Parry, Poole and Pratty on Muiseums and the Semantic Web

Do we need(and do we understand)

the Semantic Web?

Dr. Ross ParryDepartment of Museum StudiesUniversity of Leicester, UK

Philip Adams, Senior Assistant Librarian (systems Development) De Montfort University; Martin Bazley, E-learning consultant; Stephen Brown, Professor, De Montfort University; Robin Boast, deputy director; Museum of Arch. and Anth., Camb.; David Dawson, Digital Futures, MLA; Dylan Edgar, Scottish Museum Council; Jane Finnis, Director, 24 Hour Museum; Michael Freeman, Curator, Ceredigon Museum, Aberystwyth; Areti Galani, Lecturer, CCHS, University of Newcastle; David Gerrard, Web Developer, De Montfort University; Jeremy Keith, Clear Left Design Ltd.; Brian Kelly, UK Web Focus, UKOLN; Suzanne Keene, Lecturer, UCL; Richard Light, XML Consulant; Frances Lloyd-Baynes, Head of Records, V&A; Mike Lowndes, Interactive Media, Manager, Natural History Museum; Lena Maculan, Digital Heritage Research Group, University of Leicester; Gordon Mckenna, Standards and Systems Manager, MDA; Mayra Ortiz-Williams, Digital Heritage Research Group, University of Leicester; Jeremy Ottevanger, Web Developer, Museum of London; Ross Parry, Digital Heritage Research Group, University of Leicester; Nick Poole, Director, MDA; Jon Pratty, Editor, 24 Hour Museum; Phill Purdy, Development Officer, Museums Library Archives Council; Mia Ridge, Database Developer, Museum of London; Seamus Ross, Director of Humanities, Computing, University of Glasgow; Angelina Roussou Researcher Queensland Institute of Technology; Andy Sawyer, Museum Consultant, MWR Ltd.; Paul Shabajee, Research Fellow, University of Bristol/HP-Labs; Jennifer Trant, Partner and Principal Consultant, Archives and Museum Informatics, Canada; Alex Whitfield, Education Prog. Manager, British Library; Alison Wells, Doc. Assistant, Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery; Dan Zambonini, Technical Director, Box UK.

Philip Adams, Senior Assistant Librarian (systems Development) De Montfort University; Martin Bazley, E-learning consultant; Stephen Brown, Professor, De Montfort University; Robin Boast, deputy director; Museum of Arch. and Anth., Camb.; David Dawson, Digital Futures, MLA; Dylan Edgar, Scottish Museum Council; Jane Finnis, Director, 24 Hour Museum; Michael Freeman, Curator, Ceredigon Museum, Aberystwyth; Areti Galani, Lecturer, CCHS, University of Newcastle; David Gerrard, Web Developer, De Montfort University; Jeremy Keith, Clear Left Design Ltd.; Brian Kelly, UK Web Focus, UKOLN; Suzanne Keene, Lecturer, UCL; Richard Light, XML Consulant; Frances Lloyd-Baynes, Head of Records, V&A; Mike Lowndes, Interactive Media, Manager, Natural History Museum; Lena Maculan, Digital Heritage Research Group, University of Leicester; Gordon Mckenna, Standards and Systems Manager, MDA; Mayra Ortiz-Williams, Digital Heritage Research Group, University of Leicester; Jeremy Ottevanger, Web Developer, Museum of London; Ross Parry, Digital Heritage Research Group, University of Leicester; Nick Poole, Director, MDA; Jon Pratty, Editor, 24 Hour Museum; Phill Purdy, Development Officer, Museums Library Archives Council; Mia Ridge, Database Developer, Museum of London; Seamus Ross, Director of Humanities, Computing, University of Glasgow; Angelina Roussou Researcher Queensland Institute of Technology; Andy Sawyer, Museum Consultant, MWR Ltd.; Paul Shabajee, Research Fellow, University of Bristol/HP-Labs; Jennifer Trant, Partner and Principal Consultant, Archives and Museum Informatics, Canada; Alex Whitfield, Education Prog. Manager, British Library; Alison Wells, Doc. Assistant, Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery; Dan Zambonini, Technical Director, Box UK.

museums

Philip Adams, Senior Assistant Librarian (systems Development) De Montfort University; Martin Bazley, E-learning consultant; Stephen Brown, Professor, De Montfort University; Robin Boast, deputy director; Museum of Arch. and Anth., Camb.; David Dawson, Digital Futures, MLA; Dylan Edgar, Scottish Museum Council; Jane Finnis, Director, 24 Hour Museum; Michael Freeman, Curator, Ceredigon Museum, Aberystwyth; Areti Galani, Lecturer, CCHS, University of Newcastle; David Gerrard, Web Developer, De Montfort University; Jeremy Keith, Clear Left Design Ltd.; Brian Kelly, UK Web Focus, UKOLN; Suzanne Keene, Lecturer, UCL; Richard Light, XML Consulant; Frances Lloyd-Baynes, Head of Records, V&A; Mike Lowndes, Interactive Media, Manager, Natural History Museum; Lena Maculan, Digital Heritage Research Group, University of Leicester; Gordon Mckenna, Standards and Systems Manager, MDA; Mayra Ortiz-Williams, Digital Heritage Research Group, University of Leicester; Jeremy Ottevanger, Web Developer, Museum of London; Ross Parry, Digital Heritage Research Group, University of Leicester; Nick Poole, Director, MDA; Jon Pratty, Editor, 24 Hour Museum; Phill Purdy, Development Officer, Museums Library Archives Council; Mia Ridge, Database Developer, Museum of London; Seamus Ross, Director of Humanities, Computing, University of Glasgow; Angelina Roussou Researcher Queensland Institute of Technology; Andy Sawyer, Museum Consultant, MWR Ltd.; Paul Shabajee, Research Fellow, University of Bristol/HP-Labs; Jennifer Trant, Partner and Principal Consultant, Archives and Museum Informatics, Canada; Alex Whitfield, Education Prog. Manager, British Library; Alison Wells, Doc. Assistant, Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery; Dan Zambonini, Technical Director, Box UK.

strategic bodies

Philip Adams, Senior Assistant Librarian (systems Development) De Montfort University; Martin Bazley, E-learning consultant; Stephen Brown, Professor, De Montfort University; Robin Boast, deputy director; Museum of Arch. and Anth., Camb.; David Dawson, Digital Futures, MLA; Dylan Edgar, Scottish Museum Council; Jane Finnis, Director, 24 Hour Museum; Michael Freeman, Curator, Ceredigon Museum, Aberystwyth; Areti Galani, Lecturer, CCHS, University of Newcastle; David Gerrard, Web Developer, De Montfort University; Jeremy Keith, Clear Left Design Ltd.; Brian Kelly, UK Web Focus, UKOLN; Suzanne Keene, Lecturer, UCL; Richard Light, XML Consulant; Frances Lloyd-Baynes, Head of Records, V&A; Mike Lowndes, Interactive Media, Manager, Natural History Museum; Lena Maculan, Digital Heritage Research Group, University of Leicester; Gordon Mckenna, Standards and Systems Manager, MDA; Mayra Ortiz-Williams, Digital Heritage Research Group, University of Leicester; Jeremy Ottevanger, Web Developer, Museum of London; Ross Parry, Digital Heritage Research Group, University of Leicester; Nick Poole, Director, MDA; Jon Pratty, Editor, 24 Hour Museum; Phill Purdy, Development Officer, Museums Library Archives Council; Mia Ridge, Database Developer, Museum of London; Seamus Ross, Director of Humanities, Computing, University of Glasgow; Angelina Roussou Researcher Queensland Institute of Technology; Andy Sawyer, Museum Consultant, MWR Ltd.; Paul Shabajee, Research Fellow, University of Bristol/HP-Labs; Jennifer Trant, Partner and Principal Consultant, Archives and Museum Informatics, Canada; Alex Whitfield, Education Prog. Manager, British Library; Alison Wells, Doc. Assistant, Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery; Dan Zambonini, Technical Director, Box UK.

universities

Philip Adams, Senior Assistant Librarian (systems Development) De Montfort University; Martin Bazley, E-learning consultant; Stephen Brown, Professor, De Montfort University; Robin Boast, deputy director; Museum of Arch. and Anth., Camb.; David Dawson, Digital Futures, MLA; Dylan Edgar, Scottish Museum Council; Jane Finnis, Director, 24 Hour Museum; Michael Freeman, Curator, Ceredigon Museum, Aberystwyth; Areti Galani, Lecturer, CCHS, University of Newcastle; David Gerrard, Web Developer, De Montfort University; Jeremy Keith, Clear Left Design Ltd.; Brian Kelly, UK Web Focus, UKOLN; Suzanne Keene, Lecturer, UCL; Richard Light, XML Consulant; Frances Lloyd-Baynes, Head of Records, V&A; Mike Lowndes, Interactive Media, Manager, Natural History Museum; Lena Maculan, Digital Heritage Research Group, University of Leicester; Gordon Mckenna, Standards and Systems Manager, MDA; Mayra Ortiz-Williams, Digital Heritage Research Group, University of Leicester; Jeremy Ottevanger, Web Developer, Museum of London; Ross Parry, Digital Heritage Research Group, University of Leicester; Nick Poole, Director, MDA; Jon Pratty, Editor, 24 Hour Museum; Phill Purdy, Development Officer, Museums Library Archives Council; Mia Ridge, Database Developer, Museum of London; Seamus Ross, Director of Humanities, Computing, University of Glasgow; Angelina Roussou Researcher Queensland Institute of Technology; Andy Sawyer, Museum Consultant, MWR Ltd.; Paul Shabajee, Research Fellow, University of Bristol/HP-Labs; Jennifer Trant, Partner and Principal Consultant, Archives and Museum Informatics, Canada; Alex Whitfield, Education Prog. Manager, British Library; Alison Wells, Doc. Assistant, Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery; Dan Zambonini, Technical Director, Box UK.

consultants

Philip Adams, Senior Assistant Librarian (systems Development) De Montfort University; Martin Bazley, E-learning consultant; Stephen Brown, Professor, De Montfort University; Robin Boast, deputy director; Museum of Arch. and Anth., Camb.; David Dawson, Digital Futures, MLA; Dylan Edgar, Scottish Museum Council; Jane Finnis, Director, 24 Hour Museum; Michael Freeman, Curator, Ceredigon Museum, Aberystwyth; Areti Galani, Lecturer, CCHS, University of Newcastle; David Gerrard, Web Developer, De Montfort University; Jeremy Keith, Clear Left Design Ltd.; Brian Kelly, UK Web Focus, UKOLN; Suzanne Keene, Lecturer, UCL; Richard Light, XML Consulant; Frances Lloyd-Baynes, Head of Records, V&A; Mike Lowndes, Interactive Media, Manager, Natural History Museum; Lena Maculan, Digital Heritage Research Group, University of Leicester; Gordon Mckenna, Standards and Systems Manager, MDA; Mayra Ortiz-Williams, Digital Heritage Research Group, University of Leicester; Jeremy Ottevanger, Web Developer, Museum of London; Ross Parry, Digital Heritage Research Group, University of Leicester; Nick Poole, Director, MDA; Jon Pratty, Editor, 24 Hour Museum; Phill Purdy, Development Officer, Museums Library Archives Council; Mia Ridge, Database Developer, Museum of London; Seamus Ross, Director of Humanities, Computing, University of Glasgow; Angelina Roussou Researcher Queensland Institute of Technology; Andy Sawyer, Museum Consultant, MWR Ltd.; Paul Shabajee, Research Fellow, University of Bristol/HP-Labs; Jennifer Trant, Partner and Principal Consultant, Archives and Museum Informatics, Canada; Alex Whitfield, Education Prog. Manager, British Library; Alison Wells, Doc. Assistant, Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery; Dan Zambonini, Technical Director, Box UK.

commercial

W3Cspeak …

museumspeak …

museumspeak …

Semantic Web

Semantic Web

semantic web

Semantic Web

semantic web

Web 3.0

Semantic Web

semantic web

Web 3.0

machine-processable Web

Most importantly, it’s about …

‘Intelligent’ and efficient searching:- using ‘ontologies’ (‘frameworks’ and ‘maps’ of

related words/referents)- using ‘friend-of-a-friend’ logic

(“You didn’t ask for this by name, but we thinkit’s very relevant to what you are looking for.”)

Most importantly, it’s about …

‘Intelligent’ and efficient searching:- using ‘ontologies’ (‘frameworks’ and ‘maps’ of

related words/referents)- using ‘friend-of-a-friend’ logic

(“You didn’t ask for this by name, but we thinkit’s very relevant to what you are looking for.”)

Discovering ‘resources’ rather than ‘pages’- using URIs:

(“We’ve found this picture, this news story, this video, this biographical detail and this museum object that are likely to be relevant to your search.”)

Most importantly, it’s about …

‘Intelligent’ and efficient searching:- using ‘ontologies’ (‘frameworks’ and ‘maps’ of

related words/referents)- using ‘friend-of-a-friend’ logic

(“You didn’t ask for this by name, but we thinkit’s very relevant to what you are looking for.”)

Discovering ‘resources’ rather than ‘pages’- using URIs:

(“We’ve found this picture, this news story, this video, this biographical detail and this museum object that are likely to be relevant to your search.”)

Machine-to-machine automatic linking and processing of data:

(“This book is relevant to your search, and what’s more the library it is in is only 20 minutes away from your house. As there are no appointments in your diary this afternoon, you could get there on no. 27 bus that leaves at 14:45 ...”)

Most importantly, it’s about …

‘top down’ ‘bottom up’

‘top down’

revolution

‘bottom up’

evolution

‘top down’

revolution

standards-based

‘bottom up’

evolution

application-oriented

‘top down’

revolution

standards-based

inviolate

‘bottom up’

evolution

application-oriented

negotiable

‘top down’

revolution

standards-based

inviolate

universal

‘bottom up’

evolution

application-oriented

negotiable

localised

‘top down’

revolution

standards-based

inviolate

universal

singular

‘bottom up’

evolution

application-oriented

negotiable

localised

multiple instantiations

‘top down’

revolution

standards-based

inviolate

universal

singular

an innate logic

‘bottom up’

evolution

application-oriented

negotiable

localised

multiple instantiations

a selective lens

‘top down’

revolution

standards-based

inviolate

universal

singular

an innate logic

more work

‘bottom up’

evolution

application-oriented

negotiable

localised

multiple instantiations

a selective lens

less work

‘top down’

revolution

standards-based

inviolate

universal

singular

an innate logic

more work

‘hands on Internet’

‘bottom up’

evolution

application-oriented

negotiable

localised

multiple instantiations

a selective lens

less work

‘hands off Internet’

By ‘semantic’, Berners-Lee means nothing more than ‘machine processable’. The choice of nomenclature is a primary cause of confusion on both sides of the debate. It is unfortunate that the effort was not named ‘the machine processable web’ instead. This, along with some optimistic usage scenarios, is a primary cause of extraordinarily high expectations in those who take the term at face value, and hence to fierce criticism of what is seen as an overly ambitious area of research. In summary, the SW is ‘a webby way to link data’. Those evaluating the technology are well advised to look at what it really represents today, rather than what it may one day become.

“

”Emma Tonkin (2008) If it quacks like a duck … Developments in search technologies, Emerging Technologies for Learning, vol. 3, BECTA Research Report.

we do nextWhat should ?

Whatmustshouldcould

we do next ?

Whatmustshouldcould

we do next ?

this roomweb developersmuseumsMW08professional bodies…

Whatmustshouldcould

we do next ?

this roomweb developersmuseumsMW08professional bodies…

doagreebuildtry

we

this roomweb developersmuseumsMW08professional bodies…

doagreebuildtry

nownextwithin 4 monthsby MW09within 3 years

Whatmustshouldcould

?

MODE 1

Make collectionsMachine-processablevia the Web

Pull out resourcesand tag them

Then cross-referencethese tags

Automaticallyrecognisepeople and things intime and space (place)

MODE 1

Make collectionsMachine-processablevia the Web

Pull out resourcesand tag them

Then cross-referencethese tags

Automaticallyrecognisepeople and things intime and space (place)

MODE 2

Build ontologies and frameworks around these tags

Make f-o-a-f associations

Demonstrate degrees of extraction / removed-ness

Automatically identify myriad logical associations between resources

MODE 1

Make collectionsMachine-processablevia the Web

Pull out resourcesand tag them

Then cross-referencethese tags

Automaticallyrecognisepeople and things intime and space (place)

MODE 2

Build ontologies and frameworks around these tags

Make f-o-a-f associations

Demonstrate degrees of extraction / removed-ness

Automatically identify myriad logical associations between resources

MODE 3

Develop more layered and localised meaning

Capture synonyms, variant terms and alternative meanings.

Automatically recognise culturally and historically contingent semantics

Thank you

Dr. Ross ParrySenior LecturerDepartment of Museum StudiesUniversity of Leicester, [email protected]