2. Pick a Form – Any Form!
• GEM is about asking and answering questions in a structured and
consistent manner, enabling much reuse of information, in a more effective,
efficient, and responsive way than is now typical.
• Most people have worked with forms, either as a customer or a provider of
goods or services.
• Forms serve the purpose of collecting customer information for subsequent
action by the provider.
• When some or all of the information on a customer’s form is already filled
out in advance by the provider, it makes the customer happier. They can
just validate it, which makes the providers happier. Both win.
• An organization can start GEM implementation by collecting and analyzing
the blank forms and other information TEMPLATES (e.g., reports,
checklists, documents, graphs, diagrams, models, databases,
spreadsheets, etc.) used across the organization, and by its customers,
suppliers, authorities, partners, and the public.
3. GEM Repository Components
(A Generalized MIS)
GEM Repository
GEM
Taxonomy
(Concept GEM GEM
Categories and Assertions Requirements
Inventories)
(Subjects)
GEM stores the data for forms and other templates in a single repository for
enterprise “concepts”, “assertions”, and “requirements”. These will be
discussed in later diagrams.
4. Where do Templates Fit in the Big
Picture of the Enterprise? Enterprise (e.g., Organization)
– Business Function
– Functional Guidance
• Note the placement of • Function Assignment
– Responsibility
Templates such as Blank » Authority
» Assigned Organization Unit
• Functional References
Forms in this GEM outline. – Policy
» Process
– Procedure
• GEM implementation can – Template
– Form
start at the top of this – Report
– Etc.
– Tool (Manual, Automated, etc.)
outline and work down – Vocabulary
– Constraint (Rule, Role-based Access, Standard, principle, etc.)
into the details, or can » Concepts
– Assertions
– Data Models (e.g., IDEF1X, ER, CWM)
start with the details such – Metadata Management
– Data Management
as Templates and work – Semantic Models (e.g., ORM)
– Ontologies (e.g., OWL)
– Knowledge
back up to the top, or – Knowledge Bases
– Application Models (e.g., UML)
various combinations of – Applications (e.g., UML, CWM)
– Operational Data Stores
– Analytical Data Stores
these approaches. • Function Operation
– Taxonomies (Concept Categories)
– Functional Mission
» Vision
– Goal
– Objective
– Strategy
– Plan (Recurring Operations, New Initiatives)
– Implementation
– Review
– Adjust All Above
5. GEM Template Terms
• A blank template (e.g., a blank form) contains
“metadata”, (i.e., data about data) which are the
template’s empty fields and their arrangement. This
blank template represents the structure of a subject’s
knowledge, its “ontology”. An ontology is metadata
about a subject.
• A populated template (e.g., a filled in form) contains
“data” values in the template’s populated fields. This
populated template represents an “instance” of subject
knowledge. An knowledge instance is data about a
subject.
• A template field (metadata) is populated with a value
(data).
6. A Basic GEM Template
Subject: ________________________________________________________________________
Notice that the field Location: ______________________________________________________________________
names, such as Organization: __________________________________________________________________
“Subject” Office: ______________________________________________________________________
are metadata, while Job Title: ___________________________________________________________________
Job Function: ________________________________________________________________
the blank underlined Functional Process: ___________________________________________________________
spaces are where the Process Description: __________________________________________________________
“subject” data are Process Diagram: ____________________________________________________________
written. Process Resources: __________________________________________________________
Process Outputs (Products/Services/ByProducts):_________________________________
Status: __________________________________________________________________
Notice also that this Quantity: _______________________________________________________________
form “drills down” from Quality: _______________________________________________________________
the subject title into Process Inputs (Consumables, Catalysts, etc.): ___________________________________
the details of the Status: __________________________________________________________________
subject. To collect Quantity: _______________________________________________________________
Quality: _______________________________________________________________
different subject Process Constraints (Budgets, Rules, Law, etc.): _________________________________
knowledge, a different Status: __________________________________________________________________
instance of this form Quantity: _______________________________________________________________
would be needed for Quality: _______________________________________________________________
every variation in the Process Mechanisms (Workforce, Tools, Enablers): ______________________________
Status: __________________________________________________________________
detail data. Quantity: _______________________________________________________________
Quality: _______________________________________________________________
Template ID: GEM Form 1
7. GEM Template Relations
A template represents Subject: ________________________________________________________________________
relationships between the Location: ______________________________________________________________________
subject and its detail data.
Organization: __________________________________________________________________
Both the subject and the
details are “concepts” of Office: ______________________________________________________________________
interest to the template users. Job Title: ___________________________________________________________________
Job Function: ________________________________________________________________
The relationship between two Functional Process: ___________________________________________________________
or more concepts is called an Process Description: __________________________________________________________
“assertion”. Types of Process Diagram: ____________________________________________________________
assertions are: facts, Process Resources: __________________________________________________________
opinions, questions,
Process Outputs (Products/Services/ByProducts):_________________________________
speculation, interpretations,
Status: __________________________________________________________________
etc. As in sentence grammar,
the assertion has a subject Quantity: _______________________________________________________________
noun, a predicate verb Quality: _______________________________________________________________
describing the relation, and a Process Inputs (Consumables, Catalysts, etc.): ___________________________________
predicate object noun Status: __________________________________________________________________
representing the detail data. Quantity: _______________________________________________________________
Quality: _______________________________________________________________
A blank template provides Process Constraints (Budgets, Rules, Law, etc.): _________________________________
assertions about the structure
Status: __________________________________________________________________
(i.e., ontology) of the subject.
Quantity: _______________________________________________________________
A populated template Quality: _______________________________________________________________
provides assertions about the Process Mechanisms (Workforce, Tools, Enablers): ______________________________
detailed knowledge of the Status: __________________________________________________________________
subject. Quantity: _______________________________________________________________
Quality: _______________________________________________________________
Assertions
Template ID: GEM Form 1
9. GEM Template Metadata and Data Creation and Storage
(GEM Repository as Generalized Information System)
For Subject A
GEM Repository
At Location 1
Blank
Show Organization 2 Template
By Organization Unit 3 Populated
as
Template
Responsible for Function 4 Structure
as
Performing Process 5 of
Instance of
GEM Consuming Resource 6 Ontology
Knowledge
Taxonomy Assertion
(Concept GEM And Producing Resource 7 Assertion
GEM (Template
Categories and Assertions Requirements And Constrainted by Resource 8 (Template
Fields are
Inventories) And Enabled by Resource 9 Field
Metadata)
(Subjects) Values are
At Resource State 10 (Template
Data)
In Quantity 11 Name is
With Qualities 12 Metadata)
GEM View 1 - Basic Query1
Legend:
Template AutoPopulate and/or Lookup
Selection of Template Fields and Values
Add New Concepts As Needed to
Taxonomy and/or Assertions, as Needed
for Template Completion
10. GEM Template Metadata and Data Creation and Storage
(GEM Repository as Generalized Information System)
GEM Repository
GEM Assertion For Subject A
Subjects At Location 1
Blank
GEM
Show Organization 2 Template
Assertion By Organization Unit 3 Populated
Taxonomy as
(Concept
Location Template
Objects Responsible for Function 4 Structure
Categories and as
Categories Performing Process 5 of
Inventories) Instance of
Assertion Consuming Resource 6 Ontology
(Subjects) Knowledge
Organization Assertion
Location And Producing Resource 7 Assertion
Taxonomy
Objects (Template
And Constrainted by Resource 8 (Template
Fields are
Organization Assertion And Enabled by Resource 9 Field
Metadata)
Taxonomy Organization Values are
At Resource State 10 (Template
Unit Objects Data)
Organization In Quantity 11 Name is
Unit Taxonomy With Qualities 12 Metadata)
Assertion
Function Function GEM View 1 - Basic Query1
Taxonomy Objects
Process Assertion
Taxonomy Process Legend:
Resource
Objects Template AutoPopulate and/or Lookup
Taxonomy Selection of Template Fields and Values
Assertion
Resource
Add New Concepts As Needed to
Objects
Taxonomy and/or Assertions, as Needed
for Template Completion
Requirements
11. GEM Functional Management Information (View 4) Mapped to GEM Assertions
Enterprise (e.g., Organizational Endeavor)
– Business Function
– Functional Guidance
• Function Assignment
– Responsibility
» Authority
– Functional Budget (Resource Constraint)
GEM Repository » Assigned Organization Unit
– Parent Organization
– Parent Location
GEM Assertion – Unit Location
Subjects • Functional References
– Policy
GEM » Process
Assertion
Taxonomy – Procedure
Location
(Concept
Categories and
Objects – Template
Categories – Form
Inventories)
Assertion – Report
(Subjects)
Organization – Etc.
Location
Objects – Tool (Manual, Automated, etc.)
Taxonomy – Constraint (Rule, Role-based Access, Standard, Principle, etc.)
Organization Assertion • Function Operation
Taxonomy Organization – Functional (Program, Project, Person) Mission
Unit Objects » Vision
Organization – Goal
Unit Taxonomy – Objective
Assertion
Function – Strategy
Function
Objects – Plan
Taxonomy
– Recurrent Operation
Process Assertion – Deliverables (Output Resource)
Taxonomy Process – Tasks (Applied Policy/Process/Procedure)
Objects – Schedule (Constraint Resource)
Resource – Budget
Taxonomy Assertion – Input Resource
Resource – Constraint Resource
Objects – Mechanism Resource
– Quality
– New Initiative
– Deliverables (Output Resource)
Requirements – Tasks (Applied Policy/Process/Procedure)
– Schedule (Constraint Resource)
– Budget
– Input Resource
– Constraint Resource
– Mechanism Resource
Legend: – Quality
Template AutoPopulate and/or Lookup Selection of Template Fields and Values
Add New Concepts As Needed to Taxonomy and/or Assertions, as Needed for
Template Completion
12. GEM Repository Structure
(A Generalized MIS)
GEM Repository
FK PK
GEM Assertion
Subjects GUID
GEM FK Assertion AK
Taxonomy
AK PK Location
(Concept
OID GUID Objects
Categories and
Categories
Inventories)
(Subjects)
FK Assertion AK
FK AK Organization
Location
Objects
Taxonomy
FK AK
Organization FK Assertion AK
Taxonomy Organization
FK AK Unit Objects
Organization
Unit Taxonomy FK Assertion AK
FK AK Function
Function
Taxonomy Objects
FK AK
Process FK Assertion AK
Taxonomy Process
FK AK Objects
Resource
Taxonomy FK Assertion AK
Resource
Objects
FK
Requirements