Creating Topic Maps Ontologies for Space Experiments

David Damen

TMRA 2009, Leipzig, Germany

04/15/23

1

ULISSE

• European FP7 project

• “Improve the exploitation of results from space experiments”

04/15/23

2

Data Providers

E-USOC

04/15/23

3

Scientific Disciplines

04/15/23

4

Why Topic Maps?

• Large variety in background knowledge

• More natural expression of knowledge

04/15/23

5

Ontology Creation - Original

04/15/23

6

Startup

Analysis

End-user

DraftingInteraction

DesignVerification

Ontology Creation - Adaptations

04/15/23

7

Startup

Analysis

End-user

DraftingInteraction

DesignVerification

Ontology Creation - ULISSE

04/15/23

8

Preparation Analysis Draft Refinement

OntologyWorkshops

• Iteration 1• Iteration 2

Ontology Workshops

• 9 Ontology Workshops

• 27 scientists and engineers involved

04/15/23

9

Ontology Workshops

• Day 1:– Present Topic Maps– Learn about the domain

• Day 2:– Dump domain knowledge

• Day 3:– Structure domain knowledge

04/15/23

10

Know Your Stuff

• You are the expert

• Be prepared for tricky questions

04/15/23

11

Sell Topic Maps

• Do not assume:

– Prior knowledge

– Willing acceptance

04/15/23

12

Know Your Audience

• Your domain experts:– Scientists?– Software Engineers?– Electrical Engineers?– Business people?– …?

04/15/23

13

Be a facilitator

• Use domain examples:– Make it easier to follow– Show domain understanding

• Let them talk

• Use tools they already know

04/15/23

14

Gradually introduce Topic Maps concepts

• Do not try to push everything from the start

• Try to remember your first encounters with Topic Maps

04/15/23

15

It’s ok to be scared or nervous

• Trust your preparations

• Trust yourself

• Be prepared to be wrong

04/15/23

16

Domain experts are nervous too

• Probably more than you, but not at first

• How well do they know their domain?

04/15/23

17

Results

Task Tool ResultEnumeration (identifying terms)

Microsoft Excel Word List

Categorization (grouping terms)

CMapTools Concept Map

Organization (modelling taxonomical relationships)

CMapTools Concept Map

Organization (modelling ontological relationships)

CMapTools Concept Map

Organization (transforming into Topic Maps Notation, including Scopes, Roles, Occurrences)

Microsoft PowerPoint Ontology in simplified GTM notation

04/15/23

18

Results – Fluid ScienceEckmann number I of characteristic number Xeducational AT unary AT: of experiment Xelectric pole TT AT: "hardware" "composed-of" "electric pole" Xelectrical conductivity I of physical propertyelectrical power TT of current. AT: "experiment" "uses" "electrical power" Xelectromagnetic force TT subtype of body force Xenergy TT variable/parameter (cfr.velocity, temperature)engine TT AT: "hardware"/"facility" "composed-of" "engine" Xenvironmental temperature I of boundary condition X

equation TTAT: "mathematical model" "is-made-up-of" "equation"; AT:"mathematical model" "is-made-up-of" "boundary condition"

ESA I of space agency Xevaporation I of physical phenomenon X

experiment TTinstances are FASES, … AT: "experiment" "is-performed-in" "exp. Facility". AT: "experiment" "studies" "physical phenomenon" X

experiment output TT AT: "experiment" "produces" "experiment output" Xexperiment result TT AT: "experiment" "produces" "experiment result" Xexperiment setup TT AT: "experiment" "describes" "experiment setup" X

04/15/23

19

Results - Physiology

04/15/23

20

Results – General Space Experiments

04/15/23

21

Experiment

Experiment output

produces

Experiment setup

defines

Experiment run

consists-of

Boundary/Limitation condition

imposes

educational

product

producer

project

Experiment protocol

partwhole

plans

constraintproject

protocol

setup

project

protocolTime Interval

status

acronym

report

Experiment Anomaly

encountered eventproject

Status should be a closed list. The following statuses are proposed:• selected• scheduled - under implementation• launched• active• analysis• completed

Conclusions

• Transfer Topic Maps throughout the consortium

• Using simple tools raised the involvement

• Managing the ontologies across tools is hard

04/15/23

22

Future Work

• Ontologies as TMCL

• Incorporate the ontology creation workflow in ScienceCast

04/15/23

23

Questions?

04/15/23

24