Date: Friday, April 15th, 2016
Time: 12:30pm to 6:30pm
Location: Simmons College School of Management, Room 501/502

Join SMIL for its inaugural event: a team competition that will test your metadata mettle and your ability to adapt standards on the fly. Kate Bowers, Collections Services Archivist for Metadata, Systems, and Standards at Harvard University, will kick off the event as keynote speaker. The day will end with a reception, light refreshments, and the presentation of prizes to the winning team.

Background

Human beings have been generating data sets for hundreds of years, usually with some sort of implicit data structure that may not be easily recognizable. In the past twenty-five years, a proliferation of standards has developed to help regularize that data and facilitate its manipulation and exchange. Development is ongoing as different communities identify their own unique data needs. At the same time, competing values of aggregation and interoperability encourage data adaptability to more generic or universal standards.

This event challenges students to “solve for x,” i.e., to determine an appropriate metadata strategy or solution for a unique data set. Solutions should focus on the adoption of an existing standard or standards but can include any specific extensions allowed by that standard and dictated by the needs of the data set.

How will this work?

Participants will be divided into teams of three to four people and given a data set. They will have three hours to develop a metadata solution for the data set. During this time, teams may disperse throughout campus and are free to use available electronic and print resources. At the end of the three hours, each team must submit documentation of its solution to the SMIL judges. There will be a half hour dinner break before the reception to allow the judges to review the submissions, during which time teams should prepare to present their solutions. At the end of the presentations, the judges will announce the winning team and present them with prizes.

What’s the schedule?

12:30-1:15pm: Welcome, introduction to the day, and keynote speaker

1:15-1:30pm: Team assignment and challenge explained

1:30-4:30pm: Teams work on solution

4:30-5:00pm: Break

5:00-6:30pm: Presentations and Reception, prizes awarded, recap, summary of event (open to the public)

What should I bring?

While you are free to use the tech lab or the library, you may find that bringing your own laptop will be more convenient. Other than that, bring your game face.

How do I register? 

RSVP here.

If you have any questions, please email Kathy Wisser at <[email protected]>