From 8d8de023f6b2727e7e5705ed6452798a3a4514b6 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Duncan Dewhurst Date: Wed, 28 Feb 2024 16:41:57 +1300 Subject: [PATCH] docs/standard/contributing/examples.rst: Update guidelines --- docs/standard/contributing/examples.rst | 23 +++++++++++++++++++---- 1 file changed, 19 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-) diff --git a/docs/standard/contributing/examples.rst b/docs/standard/contributing/examples.rst index 9bd0af2..98c9847 100644 --- a/docs/standard/contributing/examples.rst +++ b/docs/standard/contributing/examples.rst @@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ Process Put the sample data in `GitHub Gist `__ or in a subfolder of the `Examples folder `__, and link to it from the document. #. Update the GitHub issue and solicit a first review, then address any feedback -#. Update the GitHub issue and solicial a final review from James, then address any feedback +#. Update the GitHub issue and solicit a final review from James, then address any feedback #. Create a branch on the `standard repository `__ and add: - A Markdown file containing the narrative @@ -51,11 +51,26 @@ Guidelines ---------- - Always package data in a release or record package. -- Real examples are preferred to generic examples, since generic examples are much less compelling and clear to readers, for a variety of reasons: +- Use real examples. That is, examples that feature real organizations and plausible and coherent field values. Generic examples are much less compelling and clear to readers, for a variety of reasons: - There’s a tendency for generic data to become overly generic, e.g. Anytown procures Thingamajigs for the greater benefit of the Republic of Atlantis. - Fictional entities aren’t immediately recognized by readers, unlike London, IBM, etc. - Specific examples tend to be more memorable and interesting than general ones. - - I have to think more when given a generic/abstract example than a specific/concrete one. + - Readers have to think more when given a generic/abstract example than a specific/concrete one. - Real examples better ensure that the example makes sense. When you have the Fisheries Department procuring oil pipelines, you think “Well, hold on a minute” and then fix it to be more realistic. When data is generic and ambiguous, it’s easy to let unclear scenarios through. - - Specific examples help to communicate facts by implication. If the example is about cross-border procurement, I can pick a real buyer and supplier that are well-known to be based in different countries. I would include their different countries in the data, but readers won’t have to see that to understand. + - Specific examples help to communicate facts by implication. If the example is about cross-border procurement, you can pick a real buyer and supplier that are well-known to be based in different countries. You would include their different countries in the data, but readers won’t have to see that to understand. + +- Avoid using real data from OCDS publishers. It is rarely worth the effort of finding suitable data, correcting errors and trimming it down for brevity and clarity. +- Keep examples as simple as possible and omit fields that aren't relevant to the example. For example, to illustrate an amendment, amend the value of a single field and omit optional fields with unchanged values. +- Examples on the same page ought to follow a common thread/context/scenario so that readers do not need to reorient themselves to each example. + +Guidelines in practice +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ + +The [tender updates and amendments example](https://standard.open-contracting.org/1.1/en/guidance/map/amendments/#example-1-tender-updates-and-amendments) in OCDS 1.1 has the following deficiencies: + +* The example is overly generic: the buyer (Open Data Services) is not a government agency and appears elsewhere in the documentation as a supplier and the object of the procurement (a data merging tool) closely relates to the subject of the example (updates and amendments), which is confusing for readers. +* The example data contain many fields that are irrelevant to the subject of the example, e.g. `tender.status`, `tender.procurementMethod` and `tender.awardPeriod`, which means readers need to scan lots of JSON to find the important parts. +* The [tender amendment release](https://standard.open-contracting.org/1.1/en/guidance/map/amendments/#tender-amendment) is unnecessarily complex: it amends two fields (`tender.value` and `tender.period`), when only one is needed to illustrate how amendments are modelled, which is confusing for readers. + +OCDS 1.2 features a simplified version of the example that conforms to the above guidelines.