esd-toolkit has been working with SiteMorse to ensure there is a consistent approach to the use of controlled lists in Web site metadata.
The e-Government Metadata Standard (e-GMS) describes how to apply descriptive data to resources, including Web pages, across public sector organisations. e-GMS 3.1 explains how the Integrated Public Sector Vocabulary (IPSV) and other controlled lists hosted by esd-standards should be used.
To help local authorities comply now with e-GMS and the DCLG priority outcome R3, esd-toolkit and SiteMorse have agreed a common approach to verifying use of subject metadata (live from 15th July 2006). The aim is to remove ambiguity and help achieve a standardised way of using metadata to make it easier to find UK public sector information across the Web.
e-GMS requires use of at least one IPSV term to describe the subject matter of Web pages. This requirement is consistent with DCLG advice to migrate from LGCL to IPSV by December 2006. esd-toolkit has published Word and XML mappings to help with migration from LGCL to IPSV.
e-GMS also recognises LGSL and LGIL, as used by Local Directgov, to cross-reference with specific services and interactions. The document Guidance on Using Controlled Lists In Web Page Metadata describes how metadata should be expressed in HTML to comply with e-GMS. It also describes the minimum rules to be followed for pages to be picked up by esd-toolkit spidering.
See the document Guide to meta-tagging with IPSV for detailed guidance on picking the right subject terms and using them in subject metadata. It is important that meaningful subject terms are picked for each page as well as using the correct syntax.
Web sites referencing IPSV according to the published rules are listed. Individual Web pages using IPSV are shown from the "Term Usage Count" for a selected term in the IPSV interactive viewer.
SiteMorse follows the same rules in checking Web pages (an example can be seen by visiting www.sitemorse.com and accessing the demo site – user name and password of ‘free’). Hence Local Authorities can be clear about the syntax they should use to support powerful searching across the public sector and receive an appropriate SiteMorse ranking.