Ocean-Atlas Knowledge Standards

• Ocean-Atlas Knowledge Standards
  • Metadata
  • 1. Purpose
  • 2. Standards Model
    • 2.1 Metadata
    • 2.2 Identity and Relationships
    • 2.3 Content
    • 2.4 Templates
    • 2.5 Governance
    • 2.6 Validation
  • 3. How the Standards Work Together
  • 4. Conformance
  • 5. Authority of Standards
  • 6. Evolution of the Standards
  • 7. Standards Index

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1. Purpose

This document defines the governing standards model for Ocean-Atlas.

It brings together the standards that determine how Ocean knowledge is:

• identified;
• classified;
• structured;
• written;
• related;
• governed;
• validated.

The detailed rules are defined by the specialized standards referenced by this document.

This document acts as the primary entry point to those standards and does not duplicate their detailed definitions.

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2. Standards Model

Ocean-Atlas Knowledge Standards consist of six complementary areas.

2.1 Metadata

Defines the structured information associated with knowledge items, including:

• identity;
• classification;
• lifecycle;
• ownership;
• applicability;
• authority;
• provenance;
• discovery information.

Defined by:

atlas.metadata-schema

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2.2 Identity and Relationships

Defines:

• stable knowledge IDs;
• ID naming and lifecycle;
• knowledge references;
• typed relationships;
• relationship directionality;
• relationship governance.

Defined by:

atlas.identity-and-relationships

---

2.3 Content

Defines how knowledge is written and organized, including:

• document structure;
• file naming;
• headings;
• writing style;
• normative language;
• code and DSL examples;
• links;
• diagrams and assets;
• content granularity.

Defined by:

atlas.content-standards

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2.4 Templates

Defines standard starting structures for major knowledge types.

Initial templates include:

• Concept;
• Reference;
• Guide;
• Tutorial;
• Pattern;
• Example;
• Architecture;
• ADR;
• RFC;
• Troubleshooting;
• Migration Guide;
• Glossary Entry.

Templates are maintained under:

atlas/templates/

Templates implement the standards but do not replace them.

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2.5 Governance

Defines how knowledge is managed throughout its lifecycle, including:

• ownership;
• contribution;
• review;
• acceptance and approval;
• maintenance;
• deprecation;
• supersession;
• archival.

Defined by:

atlas.governance

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2.6 Validation

Defines the rules used to verify the structural integrity and consistency of Ocean-Atlas knowledge.

Validation covers:

• metadata;
• stable IDs;
• knowledge types;
• lifecycle;
• relationships;
• references;
• versions;
• content structure;
• examples;
• repository-wide consistency.

Defined by:

atlas.validation-rules

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3. How the Standards Work Together

The Ocean-Atlas Knowledge Architecture defines the foundational knowledge model.

The Knowledge Standards translate that architecture into concrete rules.

Knowledge Architecture
        │
        ▼
Knowledge Standards
        │
        ├── Metadata
        ├── Identity & Relationships
        ├── Content
        ├── Templates
        ├── Governance
        └── Validation
        │
        ▼
Consistent Ocean Knowledge
        │
        ├── Documentation
        ├── Search
        ├── Knowledge APIs
        ├── Knowledge Graph
        ├── RAG
        └── AI Assistants

Each standard has a distinct responsibility but operates on the same canonical knowledge model.

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4. Conformance

An independently addressable Ocean-Atlas knowledge item conforms to the Knowledge Standards when it:

• has a valid stable identity;
• satisfies applicable metadata requirements;
• uses a recognized knowledge type;
• follows applicable content standards;
• uses the appropriate template where one exists;
• uses valid stable references and relationships;
• follows the applicable lifecycle and governance rules;
• satisfies required validation rules.

Not every rule applies equally to every knowledge type.

Conditional and type-specific requirements are defined by the corresponding standards.

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5. Authority of Standards

The accepted Ocean-Atlas Knowledge Architecture is the architectural foundation for these standards.

The standards must remain consistent with that architecture.

The governing hierarchy is:

Knowledge Architecture
        ↓
Knowledge Standards
        ↓
Specialized Standards
        ↓
Knowledge-Type Templates
        ↓
Individual Knowledge Items

When conflicts occur, the higher-level accepted governing knowledge takes precedence unless explicitly superseded.

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6. Evolution of the Standards

The Knowledge Standards are expected to evolve as Ocean-Atlas grows.

Changes may include:

• new knowledge types;
• metadata refinements;
• new relationship types;
• lifecycle changes;
• additional templates;
• stronger validation;
• improved contribution workflows.

Changes must follow Ocean-Atlas governance.

Significant changes to foundational semantics should:

• preserve backward compatibility where practical;
• document migration requirements when necessary;
• avoid breaking stable identities;
• preserve historical traceability.

Implementation technologies may evolve independently as long as the semantic meaning of the standards is preserved.

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7. Standards Index

Area	Governing Knowledge
Knowledge Architecture	atlas.knowledge-architecture
Knowledge Standards	atlas.knowledge-standards
Metadata	atlas.metadata-schema
Identity and Relationships	atlas.identity-and-relationships
Content	atlas.content-standards
Templates	atlas/templates/
Governance	atlas.governance
Validation	atlas.validation-rules

Together, these documents define the initial standards for creating, maintaining, connecting, governing, and validating knowledge within Ocean-Atlas.