Model driven design and data integration in semantic web information systems

The Web is quickly evolving in many ways. It has evolved from a Web of documents into a Web of applications in which a growing number of designers offer new and interactive Web applications with people all over the world. However, application design and implementation remain complex, error-prone and laborious. In parallel there is also an evolution from a Web of documents into a Web of `knowledge' as a growing number of data owners are sharing their data sources with a growing audience. This brings the potential new applications for these data sources, including scenarios in which these datasets are reused and integrated with other existing and new data sources. However, the heterogeneity of these data sources in syntax, semantics and structure represents a great challenge for application designers. The Semantic Web is a collection of standards and technologies that offer solutions for at least the syntactic and some structural issues. If offers semantic freedom and flexibility, but this leaves the issue of semantic interoperability. In this thesis we present Hera-S, an evolution of the Model Driven Web Engineering (MDWE) method Hera. MDWEs allow designers to create data centric applications using models instead of programming. Hera-S especially targets Semantic Web sources and provides a flexible method for designing personalized adaptive Web applications. Hera-S defines several models that together define the target Web application. Moreover we implemented a framework called Hydragen, which is able to execute the Hera-S models to run the desired Web application. Hera-S' core is the Application Model (AM) in which the main logic of the application is defined, i.e. defining the groups of data elements that form logical units or subunits, the personalization conditions, and the relationships between the units. Hera-S also uses a so-called Domain Model (DM) that describes the content and its structure. However, this DM is not Hera-S specific, but instead allows any Semantic Web source representation as its DM, as long as its content can be queried by the standardized Semantic Web query language SPARQL. The same holds for the User Model (UM). The UM can be used for personalization conditions, but also as a source of user-related content if necessary. In fact, the difference between DM and UM is conceptual as their implementation within Hydragen is the same. Hera-S also defines a presentation model (PM) which defines presentation details of elements like order and style. In order to help designers with building their Web applications we have introduced a toolset, Hera Studio, which allows to build the different models graphically. Hera Studio also provides some additional functionality like model checking and deployment of the models in Hydragen. Both Hera-S and its implementation Hydragen are designed to be flexible regarding the user of models. In order to achieve this Hydragen is a stateless engine that queries for relevant information from the models at every page request. This allows the models and data to be changed in the datastore during runtime. We show that one way to exploit this flexibility is by applying aspect-orientation to the AM. Aspect-orientation allows us to dynamically inject functionality that pervades the entire application. Another way to exploit Hera-S' flexibility is in reusing specialized components, e.g. for presentation generation. We present a configuration of Hydragen in which we replace our native presentation generation functionality by the AMACONT engine. AMACONT provides more extensive multi-level presentation generation and adaptation capabilities as well aspect-orientation and a form of semantic based adaptation. Hera-S was designed to allow the (re-)use of any (Semantic) Web datasource. It even opens up the possibility for data integration at the back end, by using an extendible storage layer in our database of choice Sesame. However, even though theoretically possible it still leaves much of the actual data integration issue. As this is a recurring issue in many domains, a broader challenge than for Hera-S design only, we decided to look at this issue in isolation. We present a framework called Relco which provides a language to express data transformation operations as well as a collection of techniques that can be used to (semi-)automatically find relationships between concepts in different ontologies. This is done with a combination of syntactic, semantic and collaboration techniques, which together provide strong clues for which concepts are most likely related. In order to prove the applicability of Relco we explore five application scenarios in different domains for which data integration is a central aspect. This includes a cultural heritage portal, Explorer, for which data from several datasources was integrated and was made available by a mapview, a timeline and a graph view. Explorer also allows users to provide metadata for objects via a tagging mechanism. Another application is SenSee: an electronic TV-guide and recommender. TV-guide data was integrated and enriched with semantically structured data from several sources. Recommendations are computed by exploiting the underlying semantic structure. ViTa was a project in which several techniques for tagging and searching educational videos were evaluated. This includes scenarios in which user tags are related with an ontology, or other tags, using the Relco framework. The MobiLife project targeted the facilitation of a new generation of mobile applications that would use context-based personalization. This can be done using a context-based user profiling platform that can also be used for user model data exchange between mobile applications using technologies like Relco. The final application scenario that is shown is from the GRAPPLE project which targeted the integration of adaptive technology into current learning management systems. A large part of this integration is achieved by using a user modeling component framework in which any application can store user model information, but which can also be used for the exchange of user model data

An Aspect-Oriented Approach for Spatial Concerns in Web Applications

The growing availability of on-line geographical information, since the advent of open map servers in the 2000s, originated a new generation of Web applications, those which combine “conventional” Web functionality with typical features of traditional Geographic Application System (GIS). The rapid growth in number and complexity of Web applications with geo-referenced data together with the need to support fast requirements change, demands for increased modularity. The volatility of some of these changing requirements, both in the scope of their geographic nature or in the period of time in which they are valid, stresses the importance of the applications’ modularity. A solution is to take into consideration the crosscutting nature of these requirements and decouple their realization from “conventional” requirements in separate software modules. This paper proposes an end-to-end Aspect-Oriented approach to deal with spatial requirements from the early stages of applications development throughout to implementation. A significant contribution of this approach is the characterization of the most common spatial requirements in Web-GIS applications. The result is the improvement of the overall application’s modularity, thus facilitating its evolution.Laboratorio de Investigación y Formación en Informática Avanzad

A Model-driven Approach for Empowering Advance Web Augmentation From Client-side to Server-side Support

Websites augmentations have been adopted as a mean for improving the User Experience of applications that often are not owned by the user. The augmentations alter the page in order to add, modify and even remove its content pursuing the satisfaction of a user’s need. However, these augmentations are limited to page modification or transcluding content from another site on Internet. Moreover, advance server-side based augmentations have been released only by developers because of the required technical skill for the task. In this work, we have presented a novel approach for designing Web Augmentation coping client-side and server side using a Model-Driven Web Engineering approach. The approach rises the abstraction level for server side developments allowing end-users to design, and even implement the new functionalities. Additionally, the approach uses advance separation of concern principles thus we provide a set of tools for designing the composition of the core application and the augmentation. We show as running example an augmentation that introduces a site community’s review support upon an agriculture e-commerce site.European Union Horizon 2020 No.62149Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación 2016-76956-C3-2-R (POLOLAS

Engineering Concern-Sensitive Navigation Structures: Concepts, Tools and Examples

Improving navigability in Web applications is a serious challenge for developers as this quality feature is essential for applications success. In this paper we present the concept of concern-sensitive navigation, a useful conceptual tool to improve navigation by profiting from the nature of application’s concerns. Concern sensitive navigation allows enriching Web pages with information, services or links related with the context in which pages are accessed.We show how our ideas are applied during the development process (e.g. by applying wise design strategies for separation of concerns) and can also be used by final users while adapting an application (e.g. by modding). Some examples of Web 2.0 sites are used to illustrate this last possibility. We also compare our research with other similar approaches such as the construction of adaptive Web applications.Facultad de InformáticaLaboratorio de Investigación y Formación en Informática Avanzada (LIFIA

Engineering Concern-Sensitive Navigation Structures: Concepts, Tools and Examples

Improving navigability in Web applications is a serious challenge for developers as this quality feature is essential for applications success. In this paper we present the concept of concern-sensitive navigation, a useful conceptual tool to improve navigation by profiting from the nature of application’s concerns. Concern sensitive navigation allows enriching Web pages with information, services or links related with the context in which pages are accessed.We show how our ideas are applied during the development process (e.g. by applying wise design strategies for separation of concerns) and can also be used by final users while adapting an application (e.g. by modding). Some examples of Web 2.0 sites are used to illustrate this last possibility. We also compare our research with other similar approaches such as the construction of adaptive Web applications.Facultad de InformáticaLaboratorio de Investigación y Formación en Informática Avanzada (LIFIA

Engineering Concern-Sensitive Navigation Structures: Concepts, Tools and Examples

Improving navigability in Web applications is a serious challenge for developers as this quality feature is essential for applications success. In this paper we present the concept of concern-sensitive navigation, a useful conceptual tool to improve navigation by profiting from the nature of application’s concerns. Concern sensitive navigation allows enriching Web pages with information, services or links related with the context in which pages are accessed.We show how our ideas are applied during the development process (e.g. by applying wise design strategies for separation of concerns) and can also be used by final users while adapting an application (e.g. by modding). Some examples of Web 2.0 sites are used to illustrate this last possibility. We also compare our research with other similar approaches such as the construction of adaptive Web applications.Facultad de InformáticaLaboratorio de Investigación y Formación en Informática Avanzada (LIFIA

Engineering Concern-Sensitive Navigation Structures, Concepts, Tools and Examples

Improving navigability in Web applications is a serious challenge for developers as this quality feature is essential for applications success. In this paper we present the concept of concern-sensitive navigation, a useful conceptual tool to improve navigation by profiting from the nature of application’s concerns. Concern sensitive navigation allows enriching Web pages with information, services or links related with the context in which pages are accessed.We show how our ideas are applied during the development process (e.g. by applying wise design strategies for separation of concerns) and can also be used by final users while adapting an application (e.g. by modding). Some examples of Web 2.0 sites are used to illustrate this last possibility. We also compare our research with other similar approaches such as the construction of adaptive Web applications

Plataforma web para modelar comportamiento server-side en augmentaciones

La aumentación web es un conjunto de técnicas que permiten a los usuarios definir y ejecutar software que depende de la capa de presentación de una página web concreta. De esta manera, a través del uso de artefactos de aumentación web, los usuarios finales pueden satisfacer varios tipos de requisitos que no fueron considerados por los analistas, desarrolladores y otras partes interesadas que construyeron la aplicación. Aunque hay algunos enfoques de aumentación que contemplan una contraparte de servidor (para soportar aspectos tales como colaboración, gestión de sesión de explorador cruzado, etc.), los artefactos de aumentación suelen ser puramente del lado del cliente. Este soporte del lado del servidor mejora las capacidades de las aumentaciones, ya que puede permitir compartir información entre usuarios e incluso entre las mismas aplicaciones. Hasta ahora, este apoyo se define a menudo y se desarrolla de una manera ad-hoc. Aunque está claro que el soporte del servidor aporta nuevas posibilidades, también es cierto que el desarrollo y despliegue de aplicaciones web del lado del servidor es una tarea compleja que los usuarios finales difícilmente pueden manejar. Este trabajo presenta una herramienta CASE Web en fácil aprendizaje y uso, reemplazando las actuales herramientas desktop que se utilizan en estos casos para desarrollar el comportamiento del lado del servidor mediante el modelado conceptual y navegacional, brindando los elementos para el desarrollo de la interfaz de usuario y la persistencia de los modelos.Facultad de Informátic

Aumentación de sitios web combinando enfoques MDWE y técnicas de separación de concerns

La aumentación web es un conjunto de técnicas que permiten a los usuarios definir y ejecutar software que depende de la capa de presentación de una página web concreta. De esta manera, a través del uso de artefactos de aumentación web, los usuarios finales pueden satisfacer varios tipos de requisitos que no fueron considerados por los analistas, desarrolladores e interesados que construyeron la aplicación. Aunque hay algunos enfoques de aumento que contemplan una contraparte en el servidor (para soportar aspectos tales como colaboración, gestión de sesión de explorador cruzado, etc.), los artefactos aumentación suelen ser puramente del lado del cliente. Este soporte del lado del servidor aumenta las capacidades de las ampliaciones, ya que puede permitir compartir información entre usuarios y dispositivos. Este trabajo presenta un nuevo enfoque para el diseño de aplicaciones de aumentaciones web basado en el lado del cliente y componentes del lado del servidor. Se propone un enfoque basado en el modelo que eleva el nivel de abstracción para el desarrollo del servidor. El enfoque utiliza principios avanzados de separación de conceptos, por lo que se proporcionan un conjunto de herramientas para diseñar la composición de la aplicación del núcleo y el aumento. Las ideas y enfoque se ilustran con varios ejemplos corrientes que muestran el potencial del enfoque.Facultad de Informátic

Aumentación de sitios web combinando enfoques MDWE y técnicas de separación de concerns

La aumentación web es un conjunto de técnicas que permiten a los usuarios definir y ejecutar software que depende de la capa de presentación de una página web concreta. De esta manera, a través del uso de artefactos de aumentación web, los usuarios finales pueden satisfacer varios tipos de requisitos que no fueron considerados por los analistas, desarrolladores e interesados que construyeron la aplicación. Aunque hay algunos enfoques de aumento que contemplan una contraparte en el servidor (para soportar aspectos tales como colaboración, gestión de sesión de explorador cruzado, etc.), los artefactos aumentación suelen ser puramente del lado del cliente. Este soporte del lado del servidor aumenta las capacidades de las ampliaciones, ya que puede permitir compartir información entre usuarios y dispositivos. Este trabajo presenta un nuevo enfoque para el diseño de aplicaciones de aumentaciones web basado en el lado del cliente y componentes del lado del servidor. Se propone un enfoque basado en el modelo que eleva el nivel de abstracción para el desarrollo del servidor. El enfoque utiliza principios avanzados de separación de conceptos, por lo que se proporcionan un conjunto de herramientas para diseñar la composición de la aplicación del núcleo y el aumento. Las ideas y enfoque se ilustran con varios ejemplos corrientes que muestran el potencial del enfoque.Facultad de Informátic