Re: [unrev-II] Use Cases and Ontologies

From: Jack Park (jackpark@verticalnet.com)
Date: Thu Dec 14 2000 - 13:28:56 PST

  • Next message: Rod Welch: "[unrev-II] Use Cases and Ontologies for the Law"

    Henry, would that you shall always play in the same sandbox as I.

    ----- Original Message -----
    From: Henry van Eyken <vaneyken@sympatico.ca>
    To: <unrev-II@egroups.com>
    Sent: Thursday, December 14, 2000 1:06 PM
    Subject: Re: [unrev-II] Use Cases and Ontologies

    > I may not yet be able to build me an OHS, but at least Jack knows how to
    > concretize (ugly word, that, but a valid one) his ideas. You make a good
    > teacher, Jack. And I might even begin to grasp what an ontology is. It
    looks
    > like mapping back all the world's stage into God's mind from which He,
    with a
    > little bit of bootstrapping and programmer's luck can make a better world.
    (Sm)
    >
    > H.
    >
    > Jack Park wrote:
    >
    > > I have been thinking about use cases, ontologies, and scenarios. I
    bring to
    > > these thoughts my experience with qualitative process theory, a
    > > representation and inferencing mechanism by which one can express
    physical
    > > processes in ontological terms.
    > >
    > > QP theory says that we need to know stuff about the following:
    > > actors
    > > relations
    > > states
    > > QP theory allows us to build an 'envisionment' in which a graph
    (sometimes
    > > very large graph) is built with its origin being a node called 'initial
    > > conditions.' I have imported a metaphor about theator into QP theory,
    so,
    > > one 'sets the stage' by defining initial conditions. There is no
    'script'
    > > on this stage, just process rules, some of which can 'fire' changing the
    > > stage setting allowing for other rules to fire. Each 'firing' defines a
    new
    > > stage setting (node in the graph). When multiple rules can fire against
    a
    > > particular node, you have multiple branches from that node to new nodes.
    > > The process continues until no more rules can fire, or until 'stopping
    > > rules' --which define some goal stage setting -- fire.
    > >
    > > Thinking in newtonian terms, moving from one node to the next along some
    arc
    > > means that the arc represents some 'mechanism' or presence of a causal
    > > mechanism at work (e.g. the rule that fired). Defining the entire
    > > vocabulary of such a QP universe is, indeed, defining an ontology.
    Process
    > > rules appear as 'axioms' in the ontology.
    > >
    > > Now, what are use cases? They are simply very course grained
    envisionments.
    > > Basically, the presence of actors, and a description of the gross change
    to
    > > occur between initial conditions (which are not stated in use cases) and
    > > final conditions (which are also not stated in use cases).
    > >
    > > Consider this use case: UC-ActorViewDocument
    > > Actors: user, OHS
    > > Action: user views document with OHS
    > >
    > > Rather high level, what?
    > >
    > > Now, what are scenarios? They are simply finer grained expansions of
    the
    > > extremely crude envisionment expressed in a use case.
    > >
    > > Consider this scenario for UC-ActorViewDocument
    > > Before:
    > > Actors: user, OHS, Home Page, Desired Document
    > > Relations: user sitting at OHS terminal
    > > States: OHS 'Home Page' displayed.
    > > Actions:
    > > In this scenario, the action is a user behavior, not a process
    rule
    > > firing
    > > Actor clicks hyperlink to document.
    > > After:
    > > Actors: same
    > > Relations: same
    > > States: Desired Document displayed
    > >
    > > Why is this interesting? or, why should anyone care about this?
    > > Turns out that we now have a shell with which to invent OHS. We can now
    > > begin to refine the scenario to include a bunch of rule firings implying
    > > behaviors of OHS itself. From that, we get a simulation of OHS in
    action.
    > >
    > > Back to ontologies.
    > > Consider this: in the use case arena, there will always be a huge number
    of
    > > 'common' use cases, very much like the example above. Once we have all
    the
    > > common use cases constructed, we can now begin to layer more specialized
    use
    > > cases that imply, or rely on the existence of common use cases. We
    might
    > > think of these as 'domain specific' use cases. So, we begin to think of
    the
    > > common use cases as the 'roots' of --eventually--a forest of specialized
    > > usecases. The common use cases represent the basis for interoperability
    > > among the specialty domains.
    > >
    > > Now, just substitute the term 'ontology' for the term 'use case' and you
    > > have the mapping. Bingo. Get the ontology right, and the rest falls out
    > > (sm).
    > >
    > > Summary:
    > > I believe that I have outlined the case for:
    > > using QP theory as a kind of formalism on which we begin to map out
    use
    > > cases and scenarios
    > > developing use cases and scenarios, leading to an OHS ontology from
    > > which the entirety of OHS can then be developed.
    > >
    > > What I have not outlined is the need to bring pragmatics and knowledge
    > > representation best practices into this picture. For that, film at 11...
    > >
    > >
    > >
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