The intergovernmental Group on Earth Observations (GEO) is implementing
the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) and developing
tools to help users better understand earth observation data to a variety
of societal areas. A suite of GEOSS Registries is at the core of these tools.
These registries provide the means to register GEOSS components, services,
data sets, and other relevant information resources. They are designed to enable
users of Earth observations to access, list, search, and use the data and services
available through GEOSS.
GEO is building GEOSS as a user-driven system. The GEO User
Requirements Registry (URR), which is part of the GEOSS Registries,
allows users to publish their needs in terms of Earth information, and
it enables users and providers to analyze the value chains from Earth
observations to end users. In order to collect and update information
on user needs, GEO has established several processes to engage users
depending directly or indirectly on Earth observations The URR is one
of the principal user engagement mechanisms in GEOSS. The core of the
URR is a comprehensive database with information on user types,
applications, and requirements as well as their inter-connectivity.
A key innovative feature of the URR is its capacity to generate and analyze links
between the different types of functions-User Types, Applications, Requirements, Research Needs, Technology Needs,
Infrastructure Needs, and Capacity Building Needs. Creating these connections allows publishers (those entering data)
and readers (those viewing data) to understand the interconnected nature of the various functions. Relationships between functions can
be viewed in the URR Links page and illustrated graphically within each URR form. Figure 1
illustrates a representative Links visualization, showing a "User Type" (Aerobiologist; yellow circle) linked to an "Application"
(Land-use management; blue circle) that is in turn related to various "Requirements" (e.g., Biogeochemical assessment
and Ecosystem health assessment; green circles). Selecting other elements in the image will then display a new network
of links originating from the selected entity. Documenting links between these different elements demonstrate the unique
URR relationship capability and should help URR users make more informed decisions.
Population of the URR is based on peer contribution similar to the
Wikipedia system. Moreover, relevant information from the reports
produced by the GEO Work Plan Task US-09-01a has been extracted and
entered into the URR. Engineers, scientists and policy makers
world-wide who contributed the US-09-01a reports are being asked to
assist in populating the URR. As far as possible, information is also
harvested from other databases with information on user needs. But the
biggest contribution will have to come from individual users who
publish their needs.
Please view this recent URR publication for more information.
You are invited to visit and search the URR for information related to
user needs, applications, and observational requirements. If you have
information on these items, you are invited to publish your
information and thus enrich the URR.
If you intend to publish information in the URR it is strongly
recommended that you first visit the URR Tutorials. In particular, the
tutorial on the general concept of the URR is designed to introduce
you to the type of information that should be published in the URR. It
is also very helpful to scroll through one of the specific tutorials
on publishing information.
Visit the URR Tutorials.
See also the Brief Introduction to the URR, an
article in Imaging Notes,
and the
URR Concept of Operations for additional background information.
GEOSS depends on user feedback, and so does the URR. Give us your feedback by filling out the
Questionnaire.