Domain Modeling In FREMA David Millard Yvonne Howard Hugh Davis Gary Wills Lester Gilbert Learning Societies Lab University of Southampton, UK

Domain Modeling In FREMA

David MillardYvonne HowardHugh DavisGary WillsLester Gilbert

Learning Societies LabUniversity of Southampton, UK

What is FREMA?

• The e-Framework REference Model for Assessment

• JISC funded Project between Southampton, Strathclyde and Hull

• 2004 - 2006• Aim to produce a Reference Model of the e-

Learning Assessment Domain• To aid interoperability and aid in the creation of

Assessment Services for the e-Framework

FREMA

Definitions

• What is a Reference Model?– A guide to help developers create web services that work

with one another– But there is more than one type of guide

• A standard data format• A best practise example of service design• A methodology for creating or describing services• A description of what is currently available

• What is a Reference Model for Assessment?– Assessment is a broad and complex domain– Many different assessment scenarios

• More than one data model• More than one set of cooperating services

– An active Community requires an evolving model

Stakeholdersand Personas

Domain Modelling

Domain Context

Stakeholders and Role Models

Domain Information Model

Scenarios(workflows and narratives)

Domain System Model

Goal and FunctionModel1

The FREMA Use CaseStakeholdersand Personas

1

Personifying the actors

• Will, Web services developer– Scenario:

‘I want to lookup use cases and scenarios to help me design my application. This will help me to define my footprint in the assessment domain. I see there are some web services I could download but some are missing. What standards can I use when writing my own web services to ensure that I can interoperate with the web services I’ve chosen?’

• Yvonne, Institutional Resource Manager– Scenario

‘I want an overview of what this domain is all about. I want to know what standards are applicable in the domain to ensure that we comply with quality assurance requirements. I want to examine use cases and scenarios to understand the available footprints. I also want to know who the key players are and what the key projects are.’

• Other Actors– Early Adopter– Toolkit developer– Course developer– And there are others . . .


1

The Domain Actors

• These stakeholders are using the Domain Model

• There are other stakeholders who exist within the domain itself

• These will be identified as Actors in Scenarios

• For example, the external examination process– External examiner– Internal examiners– Teachers– Students– Etc…

• These can also be defined as actors in use cases, and described as personas


1


Domain Modelling

Domain Context




Domain System Model


Concept Maps

2

Concept Mapping

• We built concept maps of the domain of Assessment– Series of expert workshops produced drafts– These were taken to the community and opinions fed

back– Concept maps revised over time

• Engaged the community

• Built into a concept map tool for browsing– All resources will be linked to at least one concept– Users viewing the map can select concepts to see all the

related resources– Unlike directories, or search tools, they don’t need to

know what they are looking for!

Concept Maps

2

FREMAConcept

Map (verbs)

Concept Maps

2

Concept Mapping

• But also an important activity in its own right

• Focused on the key activities in the domain (the functions)

• Captured the domain knowledge of the experts– The goals in the domain– Important functions– Entities in the domain– Begins to structure the knowledge

• Built a shared understanding of the domain– Common vocabulary of domain areas

Concept Maps

2


Domain Modelling

Domain Context




Domain System Model


Concept Maps

2

FREMA Ontology

3

A Knowledge Base

• Decided to deliver our domain model as a searchable, flexible, dynamic website

• Built on a knowledge base– Requires an ontology of resources in the domain with

relationships between them– The ontology is the schema that describes what types of

resources and relationships are allowed– (Ontology means the study of existence, and an ontology is a

particular view of existence)

• The ontology is different than the concept map– Concept maps shows areas of the domain– Ontology shows what type of thing can be in the domain

FREMA Ontology

3

The FREMA OntologyFREMA Ontology

3

what

who

Concept Maps

FREMA Ontology

Semantic Wiki Pages


Domain Modelling

Domain Context




Domain System Model


2

3

4

A Dynamic Website

• Need to turn our Knowledge Base into a website

• Can be done dynamically– Resources displayed as web pages– Relationships displayed as hypertext links– Resources are also placed on the concept maps

• The ontology and the concept maps offer alternative interfaces– Concept maps are more intuitive– Ontology is more structured

Semantic Wiki Pages4

Ontology Example

Project:FREMA

Organisation:JISC

Organisation:University of Southampton

Is funded by Is involved in

JISC

frema

FREMA

Southampton

JISC

Uni Soton

frema


Implementing the WebsiteSemantic Wiki Pages4

Semantic Wiki• Semantic Wiki

– a wiki in which all the pages and links are typed

• Open editing, but with Administrator controls

• Users can edit– Resources– Relationships between

resources– The ontology itself

• Enables full evolution of the Domain Information and System models

• Enables Smart Searching and Analysis

– Semantic Search– Dynamic Gap Analysis


Browsing the WikiSemantic Wiki Pages4

Dynamic Gap AnalysisSemantic Wiki Pages4

Concept Maps

FREMA Ontology

Semantic Wiki Pages

Use Cases and Interaction Diagrams


Domain Modelling

Domain Context




Domain System Model


2

3

4

5

FR

EM

A

Scenarios

• Scenarios capture a certain activity (function) within the Domain

• Can be captured at different levels of formality

• From narrative descriptions

• Through to real interacting services


5

form

ality

Written Scenarios

Use Cases

ServiceExpressions

ServiceInteractions

ServiceInterfaces(WSDL)

ServiceWorkflows

(BPEL)

Service Implementations

Service Usage Model

• Describes a scenario in which services work together

• Use Case Diagram• Set of Abstract

Logical Service Expressions

• Interaction Diagram


5

FR

EM

A

Written Scenarios

Use Cases

ServiceExpressions

ServiceInteractions

ServiceInterfaces

(WSDL)

ServiceWorkflows

(BPEL)


Use Cases and Narratives

• Formal as a Use Case Diagram

• Informal as a Narrative Description


5

FR

EM

A

Written Scenarios

Use Cases

ServiceExpressions

ServiceInteractions

ServiceInterfaces

(WSDL)

ServiceWorkflows

(BPEL)


Service Expression: SRC

• Logical, abstract description

FR

EM

A

Written Scenarios

Use Cases

ServiceExpressions

ServiceInteractions

ServiceInterfaces

(WSDL)

ServiceWorkflows

(BPEL)



5

Service Interaction: Overview

FR

EM

A

Written Scenarios

Use Cases

ServiceExpressions

ServiceInteractions

ServiceInterfaces

(WSDL)

ServiceWorkflows

(BPEL)



5

Service Interaction: Diagram

FR

EM

A

Written Scenarios

Use Cases

ServiceExpressions

ServiceInteractions

ServiceInterfaces

(WSDL)

ServiceWorkflows

(BPEL)



5

Concept Maps

FREMA Ontology

Semantic Wiki Pages



Domain Modelling

Domain Context




Domain System Model


2

3

4

5

Scenario: Technical Developer

Will, Technical Developer‘I want to lookup use cases and scenarios to help me design my application. This will help me to define my footprint in the assessment domain. I see there are some web services I could re-use but some are missing. What standards can I use when writing my own web services to ensure that I can interoperate with the web services I’ve chosen?’

How did things go?

• Excellent reaction from the Community– Lots of engagement (concept mapping)– Has helped the community to understand their domain– Useful resource for people researching the domain (reading)

• But limited contribution to the Wiki itself– Reading is as easy as browsing the web– Writing takes more technical skill

• Perceived as intimidating• Overhead of adding your project details

• Openess vs. Control– Finding a guardian (Assessment SIG?)– Protecting the Wiki

• Have had some limited problems with spam

• Future Plans– Currently evaluating the Wiki through our own tools projects– Looking to build more natural authoring tools– Activities to help the community to get over the authoring barrier

Afternoon Workshop

• Hands-on activity

• A chance to try out some of the FREMA methodology for Domain modelling

– Stakeholder and Persona modelling– Concept Mapping– Ontology Construction– Authoring in a Semantic Wiki

• We’ll be very pleased to see you!

Documents

Domain Modeling In FREMA David Millard Yvonne Howard Hugh Davis Gary Wills Lester Gilbert Learning Societies Lab University of Southampton, UK