An introduction to Topic maps: Structure and relationships of information

TOPIC MAPS *

Structure and relationships of information

* DISCLAIMER

We are new to topic maps, we're just finding our way

Where do ourinformation-structuring metaphors come from?

Taxonomies

A hierarchical system of classification developed by Carl von Linné (Linnaeus) for biological classification.

Originally set forth in hisSystema Naturae , 1735.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Linnaeus

Taxonomies

Each term in a taxonomy has one or more parent-child relationship often expressed in a tree structure or dendogram

Advantages:Excellent for one-to-one classification and filing of items into a system. Hierarchy of information and relationship is implicit. Disadvantages: Items can only be filed in one location. Therefore, whoever does the classification decides where something 'lives'

Folksonomies

Not a traditional data structuring method. First coined by Thomas Vander Wal (on the 24th of July 2004 to be precise). A folksonomy is a classification system based on collaborative user tagging. Advantages:Extensible and flexible. Allows multiple users to define their own relationship to things.

Disadvantages: No way of being clear what someone else's definition means. Needs a critical mass of interaction to be useful.

An example

Show me a picture of the Paris Hilton

A picture of Paris Hilton

Hmm, not what I was looking for

OK, I meant: show me a picture of the Paris Hilton Hotel

Finally! A picture of Paris Hilton(the hotel)

http://images.google.co.uk/images?q=paris%20hilton%20hotel&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi

Taxonomies and folksonomies are bad at describing the type of 'thing'

Why? Because they cannot capture the relationships between 'things'

Faceted classification

Originally conceived by Shiyali Ramamrita Ranganathan in the 1930s. Facets can be thought of as multiple axes along which documents or information can be classified. Advantages:Flexible, allows information to be found through multiple routes.

Disadvantages: Can add extra complexity and visual noise, and still doesn't describe the relationship between 'things'.

Ranganthan's faceted classification model:

Personality – the primary subject of the document (the key facet)

Matter – the material or substance the document deals with

Energy – the processes or activities the document describes

Space – the locations described by the document

Time – the time period described by the document

http://www.boxesandarrows.com/view/ranganathan_for_ias

The classification of a book on Norwegian rural architecture in the 17th century might look like this:

Personality – architecture

Matter – wood

Energy – design

Space – Norway

Time – 17th century

http://www.boxesandarrows.com/view/ranganathan_for_ias

So where do Topic maps come in?

Time for a slightly confusing diagram

Topic maps

Topic maps are an ISO standard notation, created around 2000.

They are used to richly describe relationships between 'things' rather then between documents or pages.

http://www.ontopia.net/topicmaps/materials/tm-vs-thesauri.html

http://www.slideshare.net/hendrikthomas/hendrik-thomas-semantic-web-topic-maps-2009

http://www.slideshare.net/hendrikthomas/hendrik-thomas-semantic-web-topic-maps-2009

Topic maps

Advantages:Improve the findability of information, since they consistently describe the relationships between things, as well as the things themselves.

Disadvantages: Not widely used or understood. Large scale documentation is problematic

Topic maps support natural search queriese.g. "show me all articles about Paris Hilton, the celebrity, staying at Paris Hilton, the hotel"

Unfortunately, our document-centric structure doesn't support that query...

Google news search results:Paris Hilton staying at the Paris Hilton

Topic maps in use

The Norwegian Government website:http://www.regjeringen.no/en.html

Visit Norway:http://www.visitnorway.com/

Q: Why are Topic maps so popular in Norway?A: Graham Moore's (topic map guru) wife is Norwegian

References and further reading:

Introduction to Topic Maps– Hendrik Thomas, 2009http://www.slideshare.net/hendrikthomas/hendrik-thomas-semantic-web-topic-maps-2009

The TAO of Topic Maps - Finding the Way in the Age of Infoglut– Steve Pepper, 2002http://www.ontopia.net/topicmaps/materials/tao.html

Metadata? Thesauri? Taxonomies? Topic Maps!: Making sense of it all– Lars Marius Garshol, 2004http://www.ontopia.net/topicmaps/materials/tm-vs-thesauri.html

Ranganathan for IAs– Mike Steckel, 2002http://www.boxesandarrows.com/view/ranganathan_for_ias

Thanks

Ben.Gilmore@LBi.comStephen.Hellens@LBi.com