Data is our Product: Thoughts on LOD Sustainability

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Data is our Product:
Thoughts on Sustainability of
Cultural Heritage Linked Open
Data
University of Guelph, LINCS Project Discussion
23rd of June, 2022
Dr. Robert Sanderson
Director for Cultural Heritage Metadata
Yale University

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Overview
• Definitions and an Equation
• Necessary Costs and Roles
• Maximizing Benefits and Outrage
• From Usability to Trust to Loyalty
• Concluding Thoughts

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Product vs Project
Product:
An item or service offered to address a customer’s
need or desire, or solve a market problem.
Project:
A time-bound and organized set of tasks
to be completed to achieve a desired outcome.

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Data is our Product
(Plus the Services that make it
Accessible)

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
• Conceptual Model
• Abstract way to think about the world,
holistically, consistently and coherently
• Ontology
• Shared set of terms to encode that thinking
in a logical, machine-actionable way
• Vocabulary
• Curated set of sub-domain specific terms,
to make the ontology more concrete
encodes
refines
Model
Ontology
Vocabulary
Abstraction Standards

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
encodes
refines
specialized by available by
Model
Ontology
Vocabulary
Profile
API
Implementation Standards
A Profile is a selection of
appropriate abstractions,
to encode the scope of
what can be described.
An API is a selection of
appropriate technologies,
to give access to the data
managed using the profile.

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
encodes
refines
specialized by available by
Model
Ontology
Vocabulary
Profile
API
A Linked Open Data Product Is…
How do we make this
financially sustainable?
Knowledge accessible via APIs

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Simplistic Definition of Sustainability
A product is (financially) sustainable when:
running-costs
< value + shutdown-costs
running-costs: costs of resources and operational activities
value: income + benefits gained through operation
shutdown-costs: costs of stopping operation

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Populating the Equation
running-costs < value + shutdown-costs
Resources:
• Technology
• Content
Activities:
• Staff
• Events

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Resources: 7 Layer Model
Hardware
OS
Software
Data
Knowledge
API
Application
With apologies to OSI…
Physical computing machinery
Software managing usage of hardware
Database running in host operating system
Content managed in database software
Semantics giving meaning to the data
Networked access to knowledge
Software that accesses data via the API

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Resources: 7 Layer Model
Hardware
OS
Software
Data
Knowledge
API
Application
Build License Operate Maintain
Likely Costs
$ ? $
?
$
$
?
?
$
?
$
$
$
?
?
?
$
$

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Yale’s LUX: Resources
Hardware
OS
Software
Data
Knowledge
API
Application
Build License Operate Maintain
Costs
$ $
$
$
$
$$
$$
$
$
$$
$
$
$

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Resource/Role: 7 Layer Model
Hardware
OS
Software
Data
Knowledge
API
Application
System Admin
System Admin
System Engineer
Data Engineer
Semantic Engineer
System Engineer
UI Engineer
Responsible

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Roles: 7 Layer Model (extended edition)
Funding
Hardware
OS
Software
Data
Knowledge
API
Application
User
Politics
Sponsor
Community
Manager
System Admin
System Admin
System Engineer
Data Engineer
Semantic Engineer
System Engineer
UI Engineer

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Project / Product Roles
Funding
H/W
OS
S/W
Data
Know.
API
App.
User
Politics
Sponsor
System Admin
System Admin
System Eng.
Data Engineer
Semantic Eng.
System Eng.
UI Engineer
Product
Owner
Community
Manager
Project
Manager
Business
Analyst
User Requirements
Business Requirements
Strategy
Metrics
Tactics
Project
Rqmts

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Overlapping Domains & Expertise
Funding
H/W
OS
S/W
Data
Know.
API
App.
User
Politics
Sponsor
Leadership
Systems
Domain
Application
Audience
Sponsor
System Admin
System Admin
System Eng.
Data Engineer
Semantic Eng.
System Eng.
UI Engineer
Product
Owner
Community
Manager
Project
Manager
Business
Analyst

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Yale’s LUX: Roles/People
Funding
H/W
OS
S/W
Data
Know.
API
App.
User
Politics
Susan
(AWS)
(AWS), Xinjian
Brent, Seong
Kelly, Rob
Rob
Seong
Kameryn
Rob
???
Sarah
???

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Populating the Equation
running-costs < value + shutdown-costs
Resources:
• Technology
• Content
Activities:
• Staff
• Events
Income:
• Money
• In-Kind
Intangible:
• Mission
• Audience
• 2nd Degree
Intangible:
• Mission
• Audience
• 2nd Degree

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Income … yeah, right
Options:
• Grants X Time bound
• Project Funding X Time bound
• Subscription X Very hard to build
• Organization GA = In Kind Support
The organization must support the product
The product must advance the organization’s mission

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Yale’s LUX: Income
Options:
• Grants Mellon Reconcil’n, NEH Exhibitions
• Project Funding Internal CHIT Project
• Subscription X
• Organization GA Huge in comparison
The organization must engage with, invest in,
and feel ownership of, the product

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Intangible Benefits
Intangible Value
Advances the Mission
Fulfills Stakeholder Needs
Cost Savings
2nd Degree Benefits
Research, T&L, Awareness
Search, Discovery, Access
Economies of Scale
Internal culture change
Improve related products
“Ticket Sales”
Demonstrate “Mission Critical” Stakeholder Impact

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Yale’s LUX: Intangibles
Intangible Value
Advances the Mission ✅
Fulfills Stakeholder Needs ✅
Cost Savings ✅
2nd Degree Benefits ✅
Both institution & division
Cross-collection discovery
(via second degree products)
Cultural change!
Shared expertise building
Reuse of technology
Reuse of data/services
Awareness & Reputation

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Intangible Benefits / Costs
Intangible Value
Advances the Mission
Fulfills Stakeholder Needs
Cost Savings
2nd Degree Benefits
Intangible Costs
Reputation Damage
Angers Stakeholders
Lost Savings
Dependent Product Damage

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Maximizing Intangible Costs
Intangible Costs
Reputation Damage
Angers Stakeholders
Lost Savings
Dependent Damage
}
}
More Users = More Outrage
More Usage = More Outrage
Provoke Outrage, Outright […]
Make it impossible to justify the cost of the fight
“ ”
Stay Alive, Hamilton, by Lin-Manuel Miranda

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Maximizing Users & Usage
More Applications = More Usage = More Users = More Outrage
Software
Data
Knowledge
API
Applications (Usage)
Users

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Target: Too Big to Fail
“A [system] which is deemed to be so deeply ingrained in an
economy that its failure would be disastrous to that economy"
Desirable Features for Sustainability:
• Linked - Connections in and out (ingrained)
• Open - No limitations on access or use
• Usable - As easy to use as possible
• Data - Our product!

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
What is Data Usability?
… usability is the degree to which [a thing]
can be used by specified consumers to
achieve [their] quantified objectives with
effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction
in a quantified context of use.
who
what
how
where
Usability is dependent on the Audience
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/usability
“ ”

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Design Principles for Usability
1. Scope design through shared use cases
2. Design for international use
3. As simple as possible, but no simpler
4. Make easy things easy, complex things possible
5. Avoid dependency on specific technologies
6. Use REST / Don’t break the web
7. Separate concerns, keep APIs loosely coupled
8. Design for JSON-LD, using LOD principles
9. Follow existing standards & best practices, when possible
10. Define success, not failure (for extensibility)
https://iiif.io/api/annex/notes/design_patterns/, https://linked.art/api/1.0/principles/

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Trust and Confidence
Users also need to trust the Product
• Utility: Belief of the consumer that the data is useful for
fulfilling their current information need
• Confidence: Belief of the consumer in the current and past
competence of the publisher (accuracy of data)
• Trust: Belief of the consumer in the current and future
benevolence of the publisher (availability of accurate data)

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Confidence and Trust

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Usability of Data
The data must be usable by a software engineer
implementing an application’s user interface,
in order to be presented to the researcher.
The user of the data is the application developer
The researcher experiences the data only through
the lens of the developer’s application

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Application Developer

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Utility is Judged through the Application

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Perceived Utility depends on Data
Usability

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Confidence & Trust depend on Perceived
Utility

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Going Beyond Trust?
A usable, trusted product isn’t insufficient for outrage.
Why would the user be outraged at product closure?
How do we create an emotional connection?
• Is the product fun?
• Is it rewarding?
• Does it advance the user’s goals?
How do we build Loyalty?

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Building Product Loyalty
Usage
Data (Product)
User Community
Usability
Awareness

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Usage Satisfaction
Data (Product)
User Community
Usability Accuracy
Awareness
Meets
Needs

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Usage Satisfaction Trust
Data (Product)
User Community
Usability Accuracy Persistent
Updated
Awareness
Meets
Needs
Reputation

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Usage Satisfaction Trust Attachment
Data (Product)
User Community
Updated
Relevant
Personal
Awareness
Meets
Needs
Reputation Engagement

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Usage Satisfaction Trust Attachment Loyalty
Data (Product)
User Community
Updated
Relevant
Personal
Interactive
Awareness
Meets
Needs
Reputation Engagement Support

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Usage Satisfaction Trust Attachment Loyalty
Data (Product)
User Community
Updated
Relevant
Personal
Interactive
Awareness
Meets
Needs
Reputation Engagement Support
Functional Intellectual Emotional

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Concluding Thoughts
A Framework for Sustainability includes:
• People … to build and operate the product
• People … to champion and invest in the product
• People … to use and love the product
Sustainability is made of People

Data
is
our
Product
Sustainability
of
LOD
robert.
sanderson
@yale.edu
@azaroth42
Thank You!
Comments, Criticism and Questions all Welcome
Robert Sanderson
Yale University
robert.sanderson@yale.edu
https://www.slideshare.net/azaroth42/

Data is our Product: Thoughts on LOD Sustainability

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