Foundation Vocabularies

1
Foundation Vocabularies

• Proposed RFP Outline
• Mark H. Linehan
• mlinehan_at_us.ibm.com

The purpose of these charts is to summarize the
content of a proposed OMG RFP, as a basis for
early debate prior to actual writing of the text.
The thought is that interested parties will
find it easier to review comment in this format
than wading through the OMG RFP format. Of
course, this will have to be turned into a formal
RFP document eventually.... Target date for a
draft RFP is Feb 11, 2008, which is 4 weeks
before the March OMG meeting.
2
The Problem(s)

• Most SBVR rules involve common cross-domain
  concepts such as date time. SBVR tool vendors
  and users need
• Shared vocabularies for such concepts
• To improve interoperability
• To ensure that they share the same concepts the
  same ways
• A foundation to get started with SBVR
• There remain outstanding issues about how SBVR
  vocabularies map to related technologies such as
  OWL and the other ODM technologies.
• OMG needs a study example as a basis for
  evolving its governance procedures regarding
  models

3
What the RFP Requests

• An SBVR business vocabulary for date time
• A matching OWL ontology
• A matching UML class model
• A methodology for converting among these

4
Scope SBVR Date Time

• Nouns, such as date, time, date/time, period,
  duration, day, week, month, etc.
• Fact types, such as
• date/time1 is after, before date/time2
• date/time is in the past, in the future, now
• period has start date/time, end date/time,
  duration
• period1 precedes, overlaps period2
• date/time, state of affairs1 occurs before,
  at, after date/time, state of affairs2
• local date/time equivalent of date/time for
  location
• Format for exchanging date/time literals,
  presumably based on ISO 8601

5
Scope OWL, UML

• OWL ontologies UML class models matching the
  SBVR date/time vocabulary
• Possibly also include other ODM technologies
  Common Logic, Topic Maps
• Best practices for converting among these, with
  attention to
• Mapping algorithms across types of models
• Linkages / traceability across models of the same
  concepts
• Issues about modeling the same concepts while
  keeping true to the intent of each modeling
  method (e.g. business-oriented versus
  IT-oriented)

6
Relationship to Existing OMG Specs

• Requested models implemented via SBVR, ODM, UML
  specs
• Potential use by proposed Property Casualty WG
  insurance industry standard

7
Related Activities, Documents, and Standards

• ISO 8601, XML date/time formats
• UML Profile for Schedulability, Performance, and
  Time -- http//www.omg.org/technology/documents/fo
  rmal/schedulability.htm
• OMG Corba Time Service, version 1.1
  http//www.omg.org/technology/documents/formal/tim
  e_service.htm
• OMG Corba Internationalization Time --
  http//www.omg.org/technology/documents/formal/int
  ernationalization_and_time.htm
• OMG Corba Enhanced View of Time Services --
  http//www.omg.org/technology/documents/formal/enh
  anced_time_service.htm
• OMG Currency Specification -- http//www.omg.org/t
  echnology/documents/formal/currency.htm

8
Mandatory Requirements - SBVR

• Date/time vocabulary description document in
  dictionary format used in SBVR spec, using
  Structured English
• Entries should have full definitions, examples,
  source references, etc.
• Traceability to matching OWL, UML models
• Matching machine-readable vocabulary in SBVR
  interchange format
• Includes items listed on scope page
• Discussion of relationship to other standards

9
Mandatory Requirements - OWL

• OWL ontology matching SBVR vocabulary UML model
• In standard machine-readable OWL format
• Traceability to SBVR, UML models
• Best practices for converting between SBVR OWL
• Algorithm for mapping between SBVR OWL
• Extensions / corrections to SBVR spec clause 10.2
• How to maintain traceability with equivalent
  models in SBVR, UML

10
Mandatory Requirements - UML

• UML class model matching SBVR vocabulary OWL
  ontology
• In standard machine-readable UML format
• Traceability to SBVR, OWL models
• Best practices for converting between SBVR UML
• Algorithm for mapping between SBVR UML
• Relationship to SBVR clause 13
• How to maintain traceability with equivalent
  models in SBVR, OWL

11
Optional Requirements

• Money, currency
• Location
• Quantities, cardinalities, ratios
• Units of Measure
• Arithmetic operations
• Collection operations
• Common Logic or Topic Map equivalents of the
  submitted vocabulary

12
Issues to be Discussed

• Discuss issues about modeling the same concepts
  while keeping true to the intent of each
  modeling method (e.g. business-oriented versus
  IT-oriented)

13
Evaluation Criteria

• Support for / effective use of existing standards
• Completeness of models
• All concepts fully defined
• Supporting material examples, source references,
  notes, etc.

14
Potential Submitters

• Don Baisley (Unisys)
• Sjir Nijssen (PNA Group, CogNIAM Cognition
  enhanced NIAM)
• Ron Ross (Business Rule Solutions, LLC.)
• Markus Schacher (KnowGravity Inc.)
• Mark Linehan (IBM)

15
OMG Procedural Questions

• Which TF should sponsor this RFP?
• Does this belong with the Platform or Domain
  Technology Committee?
• SBVR is under the PTC
• Ontology PSIG and ODM are under the DTC
• Proposed Timetable
• RFP Issuance March meeting
• LOIs due initial submissions ? June / July
• Initial submission presentations ? Sept. mtg.