information management: 

database systems 

Database Systems
Data Standards

Database Systems
Database systems are an ubiquitous phenomena in these days.  Water managers need to be aware and informed about a variety of natural resources data due to complex interdependencies among different resources in our ecosystem.

Decisions require a solid foundation on data and analyses to be acceptable and defensible. This functional attribute of a decision process is represented in the decision-data pyramid, which shows the transformation of ‘Data’ to ‘Infor­mation’ to ‘Knowledge’ to ‘Decision’ with rapidly increasing ‘value or worth’ as we move from the bottom of a decision pyramid to the top. Data by themselves have little value or worth; once they are processed, analyzed, and organized, they become information. Once the information is processed by the user to develop and enhance understanding of a situation or a problem, it turns into knowledge. It is this knowledge that can reduce the risk of undesir­able consequences of a decision.

Database Systems can facilitate transformation of data into knowledge by providing access, aggregration, synthesis, and correlation capabilities in a decision support con­text.  A well designed Database Systems can incrementally grow into an effective Decision Support System by supporting three bottom layers of data-decision pyramid:

  • in ‘Data’ layer it can provide a forum for synthesizing diverse sets of data;

  • in ‘Information’ layer it can help discover and explore inter­relationships among data; and

  • in ‘Knowledge’ layer it can provide a forum for understanding ‘action-response’ characteristics of the ecosystems through alternatives analysis and filed monitoring data.

At WRIME, Inc., we have database experts who can design and develop an effective database systems for you.  The systems we develop are very user-friendly due to its user-centric design philosophy.  Our professional staffs have extensive experience in water data management and therefore, can provide analytical tools development services also.

We have expertise in the following database development tools:

MS Access

Oracle

HEC-DSS

MS SQL Server

At WRIME, Inc., we have database experts who can design and develop an effective database systems for you.  The systems we develop are very user-friendly due to its user-centric design philosophy.  Our professional staffs have extensive experience in water data management and therefore, can provide analytical tools development services also.

Data Standards
Development of data standards should be an essential element of any long-term comprehensive water management planning project.  This is a complex task requiring careful attention to detail about relevant multi-resource data, user base, potential analysis needs, and relevant hydrologic, economic, and ecosystems models.

In a comprehensive water management study, this task will dictate the success of

  • ready access to /verification of data;

  • rapid alternative analysis;

  • multiple model integration and linkages;

  • data documentation; and

  • support to decision makers by providing more understandable and synthesized data and analysis results.

This task should be conducted in collaboration with resource managers, data analysts, GIS specialists, and resource modelers.  It is important to understand the data management protocols that have been developed by the resource specialists over the years.  The key to the success of a data standards project lies in the recognition of user preferences while seeking a balance among the user needs, ease of use and maintenance, and database requirements.

 

The deliverable of a data standard task should include:

  1. A report on data types, data structures, data sources, data custodians, data accessibility, data formats, data users, data needs, data tools and existing databases, etc;

  2. Flow charts of data/information pathways and interrelationships among all the related ecosystem resources and hydrologic/economic models considered in the CALFED;

  3. An overview of the potential changes in model’s input/output structures and ways to develop flexible standards that is adaptable and that can evolve over time;

  4. An inventory of models, databases, key users, GIS systems, hardware systems etc. that are used by DWR and other key CALFED partners;

  5. A description of the data analysis methodologies including process diagrams of data exchanges and model linkages;

  6. Data standards with due consideration for preserving the individual resource perspectives and ease of use and maintenance;

  7. A discussion of the consideration for data management responsibility, public outreach needs, operation and maintenance costs, short-term and long-term needs etc;

  8. Technical Memorandum on data processing programs, update and data storage procedures, web based data upload programs and procedures etc.

  9. Description of a method of web based data documentation system;

  10. Consideration of a distributed computing database management system with advantages and disadvantages;

  11. An implementation plan for data standards with discussion of advantages and disadvantages of recommended approaches.

"Understand the difference between the resource management data world and the rest of the data world (such as financial data and census data).   

Resource data are organic; they have meaning, they have character.  Therefore, their organization must make sense to be useful.

Be careful in enforcing a data model or data standards for resource data; Rigid data rules can make the software brittle."

Lessons Learned from Snake River DSS

 

Copyright © 2001, 2002  WRIME, Inc.  All Rights Reserved.