Semantic Annotation for Process Models: - Department of Computer ...

Chapter 4
Semantic Annotation Framework
for Process Models
As we have discussed previously, process properties of a business process model are
represented by meta-model elements/modeling constructs of a modeling language, and
model solutions are represented by model elements composed of the modeling constructs.
Common expressions of process properties and context references make the
heterogeneous process models reconciled and comparable. The enhanced semantic interoperability
can facilitate the management and reuse of those process models. In
this chapter, a basic semantic annotation framework [94] [92] [93] for process models
is presented. The framework provides a common semantic schema to express process
properties and reference the heterogeneous solutions of business process models to a
consensual representation of systems’ context.
Before we present our framework, we discuss the theoretical basis of this work,
and then we elaborate the structure and components of the framework. Under such a
framework, a general process ontology is introduced and used as the reference ontology
to annotate process properties. A set of semantic mapping rules are defined as the
annotation method, and a semantic annotation model is introduced as the annotation
schema.
4.1 Theoretical Basis
The theoretical basis underlying our proposal is Ogden & Richard’s semiotic triangle
[121], which has been mentioned in section 2.2.1. We use the semiotic triangle to
analyze semantic heterogeneity of process models. Ontology plays a major role in our
semantic annotation approach, which is also fitted into the semiotic triangle. Thus, in
this section we discuss about the relationship between the process models and ontology
in the context of semantic interoperability based on the semiotic triangle.
4.1.1 Semiotic triangle
The semiotic triangle is applied in both information modeling and philosophy disciplines.
The theory describes relationships between reference, sign and concept (refer to
63