When do I create semantic correspondences?

You may need to build a set of semantic correspondences when, for example,:

• creating information exchange requirements

• creating a service payload

• creating/maintaining an information exchange model

• aligning semantics between the AIRM and a local model/vocabulary

Who creates semantic correspondences?

In general, the work is carried out by an Information/Data Architect working with the appropriate experts. However, there is no real rule on who has to do the work. For example, operational experts may perform the work when building information exchange requirements.

The roles mentioned here are further explained on the Service Orientation Process page of the SWIM Supporting Material confluence site.

What support is available?

The SWIM Information Community of Interest (SITCOM) provides a platform for discussion on all aspects of "information" within SWIM. You can request to join it at: swim@eurocontrol.int.

What do I use when building semantic correspondences?

You will use:

• your information definition

• the ATM Information Reference Model (AIRM)

• the SWIM Information Definition Handbook v1.0
  
  

What do I produce?

The main product is a set of semantic correspondences. These can be embedded into your information definition or in a standalone semantic correspondence report.

During the creation of the semantic correspondences you may also produce:

• AIRM change requests (see questions related to this)

• change requests to an existing information exchange model

How are the semantic correspondences created?

The Understanding and recording mappings page gives advice on how to create the semantic correspondences.

How are semantic correspondences assessed?

The author of the semantic correspondences is expected to perform some form of self assessment. The Verification checklist should be used as "The organisation or person responsible for the information definition is expected to complete the checklist. It is then possible to attach the checklist to the information definition as evidence of conformance."

Governance related processes/requirements and regional/national regulations may also need to be met. However, these are not in the scope of this guidance.

What do I do with the semantic correspondences once I am finished?

SWIM-INFO-001 Need for information definitions contains the following note:

This results in needs for discoverable and well-managed semantic correspondence statements. How this is achieved depends on the circumstances outlined in the "Who creates semantic correspondences?" section above, e.g:

• when "creating information exchange requirements" the results may be made available in an enterprise architecture repository

• the SWIM Registry allows for the registration of service definitions and service descriptions. The SWIM EUROCONTROL Specification for SWIM Service Description contains a requirement on semantic correspondence for the service payload model. This means a service description can embed the semantic correspondences or include a link to a place where they can be found

The AIRM Community Area can be used to store semantic correspondence reports. If you would like a report to be uploaded to the AIRM Community Area please send it to airm.secretariat@eurocontrol.int.

When will I need to update the semantic correspondences?

Semantic correspondences are always valid to the version of the AIRM that was used.

However, you may decide to update them if:

• a new version of the information definition becomes available and/or

• a new version of the AIRM is released and/or

• an update to the semantic correspondence requirements occurs

An update to the AIRM may have occurred due to change requests that you have created. See the questions related to change requests for more information on the change request process.

How do I update the semantic correspondences if the AIRM changes?

Each new release of the AIRM is accompanied by release notes that detail the changes made compared to the previous release. The release notes are structured and help you to analyse the impact on your semantic correspondence.

The minimum impact will be a need to update the version number contained in the AIRM unique identifier used as the "target" of the trace.

However, it is possible that the AIRM will have renamed or moved concepts. The release notes will highlight these in order to ease the process up updating your traces. It is hoped that tooling support will become available to automate the migration of semantic correspondences.

Once you have updated the semantic correspondence you should notify the community and make the updated version available, See "What do I do with the semantic correspondences once I am finished?"

I need to write information exchange requirements, how do I use the AIRM?

When you are documenting the information exchange requirements you should use the AIRM concepts. You should analyse the identified information exchanges to see if the concepts can be aligned with the AIRM. This will lead to information exchange requirements that use the AIRM semantics. The AIRM Viewer can be used to find concepts in the AIRM.

You should also raise any AIRM change requests that are required. This could be, for example, when a new information exchange is identified and the AIRM does not already cover it.

For more details see:

• The Service Orientation Process

• The guidance given on the Understanding and recording mappings page.

• The Get into SWIM presentations provide an example on how to ensure the alignment 

I am creating a service payload model, how do I use the AIRM?

The approaches mentioned below are discussed on the Guidance on the use of exchange models page. In particular it gives help on Deciding to use an exchange model.

I have an information exchange model I would like to make available for reuse, what do I do with the AIRM?

You will need to develop and publish an AIRM semantic correspondence report for reuse. In addition, the semantic correspondences should be maintained by a relevant authority such as the change control board responsible for the information exchange model.

See:

• "What do I do with the semantic correspondences once I am finished?"