Conceptual Modeling Using Conceptual Graphs

The next generation of task support systems aims at providing the relevant knowledge to knowledge-dependent activities, reducing the effort required to find or infer this knowledge from the data. In order to exploit knowledge associated with (or embedded in) databases and to migrate from data to knowledge management environments, conceptual modeling languages must offer more expressiveness than traditional modeling languages. This paper proposes a well established knowledge representation language, the conceptual graph (CG) formalism, as such a conceptual modeling language. It shows through an example, that it is suited for that purpose, allowing great expressiveness and uniformity of representation, though remaining simple to use. Its graphical interface and closeness to well-established modeling formalisms like UML and the ER model should facilitate its understanding and therefore should ease its integration into the market place. Therefore this paper emphasizes this aspect of the formalism.