A FRAMEWORK FOR EXPRESSING SEMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN MULTIPLE INFORMATION-SYSTEMS FOR COOPERATION

After many years of information systems development, most private and public organizations are characterized by the presence of multiple inf ormation systems, possibly distributed and heterogeneous. Heterogeneit y is generally related to representation languages, support technology , and evolution strategies. The result can be a deep disintegration of data and processes spread in several information systems. Methods and tools for the analysis and comparison of the existing information sys tems are required, to identify replication, overlapping, bad distribut ion of data and processes among the existing systems, to set the basis for reengineering activities. This paper proposes computer-based tech niques for the analysis of multiple information systems. Following an inherently data-oriented approach, conceptual descriptions of processe s are analyzed focusing on characteristics of data manipulated and exc hanged and on operations performed by processes. The proposed techniqu es rely on similarity criteria and metrics and on a semantic dictionar y, where the knowledge on process data and operations is properly orga nized. Process descriptions are analyzed for the aspects related to in formation and operation similarity, to evaluate semantic correspondenc es between processes and identify activity replication and overlapping , as well as for the aspects related to interaction/cooperation, to ev aluate the degree of coupling between processes and identify the type and the nature of exchanged information flows. Experimental results of applying the analysis techniques to the information systems of the It alian Public Administration are discussed. (C) 1998 Published by Elsev ier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.