policy Center
– 402-472-5620, [email protected]