Managing Complex Environments with Topic Maps Topic Maps are a good tool for complexity representation... © univers immedia 2001 BUT …  Why is it so complex anyway ?  Objects and Concepts : what is the difference ?  The identification problem  Hierarchies and Networks  Is it Knowledge Management ?  An use case : the Semantopic Universe

Managing Complex Environments with Topic Maps 1. Why is it so complex ? © univers immedia 2001  Information is abundant, heterogeneous and changing  Objects and Concepts are multi - dimensional  Inside and outside are not clearly distinct  There is neither “center” nor “upper level”  Connections are multi - directional  Actors are themselves objects of knowledge  Actors have ill-defined expertise and responsibility

2. From information to knowledge © univers immedia 2001  Concepts documentcreator artwork  Identified Objects Van Gogh  Addressable Resources Managing Complex Environments with Topic Maps

3. Subject identification © univers immedia 2001  Objects Published DIRECTORIES Index Catalog Data Base  Concepts Published ONTOLOGIES PRISM Cyc Dublin Core Vocabulary Managing Complex Environments with Topic Maps

4. Entangled Hierarchies © univers immedia 2001 Companies Wisconsin Milwaukee Vehicles Motorcycles Two-Wheeled 74 FLHB Electra Glide Harley-Davidson American Culture Legends Corporate Managing Complex Environments with Topic Maps

5. Semantic Associations © univers immedia 2001 Easy Rider Movies Peter Fonda Actors Harley-Davidson Motorbikes CASTING Managing Complex Environments with Topic Maps

6. Topic Map as a KM tool ? © univers immedia 2001 Information System TOPIC MAP representation Ontology knowledge Actors action Managing Complex Environments with Topic Maps

7. The Semantopic Universe © univers immedia 2001 Semantopic = coalescence of semantic (web) and topic (map)  Semantopic concepts : knowledge, ontology, graph, language...  Semantopic tools : RDF, XTM, OIL, PRISM...  Semantopic organizations : GCA, W3C, TopicMaps.Org...  Semantopic projects : OntoWeb, KnoW...  Semantopic people : Whoever in this room...  Semantopic events : KT2001, XMLEurope... Managing Complex Environments with Topic Maps

8. Semantopic associations © univers immedia 2001 concept tool organization individual event project development coordination participation application implementation Managing Complex Environments with Topic Maps

9. You are welcome... © univers immedia 2001 Managing Complex Environments with Topic Maps … to participate in the Semantopic Map project  