Semantics in Norway
- 1. Semantics in Norway -status and challenges - presentation to the Semic.eu Advisory Group Meeting in Brussels, 15.10.2009 - Svein Ølnes, Vestlandsforsking
- 2. Resource network for eGovernment www.rnef.no Funded by the Norwegian Research Council Researchers Public sector agencies ICT industry www.vestforsk.no
- 3. Naming things! The drawing (cartoon) by Gary Larson showing the man who has just painted ’house’, ’tree’, ’door’, ’cat’, ’dog’ ++ on the thing itself and says: ”Now, that should clear up a few things around here” This cartoon says more about how to deal with semantic challenges than most models around! It is a brilliant illustration of the important first step in working with semantics: naming things (concepts) The cartoon is also good for what it does not show: relations -it does not say anything about who owns the house, the cat, and the dog (though it probably is the man on the drawing) -it does not say anything about the relation between the cat and the dog (it is probably bad, but it’s still a relation!) www.vestforsk.no
- 4. Outline Semantics in Norway: Status Special for Norway: Semantic web/Topic Maps Current semantic activities Two cases: Los – a Navigator for Public Sector Services (Front office) SERES – Semantic Back Office Solution www.vestforsk.no
- 5. Technology waves Model driven Focus: Semantic Data: Ontologi & Data Component based Focus: Services Data: XML Object oriented Focus: Structure Data: Relational Procedure oriented Focus: Syntacs Data: Hierarchical 1965 1975 1985 1995 2005 2015 Stian Danenbarger, Bouvet.no www.vestforsk.no
- 6. Semantics in Norway 2007: White paper on a common architecture for public sector focus on Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) little said about the semantic challenges 2009: Work started on describing standards and tools for definition of terms Marks the start of a more ambitious effort in the work with semantic interoperability www.vestforsk.no
- 7. Special for Norway: SemWeb and Topic Maps Contrary to most other European countries Norway has a relatively huge installed base of Topic Maps solutions (ISO 13250:2003) Topic Maps a common semantic platform for public sector portals Active and knowledgeable ICT consultancy active in standards development (ISO) established products supporting the standard active in implementing Topic Maps based solutions to customers Some tension and competitions between the two communities which after all is good – competition provides for better solutions www.vestforsk.no
- 8. Los: A navigator to public sector services www.vestforsk.no
- 9. Los: Small pieces loosely joined Navigator to public services A controlled vocabulary (thesaurus) describing public services expressions used by the citizens mapped to agencies’ own terms Used by almost 100 Norwegian municipalities Metadata expressed in Dublin Core Example: The term ’kindergarten’ will link resources from various public organisations Core system implemented in Topic Maps www.vestforsk.no
- 10. Los: Ontologi on a general level Notice the distinction between services and resources that describe services (Los is about the latter) Los ontology Public service (e.g. Kindergarten) Net resource Keyword Theme (Category) www.vestforsk.no
- 11. SERES: Serious semantic back office standardization Agreement on terms (mostly used in electronic forms) formal terms used by public sector organisations Support for the new Altinn II Altinn is Norway’s main channel for electronic reporting (by 2009 29 public service providers use this channel for their online forms) Central repository to be maintained by the agencies themselves www.vestforsk.no
- 12. Ultimate goal: My metadata is Europ eana your data (and vice versa) Yr.no SERES Volv en SSB LOS KS Smil Kart- no verket Lov data SKD www.vestforsk.no
- 13. Thank you for your attention! Contact information: Svein Ølnes – [email protected] www.vestforsk.no