The Evernden Eight - the 8 key factors for architecting information							Introduction
Categories	Understanding	Presentation	Evolution	Knowledge	Responsibility	Process	Meta Levels

Factor 8 - Meta levels primarily add value in the administration of information.

The prefix "meta" means beyond or above, as in metamathematics, which is the logical analysis of the concepts, terminology and use of symbols in mathematics; or metalanguage, which is a language or system of symbols used to discuss another language or symbol system.

The address, 98 Roebuck Crescent, is an example or instance of corporate data - it is one of the many addresses that the organisation deals with.

If we go up one meta level it is where we would keep information about the many instances of address, for example we might have information that describes the meaning and structure of address information. We might also include details of how the information is created, accessed and used. This "higher level" information is meta-information.

There could be still further levels - meta-meta-information about the meta-information!

This factor describes the various meta levels that are required.

The key questions include:

• Is this information an example of corporate data, or from one of the higher meta levels?
• Would it be easier to use the information if it used different meta constructs?
• Could we simplify the meta model for this information?

The key benefit from the meta levels is in automating some of the processing that takes place on a type of information. For example, if some additional information were added at a higher meta level would allow the automated validation or correction of the information?