The DIGGS Project Team contracted with Galdos Systems and Compusult Ltd. to carry out independent reviews of DIGGS version 1.0a. The objectives of this work were to:

(1) Assess the current implementation of DIGGS with GML. (Were GML standards, conventions, best practices, and patterns implemented correctly? Was the appropriate version and/or variation of GML used based upon the requirements of DIGGS?)

(2) Assess if the goals of the DIGGS standard is best implemented as a GML application schema, or if other encoding standards (both GML and non-GML) should be considered.

(3) Assess the strategy that was used in the organization and composition of schema objects and files in the context of the physical observations and data that DIGGS is trying to capture. (Is the schema too decomposed, or appropriate given the requirements of DIGGS?)

(4) Assess the core issues recently documented by the DIGGS Project Team on the discussion forums and at the March 2009 DIGGS meeting in Orlando.

(5) Consider other issues, as appropriate, that may not have identified by the DIGGS Project Team, that exist with the schema design that may impact its application.

Final reports from Galdos and Compusult with findings and recommendations can be downloaded below. (NOTE -- You'll need to login to the site to see the download links below.) These reports will form the basis for work to be conducted later this year. A synthesis of the findings is also available for download.