Developing and Using Ontologies in Practice

Abstract

The previous sections have presented and described ontologies developed for use in a wide range of applications linked to the urban built environment domain. In many cases these ontologies have been developed through university-based research projects to achieve interoperability between different software systems. The interface, therefore, is between systems. In contrast, this section of the book seeks to explore some of the issues that arise when ontologies are introduced into working organisations. What happens at the user-ontology interface? And how does an ontology impinge on the working practices of an organisation? Although it is beyond the scope of the COST Action C21 to answer such questions, we can begin to consider what shape the answers may take.