Merck’s Informatics IT team has developed the Information Landscape Knowledgebase, a semantically rich, intuitively accessible model of information types and sources across Merck. In this presentation, we discuss how the solution takes advantage of underlying semantic models and novel visualizations to address the needs of both scientists and data stewards while providing valuable insights for IT resourcing. Pharmas of all sizes possess a wealth of information across hundreds of data sources at all levels of the organization from basic and clinical research to drug safety and commercial competitive intelligence. Without a cohesive understanding of which data sources include which types of information, how they are used and who uses them, the potential value of this information is far from realized. IT organizations have used traditional enterprise data management solutions to track data sources as best they can. However, complexity of these tools does not allow the data stewards to provide first-hand insight about their data sources or scientists to explore and discover new sources. The results are under-utilization and duplication of data, leading to undiscovered knowledge and inefficient IT spending. By leveraging semantic models and visualizations, our Information Landscape Knowledgebase overcomes these traditional challenges to weave together an easily understood, discoverable, and analyzable view into a huge diversity of information sources across Merck.

1. Merck’s Information Landscape
Knowledgebase
Kelly Clark & Charisma Eugenio
June 10, 2014

2. Modeling Merck’s Information Landscape
(MRL = Merck Research Laboratories)
Metabolomics
Gene expression
Sequencing
Pharmacogenetics
Imaging
Safety/PV Real world data
Clinical trials
Global EMRs & registries Social networks / patient communities
Monitoring
Behavior/ adherence /compliance
Vaccine production
RNAi
HTS
Pathways
Biological lit. / Targets
Chemistry / Chemical lit
Disease
Competitive intelligence
Pharmacology
Epidemiology
Target Class
Mechanism of Action
Toxicity
Outcomes
EHR
Stage gate decisions
External partners
Indication
Targeted institutions
Engagement programs
Formulary
Market access / channels
Batch records
Labeling
Quality Assurance
Manufacturing & process design
2011 – “Retina Diagram“ - Concept

3. Information Types/Taxonomies from Merck’s
Information Landscape Knowledgebase (ILK)
3
Marketing
Regulatory
Clinical
Molecules /
Compounds
Pharmacology
Toxicology
PK/PD
Studies
Gene
Competitive
Intelligence
Animals
Biological
Specimens
Assays
Real World
Evidence
Targets
Protein
ExperimentsLaboratory
Programs
Biomarkers
Modeling &
Simulation
2014 – “Retina Diagram” - Real
This graphic created using Gephi: Bastian M., Heymann S., Jacomy M. (2009). Gephi: an open source software
for exploring and manipulating networks. International AAAI Conference on Weblogs and Social Media.

4. R&D decisions rely on high quality information to steer
programs and the pipeline
Knowledge Artifacts
“Target validation plan”
Business Groups
“Early Development team”
People
“John Smith”
Information Types
“Clinical Trial Name”
Organization Units
“Analytical Chemistry”
Sources
“Electronic Lab Notebook”
Business Processes
“Integrative assessment of liver
toxicity” Activities
“Refine model”
Roles
“Statistician”
Decisions/ Gateways
“Determine Patient
Stratification Biomarkers”
R&D Information Landscape
>27,000 entities and 70,000 relationships defined
The volume and variety of internal information and external scientific information continues to
grow at a rapid and accelerating rate
The ability to readily find, access, and use information is absolutely critical
Capabilities
“Biomarker
Validation”
Feedback
Surveys, VoC

5. 5
Today Next 2-3 Years Beyond
Culture of Single Use
“Find & Access”
DecisionMaking
Quality
Vocabulary
Management
Embedded
Stewardship
Information
Flows Modeled
Effective
Search
Integrated
Information
Architecture
IM Challenges
Characterized
Fragmented
tools,
processes
Systematic
categorization
of data
Information
ManagementMaturity
As knowledge workers understand and embrace improved information management
practices, better decision making can be enabled by better access to information
Organization-Wide Information Re-Use
? Better Information Management  Better Decision Making: Better
analysis, more transparency and collaboration, better workflow
management, faster decisions
DecisionQualityAdoption,Maturity
Improving R&D Decision Making
Information
Flows Modeled

6. Clinical
Development
Consumer
Care
Research
Formulation
Safety
Regulatory
Manufacturing
Enterprise Business Analysis and IT Resource planning
tends to focus on organizational domains separately
“Every system is perfectly designed to get
exactly the results it gets.” --

7. “Google Street View” for information flows…

8. Merck
Analysts need a way to collaborate on mapping information flows
from different domains without explicit coordination
http://www.dwalls.com/Nature/Nature-World-Travel/Aerial+View+of+Downtown+Boston

9. Is a method of documenting and modeling the flow of information through an enterprise
that allows both targeted and holistic analysis across the information continuum.
Sales &
Marketing
MCC
•Regulatory
R&D
Manufacturing
Merck
Semantic Information Flow Modeling (sIFM)…
Regulatory

10. Discovering the Information Flow Modeling
Ontology
Mind Map for Merck’s “Patients Like Me” collaboration hand‐drawn by Jyoti Shah
Used with permission from PatientsLikeMe ®

11. Data
Sources
Organizations
Business
Processes
Decisions
KM
Artifacts
Initiatives
/ Projects
Use
Cases
People Roles
Information
Types Capabilities
Business
Groups
Activities
We determined the types of things (entities) and the types of relationships
that we were trying to understand and model them using a common
semantic framework

12. Collaboration without Coordination
The use of an information modeling ontology allows multiple informatics and
business analysts to collaborate on the same model without explicit coordination
Analyst 1 Analyst 2 Analyst 3
Compound structure  ELN Medicinal Chemist uses ChemCart Pharm Sci uses ELN
Program Biologist uses ELN Compound Structure  ChemCart Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient  ELN
Toxicologist uses ELN Medicinal Chemist member-of Lead
optimization team
Compound Structure ELN

13. Leveraging the Information Landscape Knowledgebase
to enable Information Management and Search
By encoding this knowledge in a searchable semantic knowledgebase, we can discover details
about Merck’s information landscape on the fly, that were previously difficult to uncover.
Project Information
Types
Data
Sources
KM
Artifacts
Translational
PK/PD Modeling
?Information
Types
?KM
Artifacts
?Data
Sources
includes
flow
flow
What are the types
of information and
data sources
associated with
Translational PKPD
Modeling?

14. Semantic Information Flow Modeling
–Tools
Role
(from
Information
Modeling
Framework)
«informatio...
Information type
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
«business gr...
Team
(fromInformation
Modeling
Framework)
«informatio...
Information class
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
BusinessProcess1
(from Information Modeling
Framework)
Activity2
Decision
Business Division
(from Information
Modeling Framework)
«initiative»
Initiativ e
(fromInformation
Modeling
Framework)
Internal Data Source
«view»
View
(fromInformation
Modeling
Framework)
Document
(from Information Modeling
Framework)
«organizati...
Organization Unit
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
«business enterp...
Enterprise
(fromInformation
Modeling Framework)
«organization...
Organization Unit 2
(from Information
Modeling Framework)
«organization...
Organization Unit 3
(from Information
Modeling Framework)
Role 2
(from
Information
Modeling
Framework)
Role 4
(from
Information
Modeling
Framework)
External Data Source
Unstructured Document
Repository
«informatio...
information type 2
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
«informatio...
information type 3
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
«information c...
information class 2
(fromInformation
Modeling Framework)
Person Name 2
Person name 3
Person Name
Person Name 4
Person Name 5
«information c...
Information class 3
(from Information
Modeling Framework)
Specialization of Role
(from
Information
Modeling
Framework)
Specialization 2 of role
(from
Information
Modeling
Framework)
Decision 2
«business gr...
Committee
(fromInformation
Modeling
Framework)
«business gr...
Governance Body
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
«initiative»
Initiativ e 2
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
«initiative»
Initiativ e 3
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
Person name 6
Person Name 7
StartEvent1
EndEvent1
«informatio...
Information type 5
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
«informatio...
Information type 6
(fromInformation
Modeling
Framework)
Internal Data Source 2Internal Data Source 3
«information c...
Information class 4
(fromInformation
Modeling Framework)
«Capability»
Capability
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
(fromInformation
Modeling
Framework)
«use case»
Use Case
«external or...
External
Organization
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
«problem»
Pain Point /
Problem
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
Information
Modeling
Framework::
Database
Table 1
«Field»
Database Field 1
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
«Field»
Database Field 2
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
Information
Modeling
Framework::
Database
Table 2
«Field»
Database Field 3
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
«dataset»
Dataset 1
(fromInformation
Modeling
Framework)
part-of
member-of
participates-in
«flow»«flow»
«flow»
decides
«flow»
includes
includes
«flow»
part-of
enables
enables
part-of
includes-role
part-of
includes-role
includes-role
provides
member-of
member-of
«flow»
«flow»
«flow»
«flow»
«flow»
«flow»
«flow»
has-role
has-role
has-role
part-of
«flow»
performs
decides
decides
part-of
has-role
«stewards»
uses
«flow»
«flow»
«flow»«flow»
«includes» «includes»
«flow»
hasContact
«identified-by»
«owns»
«participates-in»
«provides»
«identified-by»
«includes» «includes» «includes»«includes»
«flow»
sIFM starts with the work
business analysts do to
assess the current state,
elicit requirements, pain
points, and informatics
opportunities
• Stakeholder analysis
• Interviews / Req. Elicitation
• Surveys / Diagnostics
• Review of existing artifacts
• Brainstorming / Concept mapping
Information‐related
entities and concepts are
graphically represented
using an ontological model
with the help of the EA
business and information
modeling software
Anzo software provides
semantic web structuring
of the IFM model, and an
intuitive interface to allow
ad hoc querying,
visualization and analytics
Information Landscape
Knowledgebase
Information Flow –
Knowledge Gathering
Information Flow
Modeling

15. Information Landscape Knowledgebase (ILK)

16. Information Landscape Knowledgebase –
Entity Explorer for Ad Hoc Analysis
Joe Smith
Jane Doe

17. Information Landscape Knowledgebase –
Data Sources

18. Drill down by faceting on any entity type
18

19. Feedback/Pain Point Analysis
19
MRL Search Survey 2013
Example Pain Point Categories:
• Access provisioning
• Business Process/Workflow
management
• Data Quality and Completeness
• Data Security
• Data Vizualzation/Analysis
Capabilities
• Federated Search
• Knowledge Management and
organization
• Platform / Database
• Tags / Keywords
• Training / Awareness

20. Summary – Merck’s Information Landscape
Knowledgebase
• Volume and complexity of scientific information is accelerating
• It is critical that scientists can seamlessly find and access that
information
• Traditional analysis makes it difficult to understand how information is
actually stewarded across the organization, and perpetuates the
establishment of siloed solutions
• Semantic Information Flow Modeling and the Information Landscape
Knowledgebase allows analysts and architects to collaborate on a
common representation of information flow across the organization to
enable:
– Linked-data approach to analysis
– Identification of high impact scientific information management solutions
– Stewardship of Merck’s knowledge assets
20

21. Acknowledgements
• Merck Research Laboratories – Information Technology
– Karen Conrad
– Charisma Eugenio
– John Koch
– Ellie Norris
– Jyoti Shah
– Kim Wilson
• Cambridge Semantics Inc.
– Ben Szekely
– Lee Feigenbaum
21

22. Merck’s Information Landscape
Knowledgebase
Charisma Eugenio
June 10, 2014

23. 23
Information Landscape Knowledgebase (ILK)
Role
(from
Information
Modeling
Framework)
«informatio...
Information type
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
«business gr...
Team
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
«informatio...
Information class
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
BusinessProcess1
(from Information Modeling
Framework)
Activity2
Decision
Business Division
(from Information
Modeling Framework)
«initiative»
Initiative
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
Internal Data Source
«view»
View
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
Document
(from Information Modeling
Framework)
«organizati...
Organization Unit
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
«business enterp...
Enterprise
(fromInformation
Modeling Framework)
«organization...
Organization Unit 2
(from Information
Modeling Framework)
«organization...
Organization Unit 3
(from Information
Modeling Framework)
Role 2
(from
Information
Modeling
Framework)
Role 4
(from
Information
Modeling
Framework)
External Data Source
Unstructured Document
Repository
«informatio...
information type 2
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
«informatio...
information type 3
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
«information c...
information class 2
(from Information
Modeling Framework)
Person Name 2
Person name 3
Person Name
Person Name 4
Person Name 5
«information c...
Information class 3
(from Information
Modeling Framework)
Specialization of Role
(from
Information
Modeling
Framework)
Specialization 2 of role
(from
Information
Modeling
Framework)
Decision 2
«business gr...
Committee
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
«business gr...
Gov ernance Body
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
«initiative»
Initiative 2
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
«initiative»
Initiativ e 3
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
Person name 6
Person Name 7
StartEvent1
EndEvent1
«informatio...
Information type 5
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
«informatio...
Information type 6
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
Internal Data Source 2Internal Data Source 3
«information c...
Information class 4
(from Information
Modeling Framework)
«Capability»
Capability
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
«use case»
Use Case
«external or...
External
Organization
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
«problem»
Pain Point /
Problem
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
Information
Modeling
Framework::
Database
Table 1
«Field»
Database Field 1
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
«Field»
Database Field 2
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
Information
Modeling
Framework::
Database
Table 2
«Field»
Database Field 3
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
«dataset»
Dataset 1
(from Information
Modeling
Framework)
part-of
member-of
participates-in
«flow»«flow»
«flow»
decides
«flow»
includes
includes
«flow»
part-of
enables
enables
part-of
includes-role
part-of
includes-role
includes-role
provides
member-of
member-of
«flow»
«flow»
«flow»
«flow»
«flow»
«flow»
«flow»
has-role
has-role
has-role
part-of
«flow»
performs
decides
decides
part-of
has-role
«stewards»
uses
«flow»
«flow»
«flow»
«flow»
«includes» «includes»
«flow»
hasContact
«identified-by»
«owns»
«participates-in»
«provides»
«identified-by»
«includes» «includes» «includes»«includes»
«flow»
Anzo knowledgebase for Merck’s information landscape, including
information-related concepts and entities captured via the Enterprise
Semantic Information Flow Modeling (sIFM) initiative

24. 24
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users to link data from multiple Excel spreadsheets and relational databases
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• Anzo Ontology Editor
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Anzo Express

25. 25
Anzo Ontology Editor

26. 26
Anzo Ontology Editor

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Information Flow Model (IFM)

28. 28
IFM Oracle Database Schema

29. 29
Anzo Connect

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Anzo Connect

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Anzo Connect

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Anzo Connect

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Anzo Connect

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Anzo Connect

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Information Landscape Knowledgebase (ILK)

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Information Landscape Knowledgebase (ILK)

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Information Landscape Knowledgebase (ILK)

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Information Landscape Knowledgebase (ILK)

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Information Landscape Knowledgebase (ILK)

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Information Landscape Knowledgebase (ILK)

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ILK – Entity Explorer

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ILK – Entity Explorer

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ILK – Entity Explorer

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ILK – Entity Explorer

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ILK – Entity Explorer

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ILK – Entity Explorer

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ILK – Entity Explorer

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ILK – Entity Explorer

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ILK – Systems

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ILK – Systems

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ILK – Systems

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ILK – Systems

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ILK – Systems

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ILK – Systems

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ILK – Systems

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ILK – Systems

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ILK – Systems

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ILK – Systems

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ILK – Systems

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ILK – Systems

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ILK – Systems

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ILK – Systems

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ILK – Systems

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ILK – Systems

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Information Landscape Knowledgebase (ILK)