Copyright © 2005 Michel Biezunski, Infoloom and Steven R. Newcomb, Coolheads Consulting A DRM Perspective What Topic Maps Bring to the Table Michel Biezunski and Steve Newcomb Expedition Workshop, July 19, 2005

Copyright © 2005 Michel Biezunski, Infoloom and Steven R. Newcomb, Coolheads Consulting Outline What's a Perspective? Formalizing Perspectives Disclosing Perspectives Four Approaches to Information Sharing A Marketplace of Perspectives

Copyright © 2005 Michel Biezunski, Infoloom and Steven R. Newcomb, Coolheads Consulting What’s a Perspective? Data can only be understood in terms of some “perspective”. A perspective is an opinion about how to interpret some corpus of data – everything that it is understood to mean. Information is data that encapsulates or implies its perspective(s). Data is interoperable within a common perspective.

Copyright © 2005 Michel Biezunski, Infoloom and Steven R. Newcomb, Coolheads Consulting Information Sharing Explicit perspectives facilitate information sharing and integration. They control data interpretation. The perspectives within which data becomes information inevitably reflect biases. It's enlightening – but not necessary – to know the perspectives of the originators of data.

Copyright © 2005 Michel Biezunski, Infoloom and Steven R. Newcomb, Coolheads Consulting Formalizing Perspectives Perspectives are formally and minimally expressable as subject map patterns. To make a perspective explicit and available is to “disclose” a subject map pattern. The following slides are about:  Subject  Subject Map  Subject Map Pattern  Subject Map Pattern Disclosure

Copyright © 2005 Michel Biezunski, Infoloom and Steven R. Newcomb, Coolheads Consulting Subject Something concerning which something is said or done (Merriam-Webster Online) Note: Meta-subjects are subjects. Meta-ness is a matter of perspective. To see data in terms of its subjects is to see it within some specific perspective.

Copyright © 2005 Michel Biezunski, Infoloom and Steven R. Newcomb, Coolheads Consulting Subject Map A subject map is a set of subject proxies. A subject proxy is a computer representation of a subject.  Can be implemented as an object.  Must have identity and be addressable. Every subject proxy represents one subject.  Must have at least one subject identity property. latest.pdf, the proposed Topic Maps Reference Model, ISO/IEC latest.pdf

Copyright © 2005 Michel Biezunski, Infoloom and Steven R. Newcomb, Coolheads Consulting Subject Map Pattern A subject map pattern defines properties for subject proxies. A subject map pattern establishes:  How to address the subjects that it can proxify (i.e., the subject identity property).  How to see multiple proxies for the same subject as a single proxy  How to make implicit properties and proxies explicit.

Copyright © 2005 Michel Biezunski, Infoloom and Steven R. Newcomb, Coolheads Consulting Subject Map Pattern Disclosure A subject map pattern disclosure is an expression of a subject map pattern that meets the disclosure requirements of ISO/IEC

Copyright © 2005 Michel Biezunski, Infoloom and Steven R. Newcomb, Coolheads Consulting Four Approaches to Information Sharing 1.One perspective for all 2.A short list of perspectives 3.Centralized authority 4.Independent disclosed perspectives

Copyright © 2005 Michel Biezunski, Infoloom and Steven R. Newcomb, Coolheads Consulting 1. One Perspective For All It would be naïve to believe that the whole government can share a single perspective. However, groups must share perspectives in order to communicate.

Copyright © 2005 Michel Biezunski, Infoloom and Steven R. Newcomb, Coolheads Consulting 2. A Short List of Perspectives DRM proposes a short list of approved formalisms. Every ontology-disclosure formalism necessarily reflects a specific perspective. Do we understand our existing and future requirements that well?

Copyright © 2005 Michel Biezunski, Infoloom and Steven R. Newcomb, Coolheads Consulting 3. Centralized Authority The DRM process can be understood as the birth of a centralized authority that approves new perspectives and changes to existing perspectives. Can any central authority be expert in all perspectives, respond quickly and appropriately to changing requirements, and enjoy the cooperation of all parties?

Copyright © 2005 Michel Biezunski, Infoloom and Steven R. Newcomb, Coolheads Consulting 4. Independent Disclosed Perspectives Disclosure facilitates information sharing without inhibiting diversity. In order to share any corpus of data, at least one perspective is needed.

Copyright © 2005 Michel Biezunski, Infoloom and Steven R. Newcomb, Coolheads Consulting Top-down/Bottom-up Top-down  One perspective for all  A short list of perspectives  Centralized authorities Bottom-up  Independent disclosed perspectives

Copyright © 2005 Michel Biezunski, Infoloom and Steven R. Newcomb, Coolheads Consulting Embracing Diversity Even if perspectives are completely independent, at all levels, automated information sharing is still supportable. All that is necessary is that the perspective disclosures meet certain requirements.

Copyright © 2005 Michel Biezunski, Infoloom and Steven R. Newcomb, Coolheads Consulting A Marketplace of Perspectives Markets are smart and adaptable. Wise disclosure of perspectives helps control unpredictability in the knowledge marketplace.

Copyright © 2005 Michel Biezunski, Infoloom and Steven R. Newcomb, Coolheads Consulting Managing Information Sharing Perspective disclosure controls which aspects of information may be shared. Disclosure allows aggregators to maintain their processes. Disclosure supports a consumer-centric competitive marketplace of perspectives and aggregations.

Copyright © 2005 Michel Biezunski, Infoloom and Steven R. Newcomb, Coolheads Consulting Benefits Explicitly representing the DRM as a perspective will make it possible to aggregate information emanating from all agencies around the DRM subjects. Such aggregation can be achieved without inhibiting the diversity of shared information, and without requiring prior agreements about subjects or perspectives. The DRM thus opens the marketplace of government perspectives and knowledge aggregations.