Dual Development Lines of DDI

Since the publication of DDI 3 in 2008, a lot of attention has focused on the expanded features and tools being developed around this new structure. At the same time DDI 2 and earlier versions continue to support the work of data archives worldwide and, with the advent of the IHSN Microdata Toolkit, they also facilitate the collection and management of survey data in many developing and transitional countries. DDI 2 has a stable and growing community of users who will either continue to use this development line or will eventually work in an environment where both DDI development lines are used. In order to support this user base and its evolving needs, DDI 2.5 was developed. This new version adds coverage for features of simple surveys found in DDI 3 and better supports the translation of metadata between the two DDI development lines. DDI 2.5 is backwards-compatible with earlier versions while adding support for new elements and better communication with the DDI 3 structures. This presentation will highlight new features and explore some of the use cases in which DDI 2.5 can benefit the current user community.nbsp