The document discusses the need for a common data standard, called a "lingua franca", to allow different informatics systems to communicate as their data models, programming languages, and formats are currently incompatible. It proposes using the Darwin Core standard, which defines data terms and file formats for sharing biodiversity data in a way that is easily understood by both people and machines. The benefits are that any system can read and write Darwin Core formatted data, allowing data to be more easily aggregated, searched, and shared across a growing number of users and datasets.

1. BUILDING HIGHWAYS IN THE INFORMATICS LANDSCAPE
Ed Baker 10.6084/m9.figshare.749699

2. We need to move from this…

3. …to this

4. HOW?

5. All of these systems:
• Have different data models
• Are written in different programming languages
• Are mutually incompatible

6. How do we make these systems talk?
Requirements

7. How do we make these systems talk?
Requirements
Each pair can define a
way of
communicating with
each other

8. How do we make these systems talk?
Requirements

9. How do we make these systems talk?
Requirements

10. We need a lingua franca of biodiversity informatics
Requirements

11. We need a lingua franca of biodiversity informatics
Requirements
Any language that is widely used
as a means of communication
among speakers of other
languages.

12. Requirements
Common Intermediary

13. Easily understood
• People
• Machines
Easy to share
• Using existing technology and infrastructure
Requirements

14. Easily understood
• People
• Machines
Easy to share
• Using existing technology and infrastructure
Can read in Excel
Requirements

15. Easily understood
• People
• Machines
Easy to share
• Using existing technology and infrastructure
Can read in Excel
Everything
precisely defined
Requirements

16. Easily understood
• People
• Machines
Easy to share
• Using existing technology and infrastructure
Can read in Excel
Everything
precisely defined
Standard formats: csv, zip
Standard delivery: via the web
Requirements

17. Core File
(classification)

18. Core File
(classification)
Images
Literature
Specimens
Taxonomic
treatments

19. Core File
(classification)
Images
Literature
Specimens
Taxonomic
treatments

20. Core File
(classification)
Images
Literature
Specimens
Taxonomic
treatments
STAR SCHEMA

21. Core File
(classificati
on)
Images
Literature
Specimens
Taxonomic
treatments
Meta.xml

22. Core File
(classificati
on)
Images
Literature
Specimens
Taxonomic
treatments
Meta.xml
What is each file?
What does each column in a file contain?

23. Core File
(classificati
on)
Images
Literature
Specimens
Taxonomic
treatments
Meta.xml
dwca.zip

25. dwca.zip

26. dwca.zip

27. dwca.zip

28. WHAT’S THE BENEFIT?

29. dwca.zipdwca.zip dwca.zip dwca.zip dwca.zip dwca.zip

30. dwca.zipdwca.zip dwca.zip dwca.zip dwca.zip dwca.zip

31. dwca.zipdwca.zip dwca.zip dwca.zip dwca.zip dwca.zip
?

32. These images came from the
Scratchpad

33. These images came from the
Scratchpad
So did this description

35. This map didn’t

36. Aggregators allow us to…
• provide a single user interface to many
different systems.
• search easily across multiple datasets
simultaneously (and combine results).

37. You can also share data with …

38. You can also share data with …
ANY OF THE INCREASING NUMBER OF
PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT THE STANDARD