Topic Maps
"Topic Maps" is an international standard (approved by the ISO under reference ISO/IEC 13250:2003) for the representation of information and interchange of knowledge. The key strength of the standard is that it is concerned with what information is about, and not where it resides nor which applications are used to manage it. Information is treated as an asset in its own right, whether that information is very real and present (for example in an organisation database or content management system) or totally abstract.
The standard uses a simple model of:
- "topics" that represent (or act as a "proxy" for) any subject in the "real world", whether real or abstract;
- "associations" that explicitly indicate the nature of the relationship between subjects;
- "occurrences" that link topics to specific information resources.
Because there is a separation between the real world of subjects and the "topic map" of topics and associations, it is possible to make and navigate "maps" without needing to import, reference or access any real-world occurrences.
The "map" analogy is very valid: for example, in order to understand significant relationships within a particular country - where its principal cities are located and how dispersed they are; what its rail infrastructure looks like; the lie of the terrain; the use of land, etc. - one does not need to actually visit the country and travel around in order to gain this knowledge. A good map is enough.
Topic Maps therefore offers a means to produce highly informative and high quality information maps of a given "information territory" in which the real things that concern us - our business, our priorities, our projects, our people, our activities – are given pride of place and not the vast quantities of data in which data about those things reside.