Collaboration in the Value Grid for Semantic Technologies

This paper situates formal ontologies as one of many products in a multi-tier value grid of semantic technologies. Incremental strategies for the exploitation of intermediate products in the value grid are advocated, as a possible step towards cost-effective, low-risk and scalable business models for the application of semantic technologies. A case study is presented, illustrating a hypothetical value grid for the management of scientific data from a large-scale experimental facility. Suggestions are made for the design of predictable, repeatable, collaborative processes for the construction of a shared conceptualisation, to overcome major cost and risk factors and limits to scalability.