EDIT WP5 Internet Platform for

Cybertaxonomy

Modelling for Revisionary TaxonomyGubányi A.-Kiss, V.-Kilián, I. (Hungarian Natural History Museum)Meeting: KEW London, 21-Jan-07.

EDIT is a multidisciplinary/ interdisciplinary project

Synergic effects Ecologists challenge/inspire informatic

experts to find computerised solutions to new real-life problems

Informatic experts should challenge/inspire ecologists by opening up new technical possibilities to solve real life problems

new, unexpected results, breakthrough

Targets

5.2.1 Modelling for Revisionary Taxonomy Carry out an in-depth modelling effort of the revisionary work process.

Initial interviews with Taxonomists across the EDIT partnership, and review of existing descriptions of process serve to identify prototype test agents (players contributing to the platform such as taxonomists, libraries and other intra- or extra-institutional resources) for interviews. Results of interviews are used in building Use Cases and Scenarios which are feed back to agents for evaluation. Finally, modelling using standard and advanced informatics techniques in workflow analysis in workflow analysis and process modelling incorporating data flowsand process modelling incorporating data flows and the knowledge of domain experts on the underlying business rules and local constraints. In the process, identify bottlenecks and suggest action for their removal to the network.

Work-process

Team: Gubányi, A biologist, Kiss V. biologist, Kilián I. informatic engineer

Steps: 1. Interviews with leading Hungarian taxonomists and biodiversity monitorists 2. Preparing questionnaire document 3. Business modelling

Results: (1. Use Cases) 2. Workflow models 3. Dataflow models

Tool: Enterprise Architect 6.5 from Geoffrey Sparx/Sparx Systems

Language: Unified Modelling Language (UML2) Metodology: Rational Unified Process (RUP) +

customizations

Business Modelling and the 4 Layers of Metamodel stack

1. (Actual data of specimen collected)

2. Abstraction of data: classes, associations, taxonomical model

3. Metamodel of UML2, as a modeling tool

4. Metametamodel: The way of storing, managing, extending, modifying the metamodel

1.Application data

4.Description of the description of

modelling tool

2.Domain (software) model

3.Description of the modelling

formalism (UML)

Use Cases

1. Precondition: creating a software to make certain tasks for certain people easier

2. Defining the circle of players contacting/using the new system (stakeholder-analysis)

Human players/users, organisations and automated systems

3. Defining a set of functions the new software should perform Drawing the borders of the software. What should it do, and what

not Determining the most important relationships between functions Connecting functions with players

4. Analysing and collecting requirements for functions

UML Metamodel/Profile for Cybertaxonomy

New stereotypes generic metaclasses/concepts and/or relations new graphic tools to be used attributes/default values of new concepts

New generic metarelations (new relationships between new concepts)

New constraints for stereotypes Model transformation rules Codegeneration rules

pkg EDIT UML Technology

database

«metaclass»Object

«metaclass»Class

+ isActive: Boolean

document

human

board

software

machine

table

UML Metamodel/Profile for Cybertaxonomy

pkg EDIT UML Technology

«metaclass»ObjectFlow

+ direction: Direction = Source -> Desti...+ isMulticast: Boolean = false+ isMultireceive: Boolean = false

dataflow

+ bordercolor: int = 255+ borderwidth: int = 3

«metaclass»Association

+ direction: Direction = Source -> Desti...

«extends»

«extends»

Results/deliverables

1. Questionnaires (direct result of interviewing)2. Metamodel:

EDITUML.XML an UML profile for EnterpriseArchitect

Modelling Guidelines.doc written description

3. Model (EDIT.EAP):– Stakeholder analysis– Domain model– Business process (workflow) model– Dataflow model

Workflow modelling

•The basic concepts and relationships to be modelled

•Incremental evolution with other concepts

•Inferred relationships: eg. sequence of activities can be inferred from dataflow model.

•Other business rules/constraints

analysis Business Objects

product

Actor

Activ ity

Tool

+result

+input

+operates

+performs

Workflow modelling

•The basic concepts and relationships to be modelled

•Incremental evolution with other concepts

•Inferred relationships: eg. sequence of activities can be inferred from dataflow model.

•Other business rules/constraints

analysis Business Objects

product

Actor

Activ ity

Tool

+result

+input

+operates

+performspart

Workflow modelling

•The basic concepts and relationships to be modelled

•Incremental evolution with other concepts

•Inferred relationships: eg. sequence of activities can be inferred from dataflow model.

•Other business rules/constraints

analysis Business Objects

product

Actor

Activ ity

Tool

+result

+input

+operates

+performspart

+input +output

Workflow modelling

•The basic concepts and relationships to be modelled

•Incremental evolution with other concepts

•Inferred relationships: eg. sequence of activities can be inferred from dataflow model.

•Other business rules/constraints

analysis Business Objects

product

Actor

Activ ity

Tool

Capability

Licence

+result

+input

+operates

+performspart

+input +output

Workflow modelling scheme

•The basic concepts and relationships to be modelled

•Incremental evolution with other concepts

•Inferred relationships: eg. sequence of activities can be inferred from dataflow model.

•Other business rules/constraints

analysis Business Objects

product

Actor

Activ ity

Tool

Capability

LicenceMaterial

+result

+input

+operates

+performspart

+input +output

Questionnary

Information reflecting the chosen workflow modelling scheme– Set of activites (not necessary sequential)– Steps of activities (sequential!)– Inputs of activities– Outputs of activities– Tools of activities– Materials of activities– Other information…

Structure of the model (EA Project Browser)

Domain model– Attribute value datatypes (without identity, eg.

LengthDensityRange)– Domain objects (with identity, eg. <<chemical>> Acid)

Business Process Model– Business Context/Stakeholders (what actors/players we are

talking about)– Business Workflows (dataflow and process flow analysis)

EDIT UML Technology (metamodel extensions in source/model form)

Business Context/Stakeholdersanalysis Stakeholders

Taxonomist

Algologist

Actor

Human ActorSystemActor

Parazitologist Entomologist

Organization

Phycologist Palaeontologist Dipterologist

Authorities

NatureProtectionAuthoritiesMalacologist

Business Processes: Modelling the diversity

Business Process– the root package contains concepts (activities, objects), that

are common for each branch-science

Business Process/Algology– concepts specific to Algology as a branch-science

Business Process/Dipterology Business Process/Entomolgy Business Process/Malacology Business Process/…

class AlgologyDataFlow

CollectingAlgaeSamplesObtainingPermission

(from Business Workflows)Domain Model::WrittenLicence

class AlgologyDataFlow

CollectingAlgaeSamplesObtainingPermission

(from Business Workflows)Domain Model::WrittenLicence

class AlgologyDataFlow

CollectingAlgaeSamplesObtainingPermission

(from Business Workflows)Domain Model::WrittenLicence

act AlgologyProcess

LabWork

FieldWork

(from Business Workflows)

ObtainingPermission

(from Business Workflows)

Trav el

(from Business Workflows)

CollectingAlgaeSamples

ExaminationOfLiv ingSamples

PreparingSamples

ExaminationOfSamples

Preserv ation

Cleaning

MountingCleanSample

OneDayWeekly

2WeeksInSummer

act AlgologyProcess

Dev elopATheoryLabWork

ExaminationOfLiv ingSamples

PreparingSamples

ExaminationOfSamples

Preserv ation

Cleaning

MountingCleanSample

CompilingComparisonTables DeterminingGenus

IdentifyingSpeciesVariety

(from Business Workflows)

Consult With Colleagues

(from Business Workflows)

ReportingNewSpecies

(from Business Workflows)

NewSpecies

ManagingCollections

(from Business Workflows)

StoringSamples

(from Business Workflows)

CatalogueingSamples

(from Business Workflows)

:PaperBasedPublicationScientific

[yes]

[no]

act AlgologyProcess

PaperBasedPublication

PublKnowledge

Success

Failure

PreparingIllustrations

(from Business Workflows)

PreparingPhotoplates

EditingPaper

(from Business Workflows)

SubmittingPaper

(from Business Workflows)

PaperAccepted

Correction

[no]

[no]

[yes]

[yes]

act AlgologyProcess

Biomonitoring

:FieldWork :LabWork

InCaseOfContractualOrder

PreparingStatisticalTables

PreparingReport

act AlgologyProcess

PromotingPublicUnderstanding

Occasionally

PerformingPublicShows

ReadingPublicLectures

PublishingOnLineDatabases

:PaperBasedPublication

popular

act AlgologyProcess

CompilingAnnualReportInDecemberYearly

Status of work (20-Jan-07)

Questionnary

Data--flow

Work-flow

Taxo-nomy

Biomonitoring

Algology(Dr. Buczkó K.)

yes yes yes yes yes

Dipterology(Dr. Földváry M.)

yes yes yes yes ---

Entomology(Dr. Merkl O.)

yes yes yes yes

Malacology(Dr. Fehér Z.)

yes yes yes yes ---

Bryology(Dr. Papp B)

yes

Lichens(Dr. Lőkös L)

yes ---

Thank you for your attention!