Semantics in Business Systems: The Savvy Manager's Guide
Regular price
21.250 KD
inc. VAT
Couldn't load pickup availability
Table of contents
- Cover
- Copyright Pagevi
- Contentsvii
- CHAPTER 1. Semantics: A Trillion-Dollar Cottage Industry1
- The Semantic Era of Information Systems3
- The Plan of this Book4
- A Brief History of Semantics5
- Putting Semantics in its Place7
- A Semantic Solution to a Semantic Problem9
- CHAPTER 2. Business Semantics11
- Widespread Abuse of Language11
- Naming Things Creates the Chance for Misunderstanding12
- The Semantics of the Past Are about Categorization14
- The Semantics of the Future Are about Commitment15
- Summary20
- CHAPTER 3. The Process Side of Business Systems21
- Semantics in Business Systems21
- A Business Systems Deals with Humans and Applications22
- Some Applications Are More Semantic than Others29
- The System Is Made Up of Processes33
- The Flexibility of the Process Is a Semantic Property35
- Summary on the Process Side of Business Systems40
- CHAPTER 4. Terms: Vocabulary, Taxonomy, and Ontology41
- The Range of Possible Terms and Meanings Is Vast42
- Definitions Are Not Enough49
- Taxonomies: Ordering a Vocabulary51
- Ontology: A Web of Meaning56
- How Categorization Informs Us57
- Dynamic Categorization60
- Summary64
- CHAPTER 5. Data and Object Modeling65
- Semantic Differences between a Database and a Document65
- Where Are the Semantics in a Database Application?69
- Clues to Understanding the Meaning in Programs72
- Multiple Accessors = Multiple Semantic Interpretations74
- How Was the Schema Defined?76
- Object Modeling: Data Models with Behavior80
- Summary85
- CHAPTER 6. Metadata87
- A Brief History of Metadata87
- Levels and Types of Metadata93
- Most Semantics Live in Metadata94
- Some Developments in the Use of Metadata-Driven Architectures96
- A Case Study on Metadata Application Design97
- Metadata-Driven Systems Are More Flexible106
- Summary107
- CHAPTER 7. Interpreting Meaning109
- Interpretation: Clues from How Humans Interpret Unstructured Information109
- Interpreting a Foreign Language114
- Why Interpret Documents?117
- Some Current Approaches to Document Interpretation120
- Natural Language Processing123
- Projects and Products that Embody Some Aspects of Interpretation125
- Summary127
- CHAPTER 8. Business Rules and Creating Meaning129
- Business Systems as Semantic Factories129
- How Applications Create Meaning134
- Interpretation versus Imposition of Meaning137
- How Business Rules Improve Systems Maintenance139
- Semantics and Business Rules145
- How Semantics and Business Rules Amplify Each Other150
- Constraint Rules151
- Generative Rules152
- Triggering the Execution of Rules153
- Business Rules and Scope154
- Summary156
- CHAPTER 9. Semantic Elicitation: Uncovering Meaning157
- Semantic Elicitation„Where to Look157
- Semantic Elicitation and the Development Process„When to Analyze160
- Variations for Package Implementation164
- Variations for Iterative Development166
- Semantic Elicitation Techniques„How to Uncover the Meaning167
- Anthropology„Part 1: Organizing Semantic Modeling Meetings167
- Anthropology„Part 2: Conducting the Meeting169
- Archaeology„Part 1: Data Mining172
- Archaeology„Part 2: Metadata and Legacy Understanding175
- Anthropology„Part 3: Uncovering the Semantics in Work Flow176
- Semantic Scope179
- Summary180
- CHAPTER 10. Understanding and Communicating Meaning183
- Capturing the Semantics183
- Tools and Approaches for Cataloging the Semantics189
- Graphically Oriented Approaches195
- Unified Modeling Language199
- Formal Methods and Semantics201
- Conclusion202
- CHAPTER 11. Extensible Markup Language (XML)205
- What Is XML?205
- Where XML Came From206
- XML’s Popularity207
- The Stability of XML212
- Syntax and Semantics213
- Schemas and Namespaces214
- XML’s Many Dependents217
- Adding Behavior to XML220
- Summary220
- CHAPTER 12. Semantic-Based Enterprise Application Integration and Systems Integration223
- What Is Integration?224
- Integration Is Harder than It Looks226
- Strategies for Coping with Integration229
- Issues with Internal Integration232
- The Semantics of Integration between Enterprises233
- Why the Implementation Level Makes Things So Much Harder235
- Enterprise Message Model236
- Semantic Brokers237
- Summary239
- CHAPTER 13. Web Services241
- Web Services: Definition and Implications241
- Web Services Mechanics246
- Service-Oriented Architectures250
- Composite Applications252
- Finding a Service255
- Work Flow and Collaboration256
- Service Contracts258
- Web Service Management260
- Voting260
- Conclusion261
- CHAPTER 14. The Semantic Web263
- Killer Apps for the Semantic Web264
- What Is the Semantic Web?266
- A Brief Example270
- Semantic Web Adoption270
- Everyone Doesnt Have to Agree to the Same Über-OntologyŽ273
- A More Elaborate Example275
- What Else Is Needed278
- Summary279
- CHAPTER 15. Getting Started281
- Build Skills281
- Experiment282
- Rethink Everything that Is in Flight282
- Concluding Thoughts286
- APPENDIX A Quick Reference289
- APPENDIX B Resources for Further Investigation301
- Glossary333
- Index377
Semantics in Business Systems begins with a description of what semantics are and how they affect business systems. It examines four main aspects of the application of semantics to systems, specifically: How do we infer meaning from unstructured information, how do application systems make meaning as they operate, how do practitioners uncover meaning in business settings, and how do we understand and communicate what we have deduced? This book illustrates how this applies to the future of application system development, especially how it informs and affects Web services and business rule- based approaches, and how semantics will play out with XML and the semantic Web. The book also contains a quick reference guide to related terms and technologies. It is part of Morgan Kaufmann's series of Savvy Manager's Guides.
* Presents an easy and enjoyable introduction to semantics in the context of business IT systems.
* Articulates the business value of semantics, while providing relevant introductory technical background.
* Describes the semantic underpinnings of data modeling, business rules, enterprise integration, and Web services.
* Contains a handy quick-reference guide to technologies and terminology.
* For more information, links, and discussions, go to www.savvymanagers.com.
* Presents an easy and enjoyable introduction to semantics in the context of business IT systems.
* Articulates the business value of semantics, while providing relevant introductory technical background.
* Describes the semantic underpinnings of data modeling, business rules, enterprise integration, and Web services.
* Contains a handy quick-reference guide to technologies and terminology.
* For more information, links, and discussions, go to www.savvymanagers.com.