New publication – A Community Network Ontology for Participatory Collaboration Mapping: Towards Collective Impact

A. de Moor (2018). A Community Network Ontology for Participatory Collaboration Mapping: Towards Collective Impact, Information 2018, 9(7): art. no. 151.

Abstract

Addressing societal wicked problems requires collaboration across many different community networks. In order for community networks to scale up their collaboration and increase their collective impact, they require a process of inter-communal sensemaking. One way to catalyze that process is by participatory collaboration mapping. In earlier work, we presented the CommunitySensor methodology for participatory mapping and sensemaking within communities. In this article, we extend this approach by introducing a community network ontology that can be used to define a customized mapping language to make sense across communities. We explore what ontologies are and how our community network ontology is developed using a participatory ontology evolution approach. We present the community network conceptual model at the heart of the ontology. We show how it classifies element and connection types derived from an analysis of 17 participatory mapping cases, and how this classification can be used in characterizing and tailoring the mapping language required by a specific community network. To illustrate the application of the community network ontology in practice, we apply it to a case of participatory collaboration mapping for global and national agricultural field building. We end the article with a discussion and conclusions.

International Workshop on Community-Based Evolution of Knowledge-Intensive Systems (COMBEK’08)

Call for Papers

International Workshop On Community-Based Evolution of Knowledge-Intensive Systems COMBEK ’08

Monterrey, Mexico, Nov 9 – 14, 2008

http://www.cs.rmit.edu.au/fedconf/index.html?page=combek2008cfp

WORKSHOP THEME

COMBEK seeks to address the need for research that explores and embraces the novel, difficult but crucial issue of adapting knowledge resources to their user communities, and vice versa, as a fundamental property of knowledge-intensive internet systems. Through a deep understanding of the real-time, community-driven, evolution of so-called ontologies, a knowledge-intensive system can be made operationally relevant and sustainable over long periods of time.

By addressing the notion of “community” in this way, COMBEK hopes to innovate the science of ontology engineering and unlock the expected (and unavoidable) paradigm shift in knowledge-based and community-driven systems. Such a paradigm would affect knowledge sharing and communication across diverse communities in business, industry, and society. We are further convinced that being a part of the OnTheMove conferences will turn a spotlight on the scientific issues addressed in COMBEK, making them visible and attractive to industry.

WORKSHOP GOALS

COMBEK is ready to transcend the current, narrow “ontology engineering” view on the change management of knowledge structures that is at the heart today’s knowledge-intensive systems. We will consider stakeholder communities as integral factors in the continuous evolution of the knowledge-intensive systems in which they collaborate. By bringing together researchers from different domains, COMBEK aims to advance research on a very broad spectrum of needs, opportunities, and solutions. COMBEK will be a forum for the discussion of next-generation knowledge-intensive systems and radically new approaches in knowledge evolution.

Virtual Teams and Collaborative Environments – book

CALL FOR CHAPTERS

Proposals Submission Deadline: 3/31/2008

Full Chapters Due: 7/31/2008

Virtual Teams and Collaborative Environments:
Knowledge-Driven Creativity

A book edited by A book edited by Aggelos Liapis, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
Julian Malins, The Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, Scotland UK
Stijn Christiaens, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
Pieter De Leenheer, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium

http://www.igi-pub.com/requests/details.asp?ID=371

OBJECTIVES
One of the principal objectives of this new book is to suggest improved tools and methodologies for CSCW which can be applied in a variety of disciplines and professional contexts. The book will explore the nature of creativity and how this relates to CSCW. In particular this book will identify the factors that limit creativity in virtual teams when using online collaborative environments.

The overall objectives of the book are as follows:

To develop a clear understanding of the use of ontologies as an approach to developing computer supported collaborative working systems within the areas of creativity and design. To identify creative approaches for supporting ontology engineering. To develop the possible uses for collaborative environments that can be used to assist creative communities. To provide insights that support virtual teams, communities and associated ontologies. To examine the future developments in CSCW, focusing on collaborative environments. To demonstrate the advantages of using collaborative environments in order to increase productivity.

Ontology Management book

M. Hepp, P. De Leenheer, A. de Moor, Y. Sure, eds. (2008). Ontology Management: Semantic Web, Semantic Web Services, and Business Applications, Semantic Web and Beyond: Computing for Human Experience series, Springer Verlag, Berlin, ISBN 978-0-387-69899-1

has just been published. It contains a set of state-of-the-art chapters of ontology management. An interesting observation is that concepts like evolution and communities are starting to be seen as core elements of successful ontology management. The very formal and informal semantic worlds are finally starting to meet.

Besides having been a co-editor, I have also been a co-author of one of the book chapters:

S. Christiaens, P. De Leenheer, A. de Moor, and R. Meersman (2008). Ontologising Competencies in an Interorganisational Setting. In M. Hepp, P. De Leenheer, A. de Moor, and Y. Sure (eds.), Ontology Management: Semantic Web, Semantic Web Services, and Business Applications, Springer, Berlin, pp.265-288. ISBN 978-0-387-69899-1.

It contains a description of the DOGMA-MESS (Meaning Evolution Support System) I worked on while at STARLab, and is all about the interaction between formal semantics and the living communities of human beings involved in their definition and use. Good stuff 🙂