1.
Why are ontologies important to the success of your project?
They bring order to what would be otherwise an incomplete PDF search query through technical publications.
2.
Can you share any specific success metrics from the application of ontologies?
An implemented ontology in a search interface improved new Tier 1 tech support agents (less than 1 year on the job) searches for information by 78%,
3 out of 4 times. It also was a performance support tool for “slow” searchers. Ontologies were not as useful for employees with more than 1 year on the job because they have learned how the information is structured, its key terms etc. Tier 2 tech support
agents had improved search times whether new or older, in part because they did less searching for info. Their knowledge often mapped closely to the ontology terms so they were able to use it more easily. Their benchmark PDF search time was also quite high
since they did not search PDF tech pubs as much as the Tier 1s.
3.
How does your project fit into the Big Data picture (if at all)?
We deal in the millions of pages of unstructured XML to search through for product technical documentation. We need to be able to connect from software
engineering design feature IDs and descriptions to topics that discuss the concepts, tasks and reference materials related to each design ID.
4.
What are some of the exciting initiatives within your project that you've seen - who should we watch / why?
SmartLogic, Semaphore product http://www.smartlogic.com/: a simple ontology model (zThes) but good enough for large organizations and has workflow to
get new instances/classes into the ontology.
Ontotext: KIM search interface.
http://www.ontotext.com/kim Offers various search types including facets, patterns and structured search
5.
What is the killer app using your project that you're hoping to see emerge over the next few years?
Semi-autonomous ontology and term list builder. Ontology builder has to be able to suggest object properties and data properties.
6.
Why are ontologies essential for modeling systems?
Because often staff are only experts in their part of the system and a system ontology helps show the linkages to other parts of
the system.
7. Why are ontologies essential for integration / federation of systems?
They are faster to create that SQL tables and more flexible. You can reuse the ontology as needed.
8. How do ontologies help address Interdisciplinary Collaboration?
You can include definitions, restrictions etc. so that others can explore the model and discover what is there. They can also link technical writers to the
software engineers better because the tech writers do not have to rad lengthy design specs or ask as many questions because the model contains how the feature relationships occur.
9. Has anyone quantified and is willing to share any of the costs associated with the lack of ontologies in {modeling, integration, federation, collaboration}?
Bradley Shoebottom 
Information Architect - R&D, Innovatia Inc.
Tel:
(506) 674-5439 | Skype:
bradleyshoebottom | Toll-Free:
1-800-363-3358 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting
bradley.shoebottom@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
| www.innovatia.net
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From: ontology-summit-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:ontology-summit-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Ali SH
Sent: April-03-12 6:17 PM
To: Ontology Summit 2011 discussion
Subject: [ontology-summit] Quotes for Ontology Summit 2012
Dear All,
I'm writing to this group to solicit some human quotes for the 2012 Ontology Summit. I've written a number of you individually (especially those that presented applications), but wanted to open the floor to all 2012 Ontology
participants.
I am writing a number of little stories / narratives to try to get more publicity for the summit, any good story needs quotes from people....
While I'm focusing on highlighting a number of the projects that were presented at the summit, anyone who feels like they have a good insight to the questions below should feel free to chime in. One or two lines at most per question would
be of tremendous help. It would be especially helpful if the style of your response is as though we were talking to one another (conversational, not academic).
1. Why are ontologies important to the success of your project?
2. Can you share any specific success metrics from the application of ontologies?
3. How does your project fit into the Big Data picture (if at all)?
4. What are some of the exciting initiatives within your project that you've seen - who should we watch / why?
5. What is the killer app using your project that you're hoping to see emerge over the next few years?
6. Why are ontologies essential for modeling systems?
7. Why are ontologies essential for integration / federation of systems?
8. How do ontologies help address Interdisciplinary Collaboration?
9. Has anyone quantified and is willing to share any of the costs associated with the lack of ontologies in {modeling, integration, federation, collaboration}?
I would appreciate a response at your earliest convenience and again, please keep in mind that the more
conversational your answer, the more usable it will be!