The DIVE team conducts focused research on metadata technologies for ocean science. Each focused team of scientists, technologists and data managers will work to comprehensively review and explain existing capabilities and best practices, comparing existing solutions for the community.

Designed as a short-term commitment of metadata practitioners, the DIVE team will work to Discover existing resources, Investigate each discovered resource, Validate the resources, and Educate the marine metadata community on their findings.

The inaugural DIVE will focus on Metadata Tools. Watch for news, and the start of team work!

So, in practical terms, for the inagaural DIVE, we will

Discover: Survey available metadata tools

The DIVE team will uncover tools developed by individuals, companies, or as part of a project.
Outcome: A listing of metadata tools on the MMI site, complete with basic information, and links to additional information.

Investigate: Objectively evaluate metadata tools

The DIVE team will establish an objective evaluation matrix, and review each discovered tool, based on that matrix.
Outcome: An objective evaluation will be connected to each discovered tool. Ideally, each tool will receive at least two evaluations.

Validate: Identify the "best" based upon objective evaluation

Once the objective evaluations are completed, the scores will be presented in a single webpage, so the community can compare metadata tools.
Outcome: A single webpage, which provides a snapshot of the evaluation process for the complete collection of tools.

Educate: Disseminate findings

The DIVE team will disseminate the findings to the wider community through the MMI website, and any additional mediums, as determined bythe team.
Outcome: Updated MMI Guidance material on the selection of Metadata Tools, along with basic information about the tools listed on the site. Additional dissemination methods to be determined by the team.