To address the above gap for the need and provide more reliable information, an AKT Research Map has been developed [1]. It is an informal modelling method that is based on a specialisation of Entity Relational Data Modelling method [10]. Some AKTors (members of AKT project) have been interviewed during knowledge acquisition sessions to develop their own individual AKT maps. Those individual maps are inter-related with each other that they share common nodes. They are also related through links that connect nodes on different maps. The entire AKT map is consists of all of the individual maps.
The development process of the AKT map is principally conducted and based
on an adaptation of IBM's Business Modelling methodology [9]. The developed
AKT research map and the ontology that it uses has been automatically tested
and corrected using KBST-EM's verification facilities [2][8]. The two knowledge
models have also been crossed verified. An example session of how this has
been conducted using KBST-EM is given in the Guided Tour section of this
page. The below section gives more information about the map itself.
The AKT Research Map describes research activities that have been carried out within the AKT project. It also includes the progress and other relevant information about these activities. The AKT project comprises five universities: The University of Aberdeen, The University of Edinburgh, The Open University, the University of Sheffield and the University of Southampton.
The building of the AKT map is an on-going effort. It was initially carried
out by a modeller who plays the role of a facilitator with the help of
members of AKT who act as domain experts to supply relevant research information
for their activities. It is the plan that AKT members will take ownerships
of their own individual maps and can update the map as they wish with or
without the help of a modeller. The AKT Research Map v2.0 covers some initial participants in the experiment.
An introduction to the notations that has been used to construct AKT research
map, as shown in Figure 1, is given in the "Introducing Notations of the
AKT Research Map" page. The content of each node is clickable on the AKT map itself.
An UML class diagram was also given to depict the class hierarchy of the
notation.
Figure 1: Notation of AKT Research Map
The AKT Research Map is composed of many individual maps. An individual map normally describes one researcher's activity, but it may describe several researcher's activities when appropriate. On the other hand, a researcher may also have several maps. Individual maps are connected through shared nodes and relationships that associate the nodes in them. Those individual maps when viewed together tells the story of AKT activities and constituents of the AKT project. Figure 2 shows an example individual map of Nigel Shadbolt.
Figure 2: Nigel Shadbolt's Individual Map
The AKT Research Map is based on the AKT Reference Ontology. The AKT Reference Ontology includes two parts:
- The AKT Support Ontology
- The AKTive Portal Ontology
The AKT Reference Ontology that is included is up to date. It includes
the AKT Support Ontology v1.0 and The AKTive Portal Ontology v2.0. Additional
relationships and instances that are used in the AKT Map are included in
the Ontology for the map that is an extension of the AKT Reference Ontology.
The AKT Reference Ontology has been extended by AKT members when it is
needed to describe their research in more accurate terms. They appear as
instances of Research Area and their specialised research areas are indicated
via sub_area_of links as defined in the AKT Reference Ontology.
Appreciation and thanks go to many of the AKT research fellows and professors
who are very kind offering their time and support to help build the AKT
Research Map. Their names are appeared on the titles of each of the individual
maps and are therefore not listed here.