I was pleased to attend a presentation on linked data at the BCS Data Management Specialist Group on Tuesday (26th July), given by Dave Reynolds, co-founder of Epimorphics Ltd, and  one of the data experts I have frequently turned to for advice when scoping the requirements for the Knowledge Hub project. (Dave is a members of the Data & Apps Advisory Group for the Knowledge Hub).

The presentation included metadata management, e-Commerce uses, inference and information extraction, text mining, syntax (various flavours – RDF/XML, Turtle, RDfa), and knowledge representation through Ontologies (e.g. Web Ontology Language, OWL).

Dave explained a fairly complex topic (well, complex for those not yet fully immersed in modelling information solutions using linked data) in a simple but engaging style, using his slides to show examples of linked data constructs. Well worth a look for anyone who wants to get a deeper understanding of the topic (if nothing else, check out the strengths/weaknesses towards the end of the presentation).

The slides are available from SlideShare: Introduction to linked data, and a copy embedded below.

This blog post is to thank all of the participants (presenters and delegates) to the Knowledge Hub Data & Apps workshop that was held in London yesterday (27 April 2011). The workshop was used to establish the foundations for the “KHub Data and Apps Advisory Group”, who we are hoping will help us to shape the forthcoming data/apps developments for the Knowledge Hub.

As readers of my previous posts about the Knowledge Hub may be aware, the first (Beta) release will go live next month (May – exact date TBD). This represents the completion of Sprint 9 of 22, which delivers the collaboration tools and facilities (blogs, wikis, library, events, people-finder, library, web conferencing, activity streams etc.). [NB. Sprints are the functional elements delivered as part of an agile development process].

The remainder of the Sprints will be delivering key data intelligence/data management features, including:

1. Semantic Matching Engine

• Will match aggregated conversations, communities and topics to people;
• Will suggest connections between people
• Will recommend content according to explicit and implicit profile data

2. Data library/catalogue

• Can upload data/datasets in semi-structured and machine readable formats (e.g. Excel, CSV,  XML)
• Can identify and catalogue external (e.g. open and/or linked) datasets
• Ability to create/edit metadata for each dataset (e.g. for provenance, licensing etc.)
• Datasets can be permissioned.
• Datasets will be indexed by the KHub search engine

3. Mashup Engine

• Allows users to combine or compare data (meaningful comparisons will require a common schema)
• Data can be ‘mashed’ using KHub-sourced data and external data sources.
• Support for data visualisations
• Features similar to mashup.org
• Will use open source mapping services
• Potential to provide index of SPARQL end-points

4. App Store

• Supports any app compliant with the OpenSocial standard
• Mashups developed on KHub can be simply added to the App Store
• Will include reviews and star ratings
• Support for free and commercial (licensed) apps
• Apps will be able to use data from both Khub (via an API) and/or external sources

Data Repository

• Requirements to be refined, but intention is to be able to support triple-stores (RDF/SPARQL) and XQuery/XML)

All of the above is scheduled to be developed and released between June and October this year. The Data & Apps Advisory Group will be instrumental in shaping these features and capabilities, as well as providing advice on the underlying support and operational procedures, and skills/training needs.

Initial outputs from the workshop are available on the Knowledge Hub Community of Practice (Data and Apps Advisory Group Theme).

Terms of Reference for the Data & Apps Advisory Group is in the attached PDF. If anyone with the appropriate skills and knowledge wishes to be involved in this group, then please let me know (add your expression of interest into the comments section of this blog).

I will post an update to this blog once the full report from the workshop is available.

Data & Apps Advisory Group ToR

On 23 December 2009, the Government published a consultation paper on policy options for geographic information from Ordnance Survey. The purpose of this consultation was to seek views about how to best implement proposals made by the Prime Minister on 17 November 2009, to make certain Ordnance Survey datasets available for free with no restrictions on re-use. This was part of the PM’s vision for the role of public data and information in the delivery of Smarter Government that would empower citizens with better public services and a thriving private sector market based on the data that government produces.

A response to the Government consultation on making Ordance Survey (mapping) datasets available for use and re-use is available on the CLG website.

Key points from the consultation are:

A package of datasets will be made freely available to the public and will be released under the product name OS OpenDataâ„¢.

The datasets that are released as part of OS OpenData will continue to be maintained by Ordnance Survey to a high and consistent standard. To ensure the product set remains relevant and continues to fulfil its objectives, it is envisaged that this product set will be reviewed periodically by an expert panel appointed by government and reporting to CLG Ministers.

The OS OpenData will include

• OS Street View®
• 1:50 000 Gazetteer
• 1:250 000 Scale Colour Raster
• OS LocatorTM
• Boundary-LineTM
• Code-Point® Open
• Meridian™ 2
• Strategi®
• MiniScale®
• OS VectorMap™ District (available 1 May 2010)
• Land-Form PANORAMA®

The OS VectorMapâ„¢ District dataset is a new product and is available in both raster and vector formats. It is designed to be a flexible and customisable product specifically designed for use on the web. It will enable developers to select, customise and modify maps to their specific requirements.

OS OpenData products will be available from 1 April 2010 in hard media and as an on-line service at www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/opendata

In addition OS OpenData will include an on-line viewing service of a selection of the OS OpenData topographic products.

This initiative continues the trend in making public data public (over 30000 datasets now available through the http://www.data.gov.uk portal) and will no doubt spawn the development of a whole new raft of innovative mashups, widgets and apps by social innovators. Exciting times!

http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/corporate/pdf/1528263.pdf