Collaborative Software Creation

The intention is to create collaborative tools that allow users to develop software in a way they will be familiar with from their use of spreadsheets. Sternemann and Zelm (1999) explained that even then it had become necessary to research collaborative modelling and visualisation tools, because of the business trend towards global markets and decentralised organisation structures. To achieve this, Semantic Web tools would be used that represent the information to be shared in an open standard way. (Cheung et al, 2007) explain the necessity for collaboration tools to support early stage product development within networked enterprises. A system could consist of applications to be combined in order to represent a layered architecture of:-

Database - ontology engine - ontology visualiser - calculation engine - inputs visualiser - results visualiser

The aim is to ensure ease of development and use of the software system by using applications that operate at one or more levels in a conceptual hierarchy, while still being able to communicate with the layers above and below in the hierarchy, and with other applications. McGuinness (2003) writes about how ease of use via conceptual modelling support and graphical browsing tools is essential if systems such are to be usable for mainstream use. To facilitate this, open standard tools will be used and communication tested within the overall system. The communication mechanism should be invisible to the end user who cannot be expected to consider such matters. This communication would involve large amounts of related information being translated and passed on in its entirety rather than just individual objects or messages. The intention for this main prototype is to facilitate full communication between software applications and so make it easier for engineers and others to collaborate and co-ordinate their product design and manufacture.

Such systems would manage software to be used in the following areas - Knowledge Management, Decision support, and Simulation. A translation mechanism could provide automated translation from a model provided by the user, or by other systems into the software, ontology, and database representation. Any required calculations would then be made and translated to provide a model that can be interpreted by users. Johnson (2004) explains that successful interaction requires mapping between levels of abstractions and that translation between the levels of abstraction required by users and computers is difficult. He explains that this problem often means systems are created that make the user cope with the problems of this mis-translation. Research can solve this problem by giving users more involvement in the translation process by letting them interactively model the problem themselves until they are satisfied with the solution. This allows the user to establish "common ground" with the computer, an expression used by Johnson. Nurminen et al (2003) evaluate a system called NICAD that used calculation rules in this manner. Nurminen et al emphasize that successful expert systems have in common that they put user needs at the centre of a fast and agile development process. The authors explain that users prefer usability over automation, and that users should drive the more difficult tasks where they are needed and leave routine tasks to the system.

The Semantic Web has massive potential that is as yet only partially realised. The problem that needs to be solved is that of creating or using Semantic Web applications in large highly complex organisations, or collaborations to pull together information from diverse sources, and enable it to be used for modelling problems. Researchers should examine ways of structuring information, and enabling processing and searching of the information to provide a modelling capability.This work should also investigates increasing user involvement in software, and the possibility of providing templates to enable non-programmers to develop modelling software for the purposes that interest them. It is very important to involve users in software development (Olsson, 2004). To assist in this project, it is essential that new ways of enabling collaboration between all those involved in software creation and use are investigated. Johnson et al (2003) and Johnson (2004) examine how this kind of collaboration can be achieved and tested. The main advantage of the open standard representation of information provided by the Semantic Web is that information can be transferred from one application to another. Additionally it provides a layered architecture that allows for a stepped translation from user to computer and back to the user for conveying results of a modelling run.

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