21-SEP-2007 Workshop “Repository Ecology” The Digital Repository Infrastructure Vision for European Research in a repository ecology or Why DRIVER is not a pond!

21-SEP-2007 Workshop “Repository Ecology” Disclaimer: Constructive Criticism Introductory Note –it is very common in „conceptual“ discussions that theories are presented together with their critics –this contribution is meant as such an academic crtitique that shall help to further mature the „ecology approach“ to enrich the discussion to point out strengths and problems to offer alternative approaches

21-SEP-2007 Workshop “Repository Ecology” Authors Muriel Foulonneau –CNRS, Lyon-FR Paolo Manghi –CNR-ISTI, PISA-IT Natalia Manola –University of Athens, GR Wolfram Horstmann –State and University Library Göttingen PAPER PRESENTATION

21-SEP-2007 Workshop “Repository Ecology” The setting The ecology approach suggests 1.the inclusion of non-technical aspects in the frameworks (or models) for repository systems for the sake of easier comprehension 2.the analogy of ecology as an explanatory framework for repository and service interactions

21-SEP-2007 Workshop “Repository Ecology” Terms Mapping of concepts in the repository ecology (Robertson et al.) to DRIVER

21-SEP-2007 Workshop “Repository Ecology” „Scale“ Organism = human –Researcher, Developer, Administrator Population = group of humans –Institutional employees, conference visitors … Community = interacting groups –Disciplines, Schools of thought … Ecosystem = Knowledge environment –Unity of community, resources and activities

21-SEP-2007 Workshop “Repository Ecology” „Entity“ (Information Object) Repository –Collection of information objects Service –Machine based activity on information objects Note: everything is an entity!

21-SEP-2007 Workshop “Repository Ecology” „Species“ This category is not applicable –The only species participating is human kind –IRs and aggregator services are non-living systems They do not reproduce, and do not evolve They are not „dynamic“ (cf ) Alternative: cultural artifacts

21-SEP-2007 Workshop “Repository Ecology” „Interactions“ Types –Machine-machine –Machine-human –Human-human Note: „activity“ might be the easier concept –Direction of activity is not mandatory –Definition of the nature of interaction is mandatory

21-SEP-2007 Workshop “Repository Ecology” „Resource“ = information object involved in an activity –A service is an entity defining activities involving information objects –A repository is a physical collection of information objects applying a specified set of services Any resource is an entity

21-SEP-2007 Workshop “Repository Ecology” „Environmental factors“ Not applicable –Interactions with internal entities („biotic factor“) or external entities („abiotic factor“) can be modeled as information objects or activities

21-SEP-2007 Workshop “Repository Ecology” „Other“ Keystone, Niche … Biodiversity –n.a. because species are only humans Evolution –n.a. because of missing reproduction Food webs and food chains –n.a. because no digestion take place, information objects live on…

21-SEP-2007 Workshop “Repository Ecology” Assumptions Specific types as encountered in DRIVER

21-SEP-2007 Workshop “Repository Ecology” Types of activities Service-service activities Service-repository activities Repository-repository activities Human-service activities Human-human activities…

21-SEP-2007 Workshop “Repository Ecology” Types of users #1 Researcher –Generic information seeker –Subject-based information seeker Repository provider Repository developer Service provider Service developer Repository platform developer

21-SEP-2007 Workshop “Repository Ecology” Types of users #2 Librarian Publisher Advisor Advocat Funder DRIVER developer DRIVER data manager DRIVER supporter Infrastructure developer Infrastructure provider

21-SEP-2007 Workshop “Repository Ecology” Types of DRIVER services -- simple Enabling Layer Repositories DRIVER Objects Data Layer Functionality Layer A&A Service Recommendation Service UI Service User Service Search Service OAI-Publisher Service Index Service Store Service Collection Service Aggregator Service Information Service Manager Service Community Service

21-SEP-2007 Workshop “Repository Ecology” Combinatorial Power Illustrated Researcher –Generic information seeker –Subject-based information seeker Repository provider Repository developer Service provider Service developer Repository platform developer Librarian Publisher Advisor Advocat Funder DRIVER developer DRIVER data manager DRIVER supporter Infrastructure developer Infrastructure provider Enabling Layer Repositories DRIVER Objects Data Layer Functionality Layer A&A Service Recommendation Service UI Service User Service Search Service OAI- Publisher Service Index Service Store Service Collecti on Service Aggregator Service Informatio n Service Manage r Service Communit y Service Combinatorial Explosion: Occurs when a huge number of possible combinations are created by increasing the number of entities which can be combined--forcing us to consider a constrained set of possibilities when we consider related problems. (Arbib) from: Web Dictionary of Cybernetics and Systems Web Dictionary of Cybernetics and Systems

21-SEP-2007 Workshop “Repository Ecology” Combinatorial Power Exemplified 10 users (human types) –A minimalist number Disciplines not considered 10 services –A minimalist number Number of repositories not considered Number of information objects not considered Reduction, of course, possible –Adding constraits, logical grouping of services and users c: combinations n=10: number of elements r=10: redundant options, arbitrary c = n! / r!(n-r)! =

21-SEP-2007 Workshop “Repository Ecology” Interim result Complexity is a major challenge Ecology thesis #1 corroborated –the inclusion of non-technical aspects in the frameworks (or models) for repository systems for the sake of easier comprehension

21-SEP-2007 Workshop “Repository Ecology” Sense of analogical reasoning* Valuable if close correspondence between two models is given Close correspondence can be determined through detailed analysis Modelling is required for final assessment of correspondence * cf. or also Gentner and Stevens, 1981http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analogy

21-SEP-2007 Workshop “Repository Ecology” Ecological Modelling Ecology lends itself modelling approaches from systems theory (systems biology) ecological models would finally contain the same number of entities and causal relations as the repository system itself The simplification would be lost Systems theory itself is sufficient* conceptual model formal model *If an ecological approach is embraced, it should be pursued consistently. For example, ecology as a explanantory model for cogntive processes: Gregory Bateson, Steps to an Ecology of Mind, 2000.Gregory Bateson

21-SEP-2007 Workshop “Repository Ecology” Alternative: user-centric design Reduction of parameters –„Slave“ all parameters to specific scenarios (use cases) e.g. Harnad-Paradigm: Provide a generic researcher free and ubiquitous access to a full-text of his choice Only one user type and one service type All other entities are organized with respect to this scenario

21-SEP-2007 Workshop “Repository Ecology” Alternative: user-centric design Aggregator OAI-PMH search engine

21-SEP-2007 Workshop “Repository Ecology” Practice requires exact models Aggregator OAI-PMH search engine Enabling Layer Repositories DRIVER Objects Data Layer Functionality Layer A&A Service Recommendation Service UI Service User Service Search Service OAI- Publisher Service Index Service Store Service Collecti on Service Aggregator Service Informatio n Service Manage r Service Communit y Service

21-SEP-2007 Workshop “Repository Ecology” Exact modelling of use-cases e.g. UML specifications

21-SEP-2007 Workshop “Repository Ecology” DRIVER adopts modelling Combination of simple use-cases and generic architecture enables construction of exact models Specific solutions can be designed for specific problems

21-SEP-2007 Workshop “Repository Ecology” Interim result #2 The ecology analogy points correctly to the necessity of modelling Ecological Modelling is itself is very formal and complex if taken seriously Ecological analogy may introduce even more complexity to the problems A system theoretic modelling is concluded to be sufficient in practice

21-SEP-2007 Workshop “Repository Ecology” Summary Repository ecology may be useful because –It points out the necessity of simplification –It points out the necessity of modelling Repository ecology may not be useful because –it provides itself complex models that may even complicate understanding Conclusion –Use ecology as metaphor but not as model –Simplification through use-cases may be sufficient

21-SEP-2007 Workshop “Repository Ecology” DRIVER is not a pond Photo rom sdalehouse/ / sdalehouse/ / Small House in Pond of Fontainebleau (Greg_e) … it‘s a cultural artifact