Development Life Cycle and Tools for XML Content Models

1
Development Life Cycle andTools for XML Content
Models

• Boonserm (Serm) Kulvatunyou, KC Morris, Buhwan
  Jeong, and Puja Goyal
• US/DoC/NIST/MEL/MSID

2
Who We AreUS/DoC/NIST/MEL/MSID

• United States Government
• Department of Commerce
• National Institute of Standards and Technology
• Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory
• Manufacturing Systems Integration Division (MSID)

3
Why we are here

• MSIDs mission is to promote U.S. economic growth
  by working with industry to develop and apply
  measurements and standards that advance
  information-based manufacturing technology
• More simply put
• We are a government resource that provides
  technical solutions to industries to advance
  system integration capabilities.
• Our goal is to streamline the data exchange
  process.
• We are here to help you!

4
Content

• Objectives of this talk
• Motivations of the work
• Objectives of the work
• The Model Development Life Cycle
• Current and future tools
• Conclusion

5
Objectives of the Talk

• Draw attention to the Model Development Life
  Cycle (MDLC) and our tools
• Present a view of the MDLC
• Describe how the proposed MDLC motivates our RD
  works
• Give an overview of the current RD works

6
Motivations

• NIST B2B Interoperability Testbed
• XML-based interoperability project with the
  automotive and aerospace industries
• NIST AEX Testbed
• XML-based interoperability project with the
  building construction industry
• Product Data Exchange and Validation Testing
  activities
• Data exchange-based integration project, not
  XML-based
• Common characteristics
• Specifications are segmented
• Data exchange specifications evolve as
  integration projects proceed
• Also true for standards development efforts

7
Problems in Data Exchange Specification
Development

• The specification grows
• Semantically duplicate terms, components, and
  documents are created
• Poor documentation
• Reduction in reuse and reusability
• Back into classical interoperability problem
• Require large-scale harmonization (bring back to
  common/canonical model) that is hard to achieve

8
Continuous Stewardship

• Governed by the Model Development Life Cycle

9
Objectives of this Work

• Propose a Model Development Life Cycle (MDLC) for
  the Central Management Team (CMT)
• Understand the burden of the CMT
• Use the MDLC as a motivation for tools to
  decentralize the CMTs tasks
• Conceptualize the tools for research and
  development

10
MDLC
11
Decomposition of the Model Development Life Cycle
12
Model Discovery
13
Model Validation
14
What is Schema Qualification?

• The model works with relevant tools.
• The model consistently represents similar
  concepts.
• The model uses constructs that enhance
  reusability, maintainability, clarity, and
  interoperability.
• The model uses preexisting schemas correctly.
• The names in the model use terms correctly and
  consistently.

15
Schema Compatibility Analysis

• Check that schema meets the exchange
  requirements.
• Analysis verified by mapping data into schema and
  assessing coverage.
• Model (schemarulesdata) is evolving--changes
  need to be verified against existing requirements
• Schemas may come from external sources
• Initial compatibility needs to be verified
• Schemas/rules change
• Schemas/rules are extended or restricted
• Requirements may change due to new business rules

16
Model Piloting
17
Model Registration
18
Model Integration
19
Current and Future Tools (1)

• XML Schema Validation Tool
• Objective Ensure that schemas are compatible
  with a selected set of parsers
• Core Functionality Validate one or more schemas
  or schema extensions with multiple selected
  parsers and schema files stored in a repository
• Status Prototype

20
Current and Future Tools (2)

• XML Schema Quality of Design Tool
• Objective Ensure that schemas conform to a
  selected set of design practices, e.g., use of
  common and valid terms, NDR conformance, use of
  the XML schema structures that enhance
  reusability, maintainability, clarity, and
  interoperability
• Core Functionality A flexible environment for
  specifying and executing best practice rules
  against the schemas
• Status Beta access upon request at
  http//syseng.nist.gov/b2bTestbed/projects/QOD

21
Current and Future Tools (3)

• XML Schema Naming Assister
• Objective Ensure that type, element, and
  attribute names used in schemas are consistent
  within the schema and conform to ISO 11179 Naming
  Convention
• Core Functionality Decompose names into Object
  Class, Property, and Representation Term tokens,
  validate them using a table of terms, and suggest
  alternate names
• Status Prototype

22
Current and Future Tools (4)

• XML Instance Validation Tool
• Objective Ensure that schemas are compatible
  with a selected set of parsers, a set of sample
  data, a previous set of sample data (when the
  schemas have gone through changes)
• Core Functionality Automatically validate one or
  more instance files against associated schemas
  with multiple selected parsers (in batch mode)
• Status Prototype (previous version is available
  at http//syseng.nist.gov/b2bTestbed/projects/sema
  nticChecking

23
Current and Future Tools (5)

• Schematron Editor Tool
• Objective Assist a user in creating Schematron
  Rules
• Core Functionality Create Schematron with little
  or no knowledge of XPATH/XSLT syntax through
  expression wizards that allow drag-n-drop
  elements from an imported XML schema business
  document
• Status Prototype available on Sourceforge site
  http//www.sf.net/projects/cs-wizard

24
Current and Future Tools (6)

• Semantic Aware Lookup Assistant
• Objective Assist the user when searching for a
  reusable business document or components that
  support data exchange requirements
• Core Functionality Match data exchange
  requirements from the user with existing schemas
  and provide quantitatively measured results
• Status Research has started

25
Current and Future Tools (7)

• Classification Assistant
• Objective Provide a quantitative measure
  suggesting a suitable classification to register
  a component within a classification scheme
• Core Functionality Given a data exchange
  specification (and documentation), proposed a
  ranked set of appropriate classification nodes
• Status Research has not started

26
Current and Future Tools (8)

• Semantic Alignment
• Objective Provide quantitative analysis and
  suggestions for model harmonization
• Core Functionality Analyze a newly registered
  data exchange specification against existing ones
  for semantically duplicative and overlapping
  structures and suggest alternatives
• Status Research has not started

27
Conclusion

• Appropriately governing the model life cycle is a
  medium and long term key to achieving
  standards-based interoperability
• We believe that several industries can leverage
  the MDLC and supporting tools
• Our customer base is expanding to more
  consortiums developing standards
• We are planning a pilot for GSAs component
  repository initiative
• We invite you to provide input and collaborate
  with us

28
Contacts

• Serm Kulvatunyou serm_at_nist.gov
• KC Morris kcm_at_cme.nist.gov
• Buhwan Jeong bjeong_at_nist.gov
• Puja Goyal pgoyal_at_cme.nist.gov

29
Summary of NIST Toolset
30
Schema Quality of Design Testing Tool
31
(No Transcript)
32
(No Transcript)
33
(No Transcript)
34
(No Transcript)
35
(No Transcript)
36
(No Transcript)
37
(No Transcript)
38
(No Transcript)
39
(No Transcript)
40
Naming Assister Tool
41
XML Schema Naming Guidelines

• Automated Equipment Exchange (AEX) Testbeds
  extension to the ISO-11179 recommended naming
  convention
• ltprefixgtltobject classgtltqualifiergtltpropertygtltrepres
  entationgtltquantitygt ltsuffixgt
• Adopt Camel Case conventions as defined by the
  ebXML Technical Architecture (UpperCamelCase,
  lowerCamelCase)
• Determine maximum length of a compound name

42
Naming Assister - Now

• Command line and form based interface
• Input
• XML Schema
• A table of terms
• Output
• Term and its associated compound name
• Warnings
• Term was not found in table
• Length of compound name is greater than maximum
• Compound name not in the recommended order