Lachlan Mhor MacKinnon

A Model for Query Decomposition and Answer Construction inHeterogeneous Distributed Database Systems

The problem of retrieving information from a collection of heterogeneous distributed databases has attracted a number of solutions. However, the task of integrating established database systems is complicated not only by the differences between the database systems themselves, but also by the differences in structure and semantics of the information contained within them. The problem is exacerbated when one needs to provide access to such a system for naive end-users.This paper is concerned with a Knowledge-Based Systems approach to solving this problem for clearly bounded situations, in which both the domain and the types of query are constrained. At the user interface, dialogue is conducted in terms of concepts with which the user is familiar, and these are then mapped into appropriate database queries. To achieve this a model for query decomposition and answer construction has been used. This model is based around the development of an Intensional Structure containing information necessary for the recapture of semantic information lost in the query decomposition process and required in the answer construction process. The model has been successfully implemented in combination with an embedded KBS, within a five-layer representation model.

Key Technologies for Data Management

The Web started as a simple and very usable distributed system that was rapidly adopted. The Web protocols then passed through a period of rationalization and development to separate content from presentation in order to promote the re-usability of content on different devices. Today the developments in Web technologies are addressing new opportunities in Web Services and the Semantic Web, as well as the growing cultural diversity of the Web. These developments unite in the issue of trust, of content and services available on the Web, but also in access by others to the content and services that users may own. While the Web has been rationalizing, the Grid has developed to provide academic science with easier access to services and content. The Grid is now moving to exploit the robust interoperable commodity Web Services instead of maintaining its own middle level infrastructure. As Web Services, the Grid and the Semantic Web develop they will become increasingly interdependent on each other, and indistinguishable from the mainstream Web.

User cognitive style and interface design for personal, adaptive learning. what to model?

The concept of personal learning environments has become a significant research topic over the past few years. Building such personal, adaptive environments requires the convergence of several modeling dimensions and an interaction strategy based on a user model that incorporates key cognitive characteristics of the learners. This paper reports on an initial study carried out to evaluate the extent to which matching the interface design to the learner cognitive style facilitates learning performance. Results show that individual differences influence the way learners react to and perform under different interface conditions, however no simple effects were observed that confirm a relationship between cognitive style and interface affect.

Dynamic Information Presentation through Web-based Personalisation and Adaptation — An Initial Review

Personalisation and adaptation of information and information presentation to reflect user needs and interests is an area in which there is considerable interest. DIP, Dynamic Information Presentation, is a research project that focuses on problems in this area. As part of this research a review has been conducted of existing Web-based information applications from a variety of domains that use such techniques, and a set of dimensions proposed as a basis for analysing andcomparing them. The applications fall naturally into three categories. The results provide a useful step towards a general framework for classifying these approaches.

A Service-Oriented Personalization Mechanism in Pervasive Environments

An important aspect of a pervasive environment is that it needs to support mobile users - i.e. users whose context changes frequently. In doing so it is important to take account of a users context in adapting and personalizing services for the user. This paper describes a personalization mechanism that is exploited in the Daidalos project to provide users with value-added enhanced services. It personalizes services across layers including networking and service layers.

A toolkit for creating personalized presentations

With the explosion in the availability of information online, users are finding it increasingly difficult to track down the specific material that they require. Users are therefore becoming increasingly dependent on intelligent services to provide information that is dynamically selected and presented according to their preferences. However, development of these personalized services is not trivial. Significant effort is required in terms of engineering the underlying knowledge that is used by a service to determine which information might be relevant to a particular user and how to present it. A Toolkit that reduces the complexity involved in the creation and maintenance of such services is discussed.

Constraining XML transformations for personalised information presentation

Through the use of different stylesheets it is possible to transform the information contained in XML documents and present it in different ways, for example to create personalised presentations. However, in doing so there is a danger that the transformation may result in a presentation, which fails to carry the essential message intended by the provider of the source document. We believe that the Information Provider should be able to provide constraints on permitted transformations of their document, stating for example which elements are mandatory, which must not be changed, which must have the order preserved. This paper discusses the need for such transformation constraints, and proposes a simple metadata annotation expressing the required constraints. We consider the adequacy of the proposed approach, and alternative ways to constrain transformations.

Tools for personalised presentation of information

There is a growing interest in personalisation techniques due to the rapid expansion of information systems on the Internet and the increasing dependence on the latter for access to information and services. Personalisation techniques are used to present information that is relevant to the user, and in a form that suits the user or is most desirable from the point of view of the information provider. Opportunities for personalisation are arising from the recent improvements in communication and information systems and the growing links between the two. This paper discusses briefly a framework for personalisation and an initial prototype toolkit.

A Holistic Information Systems Strategy for Organisational Management — Hissom

This paper describes a practical, holistic model, HISSOM, for the integrated management and co-ordination of Information Systems Strategy, ISS, as part of an organisation’s strategic planning and management process. The HISSOM model helps to assess the fitness for purpose of an organisation’s IS capability, and to focus the IS capability on supporting the achievement of organisational goals. An overview is given of four key, historic, often conflicting and non-integrated, perspectives that have influenced IS developments in organisations: Academic/Governmental; Management; IS Development; and Organisational Capability. This paper describes the significant impact that each of these perspectives has had on the development of IS capability within organisations, but also how each has failed to achieve the key goal of cohesion between IS and organisational strategy.