Some Applications of a Unified Foundational Ontology in Business Modeling

Foundational ontologies provide the basic concepts upon which any domain-specific ontology is built. This chapter presents a new foundational ontology, UFO, and shows how it can be used as a guideline in business modeling and for evaluating business modeling methods. UFO is derived from a synthesis of two other foundational ontologies, GFO/GOL and OntoClean/DOLCE. While their main areas of application are natural sciences and linguistics/cognitive engineering, respectively, the main purpose of UFO is to provide a foundation for conceptual modeling, including business modeling.

Applying the ONTOMETRIC Method to Measure the Suitability of Ontologies

In the last years, the development of ontology-based applications has increased considerably, mainly related to the Semantic Web. Users currently looking for ontologies in order to incorporate them into their systems, just use their experience and intuition. This makes it difficult for them to justify their choices. Mainly, this is due to the lack of methods that help the user to determine which are the most appropriate ontologies for the new system. To solve this deficiency, the present chapter proposes a method, ONTOMETRIC, which allows the users to measure the suitability of existing ontologies, regarding the requirements of their systems. ONTOMETRIC, based in the analytic hierarchy process, can be used to select the mostappropriate ontology among various alternatives. This chapter describes the main techniques and activities to apply the method.

Ontological Analysis of Reference Models

Within the information systems field, reference models have been known for many years. A reference model is a conceptual framework and may be used as a blueprint for information systems development. Despite the relevance of reference model quality, little research has been undertaken on their systematical analysis and evaluation. In this chapter, we describe how reference models can be analyzed from an ontological point of view. Such an analysis consists of four steps: 1) developing a transformation mapping, 2) identifying ontological modeling deficiencies, 3) transforming the reference model, and 4) assessing the results. The usefulness of our method will be demonstrated by analyzing Scheer’s reference model for production planning and control. Although our approach is based on sound theory, we argue that this approach is not inherently superior to other approaches of reference model analysis and evaluation.

Ontological Foundations of Information Systems Analysis and Design

Ontology has attracted considerable attention in information systems analysis and design (ISAD) research. Ontology is philosophy and bears its own substance and history of debates, which quite often have not been accounted for in information systems research. A more comprehensive consideration of well-known philosophical issues of ontology may help to apprehend precisely the transfer of ontological concepts into ISAD, including insights regarding their limitations and to articulate directions towards further research. In particular, this requires expanding of the scope of current debates in information systems towards the socio-philosophical aspects of ontology. Only then, it will be possible to determine whether ontology can direct the project of theoretical foundation for ISAD. An outline of the critique of the prevailing rationalistic methodical understanding of information systems development in contemporary IS literature illustrates how the indiscriminating borrowing of philosophical presuppositions has encumbered current understandings. Critical reflection upon these presuppositions can get over persuasions and bring about theorisation.

A Twofold Approach for Evaluating Inter-Organizational Workflow Modeling Formalisms

This chapter presents a twofold methodology for the evaluation of inter-organizational workflows modeling formalisms. The first approach is ontological and based on the Bunge-Wand-Weber models. The second is based on prototyping and consists in the development of a WFMS for language evaluation. The dual evaluation methodology is then applied to the UML with a practical example from the aerospace industry. Both convergent and divergent results are found from the two validations. Possible enhancements to the UML formalism are suggested from the convergent results. On the other hand, the divergent results suggest the need for a contextual specification in the BWW models.

A Reflective Meta-Model of Object-Process Methodology

In this chapter, we introduce a highly expressive, self-contained reflective meta-model of object-process methodology (OPM). OPM enables universal system modeling based on the notions of processes that transform objects. Extending the object-oriented approach, which views processes as residents of objects, OPM provides for the existence of stand-alone processes that can represent transformations in complex systems such as businesses, aircrafts or organisms. A system modeling and development methodology, which is a combination of a language for expressing the universal (or domain) ontology and an approach for developing systems that uses this language, can be expressed in OPM using objects, processes and links among them. Through the reflective OPM meta-model, we demonstrate the expressive power of OPM and its applicability as a universal tool for architecting systems that involve structure and dynamics in a highly, intertwined manner.

Template-Based Definition of Information Systems and Enterprise Modelling Constructs

The chapter reviews and augments a previously proposed template for defining enterprise and information systems (IS) modelling constructs. The purpose of the template is to provide clear and precise definitions of modelling constructs in a common format and, thereby, to facilitate intra- and inter-language integration. The template is based on the Bunge-Wand-Weber (BWW) model of information systems and has been used on several existing modelling languages and frameworks. It is defined by a meta-model expressed as a UML class diagram. The purpose of this chapter is to clarify the template further by formalising the meta-model through semi-formal constraints expressed in the object constraint language (OCL) and by populating the meta-model with definitions of example constructs from the UML version 1.4. The purpose is to make the template easier to understand, to validate it, to pave the way for stronger tool support for the template and to further our work on providing a complete template-based definition of the UML.

Evaluating Conceptual Modeling Practices

This chapter examines how ontological theory can be used to predict how alternative conceptual modelling representations affect end-user understanding of these representations. Specifically, it examines how ontological theory can be used to show how part-whole relations (composites) and things and properties can be best represented to enhance understanding of these real-world phenomena. We report the outcomes of two experiments that provide evidence to support the ontologically sound representation of part-whole relations and things and properties. We also discuss the outcomes of a cognitive process tracing study that explains why the ontologically sound representation of things and properties is more easily understood. In essence, our empirical research provides evidence to support the use of ontology as a theoretical basis to guide conceptual modelling practices.

Ontological Analysis of Business Systems Analysis Techniques

For many years in the area of business systems analysis and design, practitioners and researchers alike have been searching for some comprehensive basis on which to evaluate, compare, and engineer techniques that are promoted for use in the modelling of systems’ requirements. To date, while many frameworks, factors, and facets have been forthcoming, most of them appear not to be based on a sound theory. In light of this dilemma, over the last 10 years, attention has been devoted by researchers to the use of ontology to provide some theoretical basis for the advancement of the business systems modelling discipline. While the selected ontologiesare reasonably mature, it is the actual process of an ontological analysis that still lacks rigour. The current procedure leaves room for individual interpretations and is one reason for criticism of the entire ontological analysis. This chapter proposes an enhanced procedural model for the ontological analysis based on the use of meta-models, the involvement of more than one coder and metrics. This model is explained with examples from various ontological analyses.

Methodological Issues in the Evaluation of System Analysis and Design Techniques

This chapter examines methodological issues arising in the comparison of systems analysis and design techniques. An argument is made to establish a foundation of research and more broadly consider the management of scope in analysis and design research. A discussion of why and how we evaluate techniques is provided. A generalized approach combining both deductive and inductive reasoning is presented and a combined grammar-based and cognitive-based approach to comparison is discussed. In addition, concepts from Friedman’s economic methodology are applied in the choice between alternative ontologies that underlie grammar-based comparisons. The chapter concludes with a set of nine questions that researchers should consider when designing and developing research in the evaluation of systems analysis and design techniques.