Leveraging Information and Intelligence

The management of semantics has always been a key consideration in the world of data integration.     Indeed, we need to manage the meaning of information between source and target systems, accounting for the differences for use in transformation layers, as well as managing common notions and concepts that map back to physical records, and in some cases instances of information.   To date, however, we've done a poor job in managing semantics lacking the understanding, the discipline, as well as the enabling technology and standards.   Perhaps it's time we finally get a handle on it.     

A semantic mapping/management layer, when combined with a competent data integration infrastructure, allows organizations, trading communities, vertical industries and even micro economies to create something called "semantic domains."  These domains are really a repository of concepts, with each concept having properties and attributes that map back to physical schemas that exist in source or target systems.  

 For instance, a hospital has a physical record that describes a procedure known as procedure_comp, this may map to a concept known as procedure in the semantic domain known as HC_Vertical_Semantics.   Or:

Procedure_comp->procedure->HC_Vertical_Semantics  

Other health care providers may in turn map their physical record to that concept, assuring that all organizations leveraging that domain are leveraging the same semantic understanding of the data.    For instance:

Prod_1->procedure->HC_Vertical_Semantics

Note that the 'procedure' concept many have hundreds of properties that defines it, and some of these properties will map back to the physical record.  Also, note that it is possible for 'procedure' to belong to other domains as well, inheriting the properties and attributes from the concept or concepts.  Moreover, these domains can be either public or private, and are sharable among any semantic domain user on the network (if they have permission).       

In my view of the world there are three types of semantic domains:  customer defined, community, and vertical.   The customer defined domains are a collection of semantic definitions and mappings for a particular customer for use within a single enterprise.    Community domains share semantic definitions and mappings supporting a closed community of users, such as a trading community around a single automobile manufacturer.  Vertical domains are definitions and mappings supporting whole industries. 

More on this later.