FPWD: Spatial Data on the Web Best Practices

Spatial Data on the Web Best Practices

http://www.w3.org/TR/2016/WD-sdw-bp-20160119/

Abstract


This document advises on best practices related to the publication and usage of spatial data on the Web; the use of Web technologies as they may be applied to location. The best practices are intended for practitioners, including Web developers and geospatial experts, and are compiled based on evidence of real-world application. These best practices suggest a significant change of emphasis from traditional Spatial Data Infrastructures by adopting a Linked Data approach. As location is often the common factor across multiple datasets, spatial data is an especially useful addition to the Linked Data cloud; the 5 Stars of Linked Data paradigm is promoted where relevant.

Status of the Document


This section describes the status of this document at the time of its publication. Other documents may supersede this document. A list of current W3C publications and the latest revision of this technical report can be found in the W3C technical reports index at http://www.w3.org/TR/.

As a First Public Working Draft, this document is incomplete. The editors seek to illustrate the full scope of the best practices- albeit with the details missing at this stage. In particular, the examples for each best practice are largely incomplete. The editors intend to compile a much richer set of examples in the period leading up to publication of the next Working Draft. Feedback is requested on the scope of this document and the best practices herein. The editors are particularly keen for reviewers to cite examples that may be used to further illustrate these best practices.

The charter for this deliverable states that the best practices will include "an agreed spatial ontology conformant to the ISO 19107 abstract model and based on existing available ontologies [...]". Rather than creating a new spatial ontology, the editors aim to provide a methodology that will help data publishers choose which exisitng spatial ontology is relevant for their application. If deemed necesssary to meet the stated requirements (see [SDW-UCR]), a new spatial ontology, or elements that extend the existing spatial ontologies, will be established in subsequent Working Draft releases.

The editors also intend to provide supplementary methods to navigate through the best practices in order to increase the utility of this document. This will be addressed for the next Working Draft release.

For OGCThis is a Public Draft of a document prepared by the Spatial Data on the Web Working Group (SDWWG) — a joint W3C-OGC project (see charter). The document is prepared following W3C conventions. The document is released at this time to solicit public comment.

This document was published by the Spatial Data on the Web Working Group as a First Public Working Draft. If you wish to make comments regarding this document, please send them to public-dwbp-comments@w3.org (subscribe, archives). All comments are welcome.

Publication as a First Public Working Draft does not imply endorsement by the W3C Membership. This is a draft document and may be updated, replaced or obsoleted by other documents at any time. It is inappropriate to cite this document as other than work in progress.

This document was produced by a group operating under the 5 February 2004 W3C Patent Policy. W3C maintains a public list of any patent disclosures made in connection with the deliverables of the group; that page also includes instructions for disclosing a patent. An individual who has actual knowledge of a patent which the individual believes contains Essential Claim(s) must disclose the information in accordance with section 6 of the W3C Patent Policy.

The group does not expect this document to become a W3C Recommendation.

This document is governed by the 1 September 2015 W3C Process Document.