Wednesday, 5/23/2007
10:15 AM - 11:00 AM/3:30 PM - 4:00 PM

The Web Ontology Language (OWL) supports an object-oriented world-view presented in XML. However, OWL is not a data capture or documentation tool that can be delivered directly to business end-users. We describe a Metadata-Ontology System (MOS) based on OWL that serves the needs of human and agent clients. Instead of hiding OWL's RDF syntax behind a graphic interface, the approach taken in the MOS is to simplify the XML syntax and present this to the business stakeholders with minimal graphic rendering. This is done using a four-component quad data structure of "subject-predicate-index-object." The quad XML is more manageable than the equivalent RDF XML. The quad can also be placed in a four-column data table and manipulated using familiar business tools. OWL does not presently support executable code that could be used to evaluate complex criteria. The MOS has been extended to allow operations (i.e., executable code) and uses these to implement restrictions. Including operations allows the MOS to describe both declarative and procedural information.

Tony Dymond's company provides enterprise consulting services, taking advantage of Tony's dual expertise in technology and management. He has worked with clients in government, telecommunications, finance, and biotech in both domestic and international markets. Projects have included data warehousing, data mining, metadata, process modeling and automation, and decision support. A long-term interest in metadata, ontologies, and process automation has led to new software applications in ontology-based metadata and Business Process Management (BPM). Combined, these capture and document an enterprise, making information available and allowing real time business decisions and business activity monitoring. Tony holds a doctorate in biophysics from UCLA and has a number of publications in biomedical engineering and informatics. He has worked in a variety of medical management positions, eventually becoming the CIO of a 2.2B$ health-care system. He has also co-founded a successful medical device company.