diff --git a/docs/standard/contributing/examples.rst b/docs/standard/contributing/examples.rst index 9bd0af2a..c99a1116 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 @@ -50,12 +50,27 @@ Process 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: +- Always **package data** in a release or record package. +- 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. - - 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. + - There's a tendency for generic data to become overly generic: for example, 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 generic ones. + - 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 can 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 still include their countries, but readers won't need that to understand. + +- Avoid using real data from publishers. It is rarely worth the effort to find suitable data, correct any errors and trim it down for brevity and clarity. +- Keep examples simple, and omit irrelevant fields. For example, to illustrate an amendment, change a single field's value, and omit optional fields with unchanged values. +- Examples on the same page ought to follow a common thread, context or scenario, so that readers don't 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 issues: + +* Overly generic: The buyer (Open Data Services) is not a government agency and appears elsewhere in the documentation as a supplier. The object of the procurement (a data merging tool) closely relates to the subject of the example (updates and amendments), which is confusing. +* Irrelevant fields: Many fields are irrelevant to the subject – like `tender.status`, `tender.procurementMethod` and `tender.awardPeriod`. Readers need to scan more JSON to find relevant lines. +* 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 one is sufficient to illustrate how amendments are modeled. + +OCDS 1.2 [simplifies the example](https://standard.open-contracting.org/staging/1666-make-examples-minimal/en/guidance/map/amendments/#example-1-tender-updates-and-amendments) to meet the guidelines.