Terukazu Kumazawa

Initial design process of the sustainability science ontology for knowledge-sharing to support co-deliberation

Implementation of the sustainability science (SS) approach is often difficult because of poor communication between experts from different academic fields. We focused on ontology engineering as a method of knowledge structuring that supports the co-deliberation process. However, SS is too broad for a few experts to construct an ontology because SS targets and covers almost all existing research fields from the viewpoint of problem-solving. The N-iteration process is required for completing an SS ontology. In the present paper, we discuss the initial design process for constructing an ontology on SS from the aspect of a knowledge-sharing tool to support co-deliberation. First, we identified the SS ontology by referring to the existing literature. Second, we traced the structuring process of the SS ontology, which is independent of the existing research domain. Third, we compared the SS ontology with existing ontologies or concept structures on SS. Fourth, we assessed the SS ontology produced in the initial process in terms of relevance and coverage and addressed areas for improvement in order to facilitate co-deliberation among researchers from different domains. As a result of developing the SS ontology and applying it to the mapping tool that we developed based on the ontology, we found the following three points: the SS ontology enables us to define concepts relevant to SS without overlapping by distinguishing part-of and attribute-of relationships at the upper level of the ontology; the SS-based mapping tool successfully represents the potential countermeasures required by the targeted problem for all scientific fields except experimental engineering; however, the SS ontology requires further improvement in order to represent the conceptual linkage arising from compound and secondary problems and the fulfillment of classes at the lower hierarchy of Shortage problem, and requires slots for the entire hierarchy. In addition, based on the discussion of the areas for improvement, we found that missing slots and classes should be added in the process in which we use or improve tools corresponding to a variety of requirements for supporting co-deliberation. In this way, we are able to propose an incremental process for constructing the SS ontology from the aspect of a knowledge-sharing tool to support co-deliberation.

Knowledge Structuring Tool for Sustainability Science Based on Ontology Engineering

In Sustainability Science (SS) it is not only difficult to identify what needs to be solved but how to solve the problems once identified. There has been no consensus on underlying question of “What is structuring in SS?” This paper focuses on articulating in the form of a reference model a set of required elements, functions, and actions for structuring SS knowledge and on realizing a part of that reference model by developing a prototype knowledge system for mapping relevant concepts and their linkages in SS. First, we develop a reference model composed of five layers. Second, we develop an ontology-based mapping tool as a tentative solution at Layer 2 of the reference model. Third, we assess whether the developed tool is compliant with the reference model for SS. This study concluded that the developed tool can facilitate divergent exploration, the function of Layer 2.

Participatory approach in vision setting: emerging initiatives in local municipalities in Japan

In this paper, we present the emerging practices in Japanese local municipalities, in which participatory methods are applied to envision sustainable future and relevant target settings. We selected three local cases: Higashiomi city, Kizugawa city and Nagakute city as emerging initiatives. A comparative analysis was carried out to identify commonalities and differences, and to derive lessons for appropriate governance and systems for participatory deliberation in future visioning. We argue that the deliberation processes served as a platform for effective communication, and that installing a mechanism that allows reflexive deliberation processes is the key to make participatory methods fully functional.

An Interdisciplinary Approach for Water–Energy–Food Nexus

This chapter summarizes the activities of the interdisciplinary study group under the RIHN Nexus project. The mission of the group was (1) to review the WEF Nexus studies as a means to understand the current state of research on the WEF, (2) to develop integrated methods to address nexus issues, and (3) to design and visualize a WEF nexus system map to understand the complexity of the WEF Nexus system. The future challenges of the interdisciplinary group are (a) to develop the concept of integration in order to understand the concept of WEF nexus, (b) to integrate each method for adopting inter- and transdisciplinary research approaches to address nexus issues, (c) to approach not only disciplines, but also sectors using integrated methods focusing on stakeholders to adopt a transdisciplinary approach.

Assessment of Collaboration Process in Interdisciplinary Research of Water-energy-food Nexus by Means of Ontology Engineering

This article discusses an assessment of the collaboration process of interdisciplinary research on the water-energy-food nexus by combining a text mining approach and an ontology engineering approach. For this purpose we first overview a collaboration experiment designed for research development. Second, we identify researchers’ concerns in the discussion context of this experiment and represent the communication process focusing on keyword usage. Third, we show the relationships between the researchers’ domains and the fixed research issue and its basic direction by means of ontology engineering. Finally, we discuss how the shared concepts among researchers are dealt with in the collaboration process by combining the represented communication process as an assessment of collaboration.

Ontology exploration tool for social, economic and environmental development

In the SEED (Social, Economic and Environmental Development) framework, semantic knowledge management is one of key technologies which refine the framework. In order to facilitate collaborative sustainable development, it is important to know what others are thinking about each other accrues different domains. This paper overviews an ontology exploration tool which facilitates collaborative sustainable development. Its features are divergent exploration according to the users viewpoints and consensus building support through comparisons among conceptual maps which are results of the explorations.