Basic Concepts

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Basic Concepts Examplesof ISO 11179 - Part
2Classification

• Jim Carpenter
• Version 1.5
• Sunday, June 24, 2001

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Basic Concepts

• Scheme
• Classification scheme (CS)
• Characteristics of a CS
• Type (structure)
• Subject domain
• Item
• Item type
• Item value
• Relationship
• Relationship type
• Overlap of items (allowed?)
• Implementation

instead of type name in current part 3.
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Scheme

• Definition descriptive information of a subject
  domain or a system
• Descriptive aspects (foci)
• Entities (what)
• Processes (how)
• Persons (who)
• Events (when)
• Network nodes (where)
• Goals objectives (why)

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Classification SchemeDefinition

• A scheme used for grouping objects.
• Object A thing of interest
• Object includes all aspects of schemes
• Descriptive information for an arrangement or
  division of objects into groups, based on
  characteristics, which the objects have in
  common. (ISO 11179 Part 3)

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Characteristics of a Classification Scheme.

• Type the structure in the arrangement of
  groups A generalization of the items and
  relationships without an application context.
• Subject subject domain containing the objects
  being classified.
• Item group, category described by the scheme.
• Relationship between items.
• Overlap the group intersections (null or or
  non-empty). Can an object be in more than one
  group?
• Implementation a system that uses the CS.

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Typesof Classification Schemes

• List - set of CS items
• None dimensional items have characteristics that
  overlap
• Unordered example a word list
• Ordered list example index
• One dimensional based on a single
  distinguishing characteristic
• Array - cross product of lists
• Unordered array (table)
• Ordered array (matrix)
• Hierarchical (lattice) relationships define a
  partial ordering
• Single root nodes example bio taxonomy
• Multiple root nodes example NAICS
• Network (directed graph, map)

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Item TypesGuidance for typing

• Use the most generic term for the types of
  objects being classified
• Examples
• Glossary term
• Thesaurus concept
• Index entry
• Taxonomy taxon
• UML model class
• MPAA movie rating (not movie)
• Dewey Decimal System ?
• Francis Bacons catalog subject

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Relationship TypesSources for Guidance

• Elementary associations of Kilov Ross - based
  on contract invariance
• Dependency
• Reference
• Composition
• Subtyping
• Symmetric
• ISO 704
• Hierarchical relationships
• Generic (generic/specific)
• Partitive (whole/part)
• Non-hierarchical, e.g., contiguity in
• Time (before after)
• Space (left right up down)
• Causality (cause effect)
• Knowledge Representation ? John Sowa
• Others

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Examples

• Key word list for movie reviews.
• CS type list.
• Subject movie reviews.
• Item type word
• Relationship types none
• Overlap allowed.
• MPAA movie rating
• CS type hierarchical
• Subject parental guidance for movies
• Item type rating
• Relationship types generic (contains more adult
  content)
• Overlap none

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Examples, cont.

• W3C categories of technologies using PICS (based
  on action taken)
• CS Type list
• Subject products that label web content
• Item type product using PICS
• Relationship types none
• Overlap yes
• Thesaurus for economics.
• CS Type multiple hierarchies for BT/NT
  relationships Network for UF and RT
  relationships.
• Subject economics.
• Item type term
• Relationship types BroaderThan, NarrowerThan,
  UsedFor, RelatedTerm
• Overlap not allowed for preferred terms.

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Examples, cont.

• Zachman Framework
• CS type array
• Subject system documentation
• Item type cell
• Relationship types none (?)
• Overlap none
• NAICS
• CS type multiple hierarchy
• Subject industrial classification
• Item type category (?)
• Relationship types (?)
• Overlap none

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Examples, cont.

• MSC
• CS type multiple hierarchy
• Subject mathematics subject classification
• Item type subject
• Relationship types none
• Overlap yes
• Census Metadata Registry Model
• CS type network
• Subject entities in a survey operation
• Item type entity
• Relationship types
• Overlap yes - for generically related classes
  no - otherwise.