Part of this POC is to understand how Domain Ontologies such as a Smart City Ontology – and there are a few now in the public domain – can work with specific Application Ontologies such as a Smart City Cybersecurity Ontology. To do that I need to build up particular Competency Questions to help define each ontology and also how they work together. In the process of researching this topic I came across an excellent Blog called:
Keet blog – research and teaching, with some relevance for society
I don’t know why I had not come across it before because the Author – Maria Keet – also produced the ebook – An introduction to ontology engineering. It is a great resource and one I am part way through. There is a section devoted to Competence Questions and see this post – Only answering competency questions is not enough to evaluate your ontology
Whilst the previous paragraph includes a link to say competence questions are not enough I will outline how competency questions play a role in my POC ontology development and their key benefits:
- Clarifying requirements
Competency questions help to identify and clarify the specific information needs and requirements of users and user roles. By formulating questions about the domain or application, users can articulate what information they need from the ontology and stakeholders can manage the development and changes.. - Guiding ontology design
Competency questions provide guidance for designing the ontology structure and content. A Smart City is very diverse and an ontology could become very large if not controlled. It should aim to define the key concepts, relationships, and properties that need to be modelled in the ontology to answer the questions effectively. - Scope definition
Competency questions help define the scope of the ontology by specifying the domain or application areas that need to be covered. They provide a clear understanding of what aspects of the domain or application are relevant and should be included in the ontology.
Here is my initial list of competence questions for a Smart City Ontology:
- What are the key components and infrastructure of a smart city?
- How are the different elements of a smart city interconnected and dependent on each other?
- What are the various domains and sectors addressed within the smart city context?
- What are the specific goals and objectives of a smart city initiative?
- What are the key stakeholders involved in the planning, implementation, and management of a smart city?
- What are the main challenges and barriers faced in the development and operation of a smart city?
- What are the technological solutions and innovations utilised in a smart city?
- What are the potential benefits and impacts of a smart city on society, the economy, and the environment?
- How are data and information managed, secured, and shared in a smart city environment?
- What are the policies, regulations, and standards governing the operation and privacy aspects of a smart city?
- What are the key performance indicators and metrics used to measure the success and effectiveness of a smart city implementation?
- How can a smart city be resilient and adaptable to changing circumstances and emerging technologies?
- What are the ethical considerations and social implications of implementing a smart city?
- How can community engagement and citizen participation be integrated into the development and decision-making processes of a smart city?
- What are the potential risks, vulnerabilities, and threats associated with a smart city infrastructure and services?
Smart City Cyber Security 