Metadata - the substance behind the style

Abstract

Reviews the UK Government’s commitment to extending and encouraging the use of information and communication technology (ICT) as a means of improving communication between Government and citizens through the setting up of an appropriate regulatory and legislative environment to support electronic commerce (E-commerce), giving people and businesses the confidence to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the Internet, and making sure business and Government decisions are informed by the best information available. Describes the work of the Office of the e-Envoy, Cabinet Office, which has three core objectives: to make the UK the best environment in the world for E-Commerce by 2002; to ensure that everyone who wants it has access to the Internet by 2005; and to make all Government services available electronically by 2005, focusing on the e-Envoy’s efforts meet its own target of having 1 million small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) trading online by 2002. Pays particular attention to the work the Office of the e-Envoy in the fields of interoperability and metadata, tracing the Government’s plan to standardize metadata use across the UK public sector back as set out in two White Papers, in 1999 (“Modernising Government”) and 2000 (“E-Government Strategic Framework”). Outlines the development of the E-Government Metadata Framework (e-GMF), a central set of standards needed to allow computers to recognize and interpret electronic files, with special note taken of the core components involved such as the E-Government Metadata Standard. The draft E-Government Metadata Standard (e-GMS) will be thoroughly tested in a variety of practical situations, including: Government Web sites, intranets and document management systems.

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References

[1] The Cabinet Office (1999) Modernising Government, Cm 4310. Norwich, The Stationery Office. ISBN 0101431023, available at www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/moderngov/whtpaper/index.htm.

[2] Central IT Unit (2000) E-Government: a strategic framework for public services in the information age. London, Central IT Unit . ISBN 0 7115 0394 X.

[3] Cabinet Office, Performance and Innovation Unit (1999) E-Commerce @ its best. London, Cabinet Office, Performance and Innovation Unit , available at www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/innovation/1999/ecomm.shtml.

[4] Department of Trade and Industry (1998) Our competitive future: Building the Knowledge Driven Economy, Cm4176. Norwich, The Stationery Office . ISBN 0101417624, available at www.dti.gov.uk/comp/competitive.

[5] Cabinet Office, Office of the e-Envoy (2001) E-Government Interoperability Framework, First revision. London, Office of the e-Envoy , available at www.govtalk.gov.uk/egif/home.html.

[6] Cabinet Office, Office of the e-Envoy (2001) E-Government Metadata Framework. London, Office of the e-Envoy . ISBN 0711504083, available at www.govtalk.gov.uk/egif/home.html.

[7] Dublin Core Metadata Initiative, available at dublincore.org/.