Lost in annotation? A publish–subscribe extension for Semantic MediaWiki vocabulary management system. The exploitation of biodiversity data is today difficult because current databanks are multi-observer, multi-area, multi-site as well as multi-annual with multiple data underlying models as well. While data integration and analysis are currently based on data annotation, produce reusable, i.e. well define metadata is time and effort consuming for fieldworkers. Importance of shared controlled vocabularies to address the issue of data heterogeneity for unifying data models and describing metadata has been amply demonstrated [ref]. Recent works describe many tools that offer collaborative edition and sharing of controlled vocabularies ([ref]Gbif, thesauform, agrovoc). Among them, Semantic MediaWiki (SMW) seems to be a good candidate and a strong trend for supporting vocabulary creation, linking, and maintenance [ref gbif]. While imagining these collaborative editors meet with a huge success and biodiversity people agree on one or more controlled vocabularies, a crucial point remains to be addressed; it concerns the adoption and the use of these vocabularies by all the domain stakeholders and specifically fieldworkers that are mostly far from the priority of data interoperability. To address these vocabulary adoption and use issues, we are currently building a tool that aims to easily annotate biodiversity data while connecting to existing controlled vocabularies. Developed as an extension of SMW, this tool will offer the possibility for a database to be connected with a vocabulary, a vocabulary branch or a set of concepts and properties from a SMW vocabulary management system.

1. Lost in annotation? A publish–subscribe
extension for Semantic MediaWiki
vocabulary management system
Julie Chabalier, Amandine Sahl, Olivier Rovellotti
Natural Solutions, Marseille France

2. Download, M-EOL if you are bored

4. Vocabulary: Yeah, sure !
But I am lost: Its difficult, and I dont want to
change anything.
Hey! We hide the plumbing for you
• SMW extension
• Non Intrusive
• Subscriber/Publisher

5. Vocabulary : Yeah, sure !

7. MNT
Geography
Genetics
Multi-area
Heterogeneity
Multi-format
Multi-model
Multi-observer
Climat
Biology
Traces

8. Real world data management
Controlled
Controlled
Controlled
vocabularies
vocabularies
vocabularies
Biodiversity
data
Biodiversity
data
Biodiversity
data

9. Single institution
Controlled
vocabularies
Biodiv
data

10. Multiple institution
Controlled
vocabularies
Biodiv
data

11. International
Controlled
vocabularies
Biodiv
data

12. But I am lost: Its difficult, and I dont
want to change anything.

13. But I am lost and it’s too difficult

14. But I am lost and it’s difficult
Majority

15. I don’t want to change anything
Legacy System
Controlled
Controlled
Controlled
vocabularies
vocabularies
vocabularies
Biodiversity
data

16. Ok, we hide the plumbing for you!

17. Requirement
• Web based
• Open source
• Collaborative editing
• Revision history
• Import and export vocabularies
• Semantic web compliant (RDF/SKOS/URI)

20. MediaWiki
+4000
services
Wiki engine for wiki services
Wikipedia, Wikitionary, Wikimedia, commons
• Add, modify, delete content pages via a Web browser
(simple markup language)
• Collaborative edition
(+4000 services)
• Web based
• Open source
• Collaborative edition
• Revision history

21. Semantic MediaWiki
A MediaWiki extension that allows semantic annotation
•Add properties to pages
•Semantic queries
•Editing tough forms
•Stuctured
• Import and export existing vocabularies
• Semantic web compliant

22. I don’t want to
change anything
suscription
Vocabulary editor
Connector extension

23. Demo

26. Simple hierarchy
rdf:type
skos:broader/skos:narrower
skos:hasTopConcept
Glossary:category
Glossary:topConcept
Glossary:concept
Glossary:concept
Glossary:concept

27. Glossary UI

28. And more ...
• Navigation via breadcrumb
• Bibliographic reference management
• Import SKOS vocabularies

29. Take home message
• SMW is cool
• Connect user to SMW vocabularies
management system
• End user still need to be convinced

30. Thanks
@orovellotti
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