OCN: DESM Tool

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The Data Ecosystem Mapping (DESM) Tool is a specialized tool for creating, editing, maintaining and viewing crosswalks between data standards from two or more Data Standard Organizations (DSOs). These crosswalks are based on the degree of semantic alignment between terms in the different standards or schemas, and may be useful for:

• supporting translation of data from one standard to another,
• supporting the development of data models that align to several standards
• showing which standards cover what terms,

among other uses. These uses recognize the reality that any data ecosystem will encompass actors who use different data standards, different models and different schemas, because they have different interests, systems and requirements for the data. Data translation allows a degree of interoperability despite the use of data standards; however our ultimate hope is that semantic mapping will show that data harmonization is possible, that is that different data standards can share semantics and models for common elements.

The crosswalks are based on pairwise mapping of terms from the different standards to a "synthetic spine", a schema-neutral synthesis terms that is created during the mapping. Mappings from terms in one standard to terms in another can then be inferred where their respective mappings to the spine are transitive.

Resources

• July 19, 2023: Unlocking Data Ecosystems: DESM and Competency Explorer T3 Mid-year Meeting Slides
• April 6, 2023: DESM Pilot Report April 6, 2023 (and a short addendum on using the exported mapping files)
• DESM GItHub Repository
• September 2022: demo of DESM Tool (Featuring Joe Baird)
• Short Prototype DESM Tool Demonstration Video
• Introduction to the Data Ecosystem Schema Mapper Tool Slides
• 2020-21 DESM Agenda & Notes
• Semantic Mapping of Data Standard Schema Properties and Classes: Supporting Learning & Employment Records (Last Updated: 6/19/2020) Hosted by Credential Engine.

DESM Tool Technical Documentation

• DESM Github Repo
• DESM Instruction Wiki
• DESM Admin Documentation (draft)

DESM Tool Pilot Plan

The DESM Tool was tested by invited data standard organizations between November 2022 and February 2023. Participating DSOs were the first users of the DESM tool.  The pilot was aimed at ensuring its functionality works as intended;  identifying usability issues; validating utility of output; getting input on sustainability and building support for DSOs using DESM to share mappings.  The pilot focused on mappings to support aspects of the Skills-based Hiring and Career Advancement Use Cases developed by the T3, Job and Workforce Data Network.  The use cases can be reviewed in the T3 Skills-Based Hiring and Advancement Project Report.

• DESM Pilot Report April 6, 2023
• DESM Pilot Plan

OCFC:PP-001: Develop DESM Project Configuration Dashboard

OCFC:PP-001 DESM Configuration Dashboard Project Plan (Approved and Funded)

Project Description: This project plan defines work to be done in implementing a configuration dashboard for the DESM tool to facilitate the setup of the configuration profile by schema mapping leads. The plan and document including wireframes for configuring the Tool for a particular mapping project was developed as part of the work of the Network Phase 2 in 2020.

Project Period: December 17, 2021 through May 31, 2022

T3 DESM Project Plan: Development and Use of DESM for Data Standards Alignment and Harmonization

9-Month Milestone: 3-5 data standards organizations relevant to the skills-based hiring and advancement use case will commit to utilize the enhanced DESM tool for standards development, alignment, and harmonization to promote data interoperability and support leading practices and tools in skills-based hiring and career advancement and complete competency and skill mapping.

• August 31, 2022: Review skills-based hiring and career advancement use case and report and plans for enhancing and using DESM for standards gap analysis and alignment and harmonization and develop a work plan for enhancing and using DESM for the use case.
• December 30, 2022: Implement DESM enhancements and produce guidance materials for conducting gap analysis and standards alignment and harmonization.
• March 15, 2023: Complete pilot-test of the use of DESM in conducting gap analysis and standards alignment and harmonization for the skills-based hiring and career advancement use case and develop plan for sustaining the use of DESM in addressing other critical use cases.

Internal Teams (Limited Access)

• DESM