Application specifications for generating output from the DGSM

As part of the development of the DGSM Framework two application specifications were drawn up. The first of these was produced by the Data Architecture sub-project and was a specification for an application to allow users to select data from the GSF database, based on spatial, metadata and attribute criteria. The selected data could then be used to generate various user-selected model visualisations and attribute displays on the user’s desk-top. It was a key requirement that it should be possible to run the application over the internet using a standard browser with no plug-ins or add-ons that are not freely downloadable. The application was designed to provide general purpose access to the GSF database to a wide range of potential users outside of BGS. It was not aimed at any particular group of end-users and was seen as the DGSM analogy of the traditional geological map. This application was designed to test all the main elements necessary in building GSF output applications as well as providing a useful deliverable in its own right. In the future the methods developed will be used to build GSF output applications to address the requirements of more specific groups of users. The second application specification was produced by the Metadata sub-project and was designed to show how the DGSM metadata could be used. The DGSM metadata is divided into three distinct types, each designed to answer a specific type of question posed by a particular group of users: 1. Data Discovery metadata is designed to tell modellers what suitable data exist for creating a particular model. 2. Model Discovery metadata is designed to tell model users what suitable models exist for a particular application. 3. Inference metadata is designed to tell model developers and advanced users how a model was developed. The application specification was designed to define an application, for internal BGS use, that would use the metadata to answer the questions they were intended to address. Although the two applications are aimed at different users and have different functionalities, there are nevertheless some similarities between them. In particular the selection modules and the GSF model display component are similar. This suggests that in the future, as the difference between what it is technically possible to provide to internal and external users reduces, it may be desirable to merge the functionality described in the two application specifications in this report. For this reason it was thought sensible to bring the two specifications together in this internal report.