An Ontological Approach to Modelling and Analysing System Performance

本研究的重点是集成系统设计与分析的一个方面，即系统性能度量的形式化、标准化和自动化分析。我们希望研究的一类系统是城市，我们希望正式化和分析的绩效指标是"城市指标"。城市指标衡量城市的服务和功能，包括教育、健康、安全、交通和水。"有数千套不同的城市（或城市）指标，数百个机构汇编和审查它们。.然而，这些指标通常没有标准化、一致性或可比性（在一段时间内或在不同城市之间）."（Hornweeg等人，2007年）。"开放数据"运动加剧了这一问题，城市发布了大量数据，但没有两个城市或一个城市内的部门使用相同的数据模型（Fox，2013 a）。这种开放数据的"巴别塔"的一个后果是，很难联合收割机，分析和比较城市数据。问题并不止于就指标的表面定义达成协议，因为定义中的每个术语都必须进一步界定（即，我们相信有可能识别和创建一个通用的、可重用的本体论。我们相信本体论可以通过结合现有的基础，异构本体论，并扩展它们与跨基础公理。通过异构，我们指的是跨越分析模型的本体（例如，比率），统计模型（例如，人口测量），地理空间模型（例如，城市边界），时间模型（例如，时间段）和描述逻辑模型（例如，学生、教师等的定义）。但也包括元知识，如出处，有效性和信任。我们相信，本体将使其能够自动钻取和检测的不一致的支持，异构数据。因此，我们的第一个目标是使用语义网中实现的形式本体技术来形式化语义分析的定义，我们相信这是可能的，以创建一个逻辑的语义分析理论。我们认为，一致性分析为发现可持续发展变化的根本原因提供了基础。因此，我们的第二个目标是开发一个可重用的，可互操作的纵向和横向分析的逻辑理论。我们将扩展“一致性公理”，以解决跨异质模型的纵向（时间）和横向（跨城市）一致性。强大，成功的城市是一个强大，充满活力的国家的先决条件。在加拿大，超过80%的加拿大人目前居住在城市地区。因此，城市地区的可持续性（在环境、社会和财政方面）及其对人为和自然大规模事件的复原力，对我们的福祉和生活质量具有头等重要的国家意义。明智和有效地处理城市管理和设计的复杂问题需要利用现有的最佳信息、分析和决策支持工具。该计划的贡献包括：·正式定义的系统性能，提供精确，明确和机器可解释的定义，·能够执行一致性和比较分析的系统性能的基础上，他们的定义（而不是临时的软件实现），和·在城市的情况下，术语的标准化，从而使城市能够使用通用词汇表或本体发布他们的开放数据。

This research focuses on one aspect of the design and analysis of integrated systems, namely the formalization, standardization and automated analysis of system performance measurement (referred to as Metrics from here on in). One class of systems we wish to study is cities and the performance measures we wish to formalize and analyze are “city indicators.” City indicators measure city services and functions, including Education, Health, Safety, Transportation, and Water. "There are thousands of different sets of city (or urban) indicators and hundreds of agencies compiling and reviewing them. … However, these indicators are usually not standardized, consistent or comparable (over time or across cities) ...” (Hornweeg et al., 2007). This problem has been exacerbated by the “Open Data” movement where cities are publishing vast amounts of data, but no two cities nor departments within a city use the same data models (Fox, 2013a). A consequence of this “babel” of open data is that it is difficult to combine, analyze and compare city data. The problem does not end with an agreement on the surface definition of an indicator, as each term within the definition has to be further defined (i.e., grounded) and supporting data provided.We believe it is possible to identify and create a generic, reusable ontology for Metrics. We believe an ontology can be created by combining existing foundation, heterogeneous ontologies, and extending them with trans-foundation axioms. By heterogeneous, we mean ontologies that span analytical models (e.g., ratios), statistical models (e.g., population measurements), geo-spatial models (e.g., city boundaries), temporal models (e.g., time periods) and description logic models (e.g., definitions of students, teachers, etc.). But also incorporate meta-knowledge such as provenance, validity and trust. We believe that the ontology will make it possible to automate the drilling down and detection of inconsistencies in the supporting, heterogeneous data. Hence, our first objective is to formalize the definition of Metrics using the technology of Formal Ontologies as implemented in the Semantic Web.We believe it is possible to create a logical theory of Metrics analysis. We believe that consistency analysis provides a basis for detecting root causes in changes in Metrics. Hence, our second objective is to develop a reusable, interoperable logical theory of longitudinal and transversal analysis of Metrics. We will extend the Metrics’ consistency axioms to address longitudinal (temporal) and transversal (cross city) consistency across heterogeneous models.Strong, successful cities are prerequisites for a strong, vibrant nation. In Canada, over 80% of Canadians currently live in urban areas. The sustainability of urban regions (in environmental, social and fiscal terms), and their resilience to both man-made and natural large-scale events, are thus of first-order national importance to our well-being and quality of life. Dealing intelligently and effectively with the complex problems of urban management and design requires use of the best information, analysis and decision-support tools available. This program’s contributions include:• The formal definition of Metrics that provide precise, unambiguous and machine interpretable definitions of system performance,• The ability to perform consistency and comparative analyses of Metrics based upon their definitions (as opposed to ad hoc software implementations), and• In the case of cities, the standardization of terminology thereby enabling cities to publish their open data using common vocabularies or ontologies.