The role of standard information models in road asset management

Abstract

Business activities rely on people's understanding and interpretation of information. Meaning (semantics) is incorporated in the way information is defined and structured. From a semantics point of view information models range from low level semantics, such as taxonomies and data dictionaries, to high level semantics, such as formal ontologies. The low level semantics information models help humans add meaning to information in a structured way, while the high level semantics information models are essential for computed aided activities and automation of processes. This paper discusses standard information models of relevance to the Road Asset Management sector based on topics discussed on the IPWEA Asset Mates Forum and interviews with practitioners in Australian Government agencies. Current taxonomies, guidelines and open information standards with potential use for Road Asset Management were analysed. The findings suggest that information models used in the Road Asset Management industry are mainly at the low end of the semantics scale and they vary in consistency across the industry. At this stage there are no XML based industry standards specifically designed for Road Asset Management. It is recommended that Road Asset Management sector should consider designing XML based information standard with terms and concepts specific to this industry. Existing XML standards from other sectors could be used as examples or adapted to this particular industry needs for overlapping areas such as finance or business reporting.