As a data user, I need to understand relevant context that is not otherwise captured about a record so that I can interpret and use the data appropriately.
- Priority
- medium
- Status
- proposed
- Themes
- data-principle
- Actors
- data-user
- Source
- data-design
- Next step
- review
Justification
Justification just-0068
Providing an optional `notes` field for datasets lets a data producer record relevant context when that information is useful but is not represented elsewhere in the structured record. This may include qualifications, unusual circumstances, source limitations or transitional information encountered while assembling the record. For example, a note can explain that the completed application form was unavailable from the online public register and that the record was assembled from other published evidence. This rule expresses the general design intention that datasets should support additional human-readable context. It does not make notes mandatory on every record and does not mean that notes from every dataset should be published as open data. National public view inclusion must be assessed separately for each dataset because free text may contain sensitive information. Where the same kind of information appears repeatedly and becomes important for filtering, validation or comparison, it should be considered for structured modelling rather than relying only on notes.
Satisfaction: full; Confidence: medium
Satisfied by:
Rule:
{
"applies_to": "dataset",
"requires": [
{
"field": "notes"
}
]
}
See complete justification record: just-0068