BORO: Business Objects Reference Ontology OntoCommons : Top-Level and Mid-Level Ontologies Multi-Disciplinary Workshop Chris Partridge, BORO Solutions Ltd, University of Westminster Structure BORO Overview BORO Timeline – in standards Introducing the Framework Assessment BORO Framework Assessment BORO Current Work 2 BORO Overview Overview: an enterprise ontology A foundational ontology that: aims to underpin a range of enterprise systems in a consistent and coherent manner takes data-driven re-engineering as its natural starting point for domain ontology building Has two closely intertwined components: a foundational ontology and a re-engineering methodology. Origin and predominant area of application has been the enterprise. suitability has been demonstrated in many industrial projects across a range of business domains including finance, oil and gas, and defense. ‘BORO as a Foundation to Enterprise Ontology’ - Sergio de Cesare ; Chris Partridge - Journal of Information Systems (2016) 30 (2): 83–112. https://doi.org/10.2308/isys-51428 4 Extensional - four dimensionalism 5 If this is as far as we go, then the car could be said to have a different component before and after the change. But this is not at all satisfactory, because it would mean that the ‘components’ change over time—an anathema in our timeless object paradigm. We need a timeless explanation. We get it by constructing a tyre component from the fusion of all the ‘component’ tyre states. This is shown in the space-time map as the car’s tyre component—object #25. It is a component of the car; it is a part of the car; it is a fusion of the tyre state objects (#’s 23 & 24); and most important of all, it is timeless. Look at the space-time map of the car object #20 in Figure 8.14. This shows that the four-dimensional extension of the car contains a temporal part of one tyre (#21) followed by the temporal part of another tyre (#22). At any one time, the car overlaps with only one tyre ; but, over time, it overlaps with two tyres . … The two tyres have state objects that are ‘components’ of the car. Partridge, C. (1996). Business objects: re-engineering for re-use. Butterworth-Heinemann. BORO Timeline in standards Broad timeline 2010 1990 2000 NDT’s FDM 7 2020 OMG UPDM MODEM DODAF DM2 IDEAS ISO 15926 : Part 2 Ongoing BORO development IDEAS structure 8 DODAF 2 – DM2 DODAF 2 Data Model; known as DM2 Has IDEAS as its foundation 9 Introducing the Assessment Framework National Digital Twin’s Foundation Data Model: Some publications A survey of top-level ontologies: a framework To inform the ontological choices for a Foundation Data Model Appendix E: Summary of Framework Assessment Matrix Results 31 ontological choices 37 top ontologies shortlisted and assessed The ontological choices shape the architecture of the ontology 11 Making an ontological assessment Evidence-based Conceptual Prototyping Mining the ontological requirements for a domain For an example based upon UNICLASS see: https://www.academia.edu/44210409 https://www.academia.edu/44326217 or https://borosolutions.net/multi-level-types-uniclass-multi-2020 Ontological Framework Assessment Two useful tools – among many Both can be applied to any data schema (or data) 12 BORO Framework Assessment (dog- fooding ) The sections of the assessment framework There are four sections (aspects) to the assessment framework: general vertical aspect horizontal aspect universal The underlying theme can be articulated as: semantic interoperability requires a clear understanding of the ontic commitments one can crystalise the ontological architecture into a small number of focussed choices – the core ontological commitments 14 general Framework assessment matrix: general choices 15 This is about whether, and how and how strongly the ontology engages with the core ontological choices ü ü Vertical aspect choices {5C22544A-7EE6-4342-B048-85BDC9FD1C3A} type type description relation characteristic choice parent-arity the number of parents allowed type-instance single or unconstrained super-sub-type single or unconstrained transitivity whether aRb and bRc implies aRc super-sub-type yes or no boundedness whether the hierarchy is bounded – upwards or downwards type-instance downwards bounded or unbounded fixed finite levels fixed or not-fixed number of fixed levels [a number] stratification whether links between non-neighbouring levels are allowed type-instance stratified or unstratified formal generation whether new objects are automatically generated by formal algorithms whole-part fusion yes or no complement yes or no type-instance fusion yes or no super-sub-type fusion yes or no complement yes or no relation class-ness whether the relation is recognised as a first-class object type-instance first- or second-class super-sub-type first- or second-class 16 There are various typical structural relations (the assessment focusses on three). These choices indicate how these structural relations are used to support the overall ontology. Vertical aspect – visual summary 17 ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü Highlight the ‘interesting’ choices Horizontal aspect: visualizing unifying and separating 18 Some choices multiply entities, others reduce them. matter location e ntities more stratified supersubstantival objects more unified located at Horizontal aspect - tabular 19 BORO is (from the framework perspective) maximally unifying 1 2 3 4 5 6 Visualising a maximising stratification journey 20 maximising separation - six horizontal strata Visualizing a maximally unifying approach BORO is maximally unifying. Common strategy within philosophy. Motivation: the presumed benefits of parsimony and cost of separation. the easy fit with plenitude no separations 21 unified supersubstantive objects step 1.1 <base> stage 1 Universal 22 advanced choice reasonably common choice choice variety style.visibility style.visibility style.visibility BORO Current work an example Current work – example – constructionalism 24 ab b a See: Partridge, C., de Cesare, S., Mitchell, A., Gailly , F. & Khan, M. (2017). “Developing an Ontological Sandbox: Investigating Multi-level Modelling’s Possible Metaphysical Structures.” MODELS 2017, Austin, TX, USA, September, 17, 2017 Partridge, C., Mitchell, A., Loneragan, M., Atkinson, H., de Cesare, S. & Khan, M. (2019). “Coordinate Systems: Level Ascending Ontological Options.” In 2019 ACM/IEEE 22nd International Conference on Model Driven Engineering Languages and Systems Companion (MODELS-C) (pp. 78–87). Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/40354620 Based upon: Fine, K.: The study of ontology. Noûs . 25, 263–294 (1991). Fine, K. (2010). “Towards a theory of part.” The Journal of Philosophy, 107(11), 559–589. Current work – example – bCLEARer data collect collect collect increasing semantic maturity reuse reuse Foundational ontology 25 A repeated sequence of processes: increasing semantic maturity Evidence-based Conceptual Prototyping Mining the ontological requirements for a domain For an example based upon UNICLASS see: https://www.academia.edu/44210409 and https://www.academia.edu/44326217 or https://borosolutions.net/multi-level-types-uniclass-multi-2020 Questions 26 27 28 29 30 Conclusions Current work – example – bCLEARer Evidence-based Conceptual Prototyping Mining the ontological requirements for a domain For an example based upon UNICLASS see: https://www.academia.edu/44210409 https://www.academia.edu/44326217 or https://borosolutions.net/multi-level-types-uniclass-multi-2020 32 NOTES Broader Picture: Opportunity To Level Everything 34 The constructive approach provides a hierarchical framework for everything (everything is grounded) levels all the way up Opportunity for total multi-level models! From: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/type-theory These kinds of hierarchy have a history Since Whitehead and Russell ’s Principia, type theories typically have a similar syntactic hierarchy style.visibility Conclusion Provided examples that show how both kinds of option (combination and permutation ) can arise in enterprise projects shown how the constructional approach can be used as an analytic tool to identify the foundation levels in a domain how this approach gives a clear picture of how these options fundamentally involve ascending levels – and so are intrinsically multi-level also, through the permutation examples, how tuples/relations multi-levelling complements type multi-levelling The unearthing of multi-levelling in a geometric domain should add weight to the claims (often made in the community) that multi-level modelling pervades conceptual models the claim we have argued for (that options are inherently level ascending) should add further weight Though it is not the main goal of the paper, we have provided some insight into how the conceptual foundation for a multi-platform sensed position coordinate system could be developed using the constructional approach and what it would look like we have included some examples that show how the underlying fundamental structure is not transparent for example, how the analysis replaces the traditional visualisation of the Cartesian system as three axes with the less easy to visualise but more correct three co-oriented plane types these help make a case for a foundational analysis that can reveal the underlying structure Finally, we have illustrated how a foundational approach can help to future-proof systems single platform-domain systems whose development focused on specific requirements without a conceptual model of the foundations are not designed with the options in mind and so cannot easily accommodate the move to multi-platform-domain 35 Structure Overview Context: Semantic Interoperability of Sensor Data BORO Constructive Modelling Approach Illustrative Examples - of the Two Broad Kinds of Option BORO Coordinate Systems Model Stage 1 - Surface Orientation: Planes - Combination - Example Stage 2 - Solid Ordering: Conic Solids – Permutation - Example Deixis Permutations: Deixis and Coordinate Systems - Deixis Permutations Conclusions 36 Background: TLO survey & ontological assessment 37 ISO 15926-2 ISO 15926-2:2003 - Industrial automation systems and integration -- Integration of life-cycle data for process plants including oil and gas production facilities -- Part 2: Data model History In 1991 a European Union ESPRIT project, named ProcessBase , started A consortium of companies involved in the process industries was established: EPISTLE (European Process Industries STEP Technical Liaison Executive). EPISTLE took over the work of the ProcessBase project EPISTLE built the model that was documented in Part 2 of ISO 15926. This Part 2 gained official ISO IS (International Standard) status in 2003 EPISTLE assimilated some BORO work in the mid-nineties. The data model is now described as an extensional 4D model 38 IDEAS Work started in 2005 (BORO involvement started in 2006) 39 IDEAS and BORO http://www.ideasgroup.org/5Methodology/ 40 41 The sections of the assessment framework horizontal vertical universal ontology general There are four sections (aspects) to the assessment framework: general vertical aspect horizontal aspect universal The underlying theme can be articulated as: semantic interoperability requires a clear understanding of the ontic commitments one can crystalise the ontological architecture into a small number of focussed choices – the core ontological commitments 42 framework assessment matrix: universal reasonably common choice choice variety advanced choice 43 slide not used If used, then align arrows and merge shapes style.visibility style.visibility universal – choices 44 {5C22544A-7EE6-4342-B048-85BDC9FD1C3A} Commitment Choice mereology standard (e.g. GEM) or not interpenetration allowed or not allowed materialism adopted or not adopted possibilia possible worlds or actual world criteria of identity intensional or extensional time presentist or eternalist indexicals: here and now supported - not supported higher arity supported - not supported horizontal aspect: visualizing unifying and separating 45 part of (depends upon) independent continuant (substances) site (immaterial objects) material entity independent continuant (substances) more unified more stratified step 3.1 <base> step 3.2 immaterial Some choices multiply entities, others reduce them. vertical aspect – tabular 46