Exploring the OSLO Standard and Linked Data: A Beginner's Guide

The Purpose of the Oslo Standard

In Flanders, there are numerous public services using various software applications. However, data in these systems often follows specific perspectives, hindering reuse across different applications. To address this, the Flemish Government promotes OSLO (Open Standards for Linked Organisations) , a standard for sharing information. OSLO ensures coherence, enhances understanding, and improves the discoverability of information and services. It aligns with the 'Flanders Radically Digital' plan's principle of 'ask not what you already know'.

This standardized approach begins with international guidelines established by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). These guidelines are then refined and integrated at the European level into the EU ISA CORE Vocabularies. Finally, Flanders tailors these standards to its specific regional needs, resulting in the development of OSLO. This progressive approach ensures alignment with broader international and European standards, while also accommodating local requirements and practices.

Facilitating Interconnection through Linked Data

Linked Data offers a standardized method to publish information on the web and interconnect it. The four principles of linked data which are used in the OSLO standard include:

1. Persistent Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs): Ensuring every resource has a unique and persistent identifier, vital for long-term information infrastructure.
2. Dereferenceable HTTP URIs: URIs that allow direct access to the resource they identify.
3. Standardized Information (RDF): Using standardized formats for data representation, enhancing machine understandability.
4. Links to Other Information: Interlinking datasets to enable seamless navigation and discovery.

In addition to these principles, there is the Flemish URI standard for data, which serves as the primary standard applicable to everyone. This document outlines the guidelines and principles for creating and utilizing Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs) for data in Flanders, ensuring consistency and interoperability across various applications and systems. Additionally, the URI guidelines for Data.Vlaanderen.be offer a practical example of applying the URI standard within the domain of Data.Vlaanderen.be. While not a standalone standard, these guidelines serve as a reference implementation, illustrating how to implement URI standards effectively within the context of Data.Vlaanderen.be.

In today's world, governments need to share their data in a way that's easy for everyone to understand. Data.Vlaanderen.be is where Digital Flanders shares its data, following the rules explained in the Flemish URI standard. Besides data, Data.Vlaanderen.be also offers access to guidelines, tools, and other resources, helping people work with data more easily.

An example: the object type library standard for Building Information Management

‍

‍

Empowering Stakeholders with Training and Resources

The Oslo Standards Register offers a comprehensive overview of ongoing and completed initiatives under OSLO, serving as a valuable resource for understanding and implementing OSLO standards.

Moreover, Oslo provides training materials to support stakeholders in grasping and adopting these standards. Informatie Vlaanderen offers profile-based guidelines and various resources, including vocabularies, serving as a toolkit of terms combinable into application profiles.

In conclusion, the Oslo Standard, coupled with Linked Data principles, represents a pivotal step towards achieving seamless data integration, interoperability and reuse in the digital era. By embracing these standards, the Flemish government lays the groundwork for a connected, efficient, and citizen-centric governance model. Through standardized data exchange, Flanders can actualize its vision of a truly digital society, where information is accessible, reusable, and meaningful to all.

‍