ORM 2009

P: Fact Based Modelling and the European Space Agency

Ken Evans — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 12:23:05 GMT

This presentation shows the role of fact based modelling in supporting the development of space systems at the European Space Agency.(ESA)

ESA has a complex data environment that involves a large number of partners. Some say that the ESA data management problem is a superset of most of the data management problems that exist in smaller organisations. ESA data is distributed around the world in different time zones across government agencies, industrial companies and research centers. Many ESA projects span decades and each phase of a space system project may involve many different partners.

Thus, ESA's challenge is to ensure that data is available in a consistent manner to all the partners that are involved over the full space system life cycle.
ESA aims to use fact based modeling to produce database applications by:

* providing methods and tools for data modeling
* tailoring their software engineering standard for the purpose of developing database systems.
* supporting the exchange of database products

This presentaion was prepared by Serge Valera (ESA), Inge Lemmens (PNA Group) and Francesco Sgaramella(Space Software Italia)

P: Using ORM to help Geneticists

Ken Evans — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:23:17 GMT

In this session, Dr C Maria Keet gave a sneak preview of the "WONDER" System: Web-ONtology baseD Extraction of Relational data

This advanced ORM2 project is being conducted at the KRDB Research Centre, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Italy

The researchers are: Diego Calvanese, C. Maria Keet, Werner Nutt, Mariano, Rodriguez-Muro, Giorgio Stefanoni

P:Business Semantics Management Supports Government Innovation Information Portal

Ken Evans — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:11:47 GMT

Business Semantics Management Supports Government Innovation Information Portal

Geert Van Grootel¹, Peter Spyns^1,2, Stijn Christiaens^2,3, and Brigitte Jörg⁴

¹Vlaamse overheid – Departement Economie, Wetenschap en Innovatie, Koning Albert II-laan 35, bus 10, B-1030 Brussel, Belgium
²Vrije Universiteit Brussel STAR Lab, Pleinlaan 2, Gebouw G-10, B-1050 Brussel, Belgium
³Collibra NV/SA, Brussel Business Base, Ransbeekstraat 230, B-1120 Brussel, Belgium
⁴Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Künstliche Intelligenz Bereich Sprachtechnologie, Stuhlsatzenhausweg 3, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany

Abstract. The knowledge economy is one of the cornerstones of our society. Our economic prosperity and development is derived for a large part from technical knowledge. Knowledge unlocks innovation, which in turns spawns new products or services, thereby enabling further economic growth. Hence, an information system unlocking scientific technical knowledge is an important asset for government policy and strategic decisions by industry. In this paper it is explained how business semantics management and related tools are applied to realise the above mentioned endeavour.

LNCS 5872, p. 757 ff.

P: A Simplified Common ORM Metamodel- Discussion Draft

Ken Evans — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:58:44 GMT

NOTE: File updated on 26 July 2010. The corrupted pdf file has been replaced with a pps file.

Serge Valera (European Space Agency) with Terry Halpin(NORMA), Matt Curland(NORMA) & Inge Lemmens(PNA).

This draft is for communication purposes, to clarify ORM semantics, and covers only a basic core of the metamodel

(ignores units, structured data types, structured derivation rules etc.).

A more complete metamodel designed to optimize model exchange is to be completed later.

This metamodel assumes syntactical completeness (e.g. some mandatory constraints may be violated when in the process of building a model)

Although UUIDs are used for key elements to facilitate model merging, versioning, and reuse, the metamodel assumes each model instance

owns all its elements. The metamodel can easily be extended to cater for reuse of components from external models.

The delegates at the workshop agreed to set up a group of experts to produce such an exchange schema.

P: Positionalism of Relations and Its Consequences for Fact-Oriented Modelling

Ken Evans — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:49:16 GMT

Positionalism of Relations and Its Consequences for Fact-Oriented Modelling

C. Maria Keet : Faculty of Computer Science, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, Italy

Abstract. Natural language-based conceptual modelling as well as the use of diagrams have been essential components of fact-oriented modelling from its inception. However, transforming natural language to its corresponding object-role modelling diagram, and vv., is not trivial. This is due to the more fundamental problem of the different underlying ontological commitments concerning positionalism of the fact types. The natural language-based approach adheres to the standard view whereas the diagram-based approach has a positionalist commitment, which is, from an ontological perspective, incompatible with the former. This hinders seamless transition between the two approaches and affects interoperability with other conceptual modelling languages. One can adopt either the limited standard view or the positionalist commitment with fact types that may not be easily verbalisable but which facilitates data integration and reusability of conceptual models with ontological foundations.

LNCS 5872, p. 735 ff.

P: Predicate Reference and Navigation in ORM

Ken Evans — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:46:41 GMT

Predicate Reference and Navigation in ORM

Terry Halpin LogicBlox, Australia and INTI Education Group, Malaysia

Abstract. A conceptual schema of an information system specifies the fact structures of interest as well as related business rules that are either constraints or derivation rules. The sole data structure used in fact-oriented modeling approaches is the fact type, which may be understood as a set of typed predicates. In spite of the central role played by predicates in fact-orientation, several issues need to be resolved before their full potential can be fully realized. This paper identifies a number of these issues relating to predicate reference and navigation, and proposes some solutions. Specific issues addressed include predicate disambiguation and formalization, role navigation, and automated verbalization of predicate paths. While the discussion focuses largely on Object-Role Modeling (ORM), many of the issues discussed are also relevant to other fact-oriented approaches, such as Cognition enhanced Natural Information Analysis Method (CogNIAM) and the Semantics of Business Vocabulary and Business Rules approach (SBVR), as well as attribute-based approaches like Entity Relationship modeling and the Unified Modeling Language.

LNCS 5872, p. 723 ff.

P: ORM-Based Semantics of B2B Transactions

Ken Evans — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:43:53 GMT

ORM-Based Semantics of B2B Transactions

H. Balsters and F. van Blommestein : University of Groningen, Faculty of Economics and Business, P.O. Box 800, 9700 AV Groningen, The Netherlands

Abstract. After widespread implementation of Enterprise Resource Planning and Personal Information Management, the next wave in the application of ICT is headed towards business to business (B2B) communication. B2B has a number of specific aspects, one of them being negotiation. This aspect has been largely neglected by present implementations of standard EDI- or XML-messaging and by B2B webservice implementations. In this paper a precise model is given of the negotiation process. The requirements of a potential Buyer and the offer of a potential Seller are matched and, if the negotiation is successful, a contract is concluded. The negotiation process model is represented in ORM, extended with dynamic constraints. Our model may be implemented in the databases of the trading partners and in message- or service definitions.

LNCS 5872, p. 671 ff.

P: An ORM-Driven Implementation Framework for Database Federations

Ken Evans — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:41:37 GMT

An ORM-Driven Implementation Framework for Database Federations

Herman Balsters and Bouke Haarsma: University of Groningen, The Netherlands

Abstract. Database federations are employed more and more in situations involving virtual and integrated information on demand, e.g., real-time integration of two databases. Heterogeneity in hardware and software platforms, as well heterogeneity in underlying semantics of participating local databases, makes it a hard challenge to design a consistent and well-performing global database federation. The ORM modeling framework allows not only for precise modeling of a data federation, but also hosts tools for reverse engineering, enabling local databases to recapture their intended meanings on a linguistic basis. We will demonstrate how ORM models together with reverse engineering techniques can be used in combination with actual, industrial-strength implementation platforms to develop semantically consistent and high performance database federations.

LNCS 5872, p. 659 ff.

P: A Model for Semantic Equivalence Discovery for Harmonizing Master Data

Ken Evans — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:38:49 GMT

A Model for Semantic Equivalence Discovery for Harmonizing Master Data

Baba Piprani MetaGlobal Systems, Canada
Abstract. IT projects often face the challenge of harmonizing metadata and data so as to have a “single” version of the truth. Determining equivalency of multiple data instances against the given type, or set of types, is mandatory in establishing master data legitimacy in a data set that contains multiple incarnations of instances belonging to the same semantic data record . The results of a real-life application define how measuring criteria and equivalence path determination were established via a set of “probes” in conjunction with a score-card approach. There is a need for a suite of supporting models to help determine master data equivalency towards entity resolution—including mapping models, transform models, selection models, match models, an audit and control model, a scorecard model, a rating model. An ORM schema defines the set of supporting models along with their incarnation into an attribute based model as implemented in an RDBMS.Keywords: Entity Resolution, Master Data, Semantic Equivalence, semantic interoperability, data equivalencyLNCS 5872, p. 649 ff.

P: Automated Test Input Generation for Software That Consumes ORM Models

Ken Evans — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:35:51 GMT

Automated Test Input Generation for Software That Consumes ORM Models

Matthew J. McGill¹, R.E. Kurt Stirewalt², and Laura K. Dillon¹

¹Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48223
²LogicBlox, Inc.

Abstract. Software tools that analyze and generate code from ORM conceptual schemas are highly susceptible to feature interaction bugs. When testing such tools, test suites are needed that cover many combinations of features, including combinations that rarely occur in practice. Manually creating such a test suite is extremely labor-intensive, and the tester may fail to cover feasible feature combinations that are counter-intuitive or that rarely occur. This paper describes ATIG, a prototype tool for automatically generating test suites that cover diverse combinations of ORM features. ATIG makes use of combinatorial testing to optimize coverage of select feature combinations within constraints imposed by the need to keep the sizes of test suites manageable. We have applied ATIG to generate test inputs for an industrial strength ORM-to-Datalog code generator. Initial results suggest that it is useful for finding feature interaction errors in tools that operate on ORM models.

LNCS 5872, p. 704 ff.

P: A Role Calculus for ORM

Ken Evans — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:32:41 GMT

Matthew Curland, Terry Halpin, and Kurt Stirewalt

LogicBlox, USA

Abstract. A conceptual schema of an information system specifies the fact structures of interest as well as related business rules that are either constraints or derivation rules. Constraints restrict the possible or permitted states or state transitions, while derivation rules enable some facts to be derived from others. Graphical languages are commonly used to specify conceptual schemas, but often need to be supplemented by more expressive textual languages to capture additional business rules, as well as conceptual queries that enable conceptual models to be queried directly. This paper describes research to provide a role calculus to underpin textual languages for Object-Role Modeling (ORM), to enable business rules and queries to be formulated in a language intelligible to business users. The role-based nature of this calculus, which exploits the attribute-free nature of ORM, appears to offer significant advantages over other proposed approaches, especially in the area of semantic stability.

LNCS 5872, p. 692 ff.

P: The Constellation Query Language

Ken Evans — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:29:10 GMT

The Constellation Query Language

Clifford Heath: Data Constellation, Australia

Abstract. Collaboration in modeling is essential to success, but ORM diagrams intimidate many business people, and most would never install an ORM modeling tool on their computers.

The Constellation Query Language (CQL) offers an alternative able to represent almost any ORM2 model in plain text using natural language, with the goal of supporting involvement by all parties through familiar tools including email and differential revision management.The free open source implementation includes robust mapping and code generation for both object-oriented and relational models. Being bootstrapped on a metamodel that is also expressed in the Constellation Query Languge, it forms the basis of a new generation of extensible tools for business requirements management, design and construction of databases and application software, and end-user query facilities.

LNCS 5872, p. 682 ff.

P: BPMN as a Communication Language for the Process- and Event-Oriented Perspectives in Fact-Oriented Conceptual Models

Ken Evans — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:24:44 GMT

BPMN as a Communication Language for the Process- and Event-Oriented Perspectives in Fact-Oriented Conceptual ModelsPeter Bollen: School of Business and Economics, Maastricht University, The Netherlands

Abstract. In this paper we will show how the OMG specification of BPMN (Business Process Modeling Notation) can be used to model the process- and event-oriented perspectives of an application subject area. We will illustrate how the fact-oriented conceptual models for the information-, process- and event perspectives can be used in a ‘bottom-up’ approach for creating a BPMN model in combination with other approaches, e.g. the use of a textual description. We will use the common doctor’s office example as a running example in this article.LNCS 5872, p. 639 ff.

P: Towards a Common Platform to Support Business Processes, Services and Semantics

Ken Evans — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:16:29 GMT

Towards a Common Platform to Support Business Processes, Services and Semantics

Baba Piprani: MetaGlobal Systems, Canada

Abstract. The search for the Holy Grail in achieving interoperability of business processes, services and semantics continues with every new type or search for the Silver Bullet. Most approaches towards interoperability either are focusing narrowly on the simplistic notion using technology supporting a cowboy-style development without much regard to metadata or semantics. At the same time, the distortions on semantics created by many of current modeling paradigms and approaches – including the disharmony created by multiplicity of parallel approaches to standardization – are not helping us resolve the real issues facing knowledge and semantics management.

This paper addresses some of the issues such as: What have we achieved? Where did we go wrong? What are we doing right? – providing an ipso-facto encapsulated candid snapshot on an approach to harmonizing our approach to interoperability, and propose a common platform to support Business Processes, Services and Semantics.

Published in LNCS 5872, p. 629 ff.

ORM 2009 - Detailed Programme

Ken Evans — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:45:46 GMT

9 October: This is the detailed schedule for the ORM 2009 workshop to be held in Vilamoura, Portugal, November 4-6 2009.

The ORM 2009 workshop has eighteen sessions that cover the following topics:

* Business Service and Process Modeling Chair: Terry Halpin

* Conceptual Languages for Queries and Rules Chair: Inge Lemmens

* Fact-Oriented Tools and Projects Chair: Peter Bollen

* Sharing and Managing Business Semantics Chair: Ken Evans

* Fact Type and Predicates Chair: Matt Curland

* Standards and Initiatives Chair: Herman Balsters

* Demonstrations of Fact-Oriented Modeling Tools Chair: Serge Valera

* Industrial Case Studies and Tool Demonstrations Chair: Baba Piprani

* Open Discussion on Future Initiatives Chairs: Terry Halpin and Herman Balsters

This workshop will include presentations and discussions of the ORM project in the European Space Agency.