FEP - Format Use by a Researcher - Template

Researchers should describe their expectation and their experience with the formats selected for their user.

Please fill in one template for each 'standard format' used in your research environment.

Identification Information

• Author/Submitter Information
• Name
• Affiliation
• Related Project (if appropriate)
• Email Address
• Telephone Number
• Acronym or Name of Project Covered by This Template
• Acronym or Name of Format

1. Format (Format System) Identification

State how the format is typically identified, e.g., Common Data Format, version 2.6. List all versions used. Examples include FITS, HDF, CDF, NETCDF, PDS Labels, IDFS, SFDU Labels, etc. If there are multiple formats involved in a formatting system, identify each and give their roles - e.g., ODL in PDS Labels.

2. Original Motivation

Describe the situation that caused you to be working with data in the named format/format system. Describe the extent to which it has been satisfactory.

3. Data Types

Identify the types of data you work with in the named format by processing level and type of object.

• Processing Level
  • Level 0 (Instrument output values)
  • Level 1A (Reversibly processed instrument outputs)
  • Level 1B (Non-reversibly processed instrument outputs)
  • Higher level physical parameter data
• Object Types
  • Images
  • Spectra
  • Time Series
  • Multi-variate distributions
  • Other

4. Support

Identify the types of support you have needed for this format. Identify who (person or organization) has provided the support.

5. Software

Identify the types of software created in your environment for handling the format. Briefly describe their functionality.

6. Environment

Describe your environment from a hardware, operating system, and favorite tools perspective.

7. Usage

Do you use the named format in your analysis packages, or is it just a holder of information until you can get it into other formats?

8. Experience

Describe your experience with this format in terms of its strengths and weaknesses.

• Relative to its ability to carry and manage research-needed metadata
• Relative to its related software
• Relative to its user support infrastructure
• Relative to the overall functionalities of the whole package (format and software)

9. Desired Functionality

What additional functionalities or characteristics would make the format more useful in your environment?

10. Selection Criteria

If you were to start a new reseach effort today, what characteristics would you look for in a format and why?

11. Impact on Research

To what extent is your research enabled, or impeded, by the strengths in formats and accompanying documentation or software? To what extent is your research enabled, or impeded, by the multiplicity of formats and the interoperability or incompatiblity issues among them?

12. Other Comments

Wider Views