Contextual Notation Search for Modeling Diagrams
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Solution Overview
Problem
Model authors face challenges in selecting the most effective notations for diagrams that accurately represent the underlying modeling meaning to their audience, as existing systems lack contextual understanding and rely on manual keyword identification.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method that obtains contextual properties of notations used in diagrams, searches a notation-base for similar usage contexts, and ranks results based on past usage, enabling the selection of notations that best represent the intended meaning and updating the notation-base with collaborative contextual information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If model authors manually select notations from an arbitrary set of graphic symbols, then they have freedom in notation choice, but the selected notations may not accurately represent the intended modeling meaning to the audience
Solution Approach 1:
The system collects usage data from multiple model authors and diagrams to build a notation-base that tracks contextual properties and usage patterns. This feedback loop enables the system to learn from community usage and provide increasingly accurate notation recommendations that reflect actual modeling conventions and audience understanding.
Solution Approach 2:
The notation-base acts as an intermediary between model authors and the arbitrary set of graphic symbols. It stores contextual properties and usage patterns, mediating the selection process by recommending notations that have been successfully used in similar contexts, thereby improving representation accuracy without requiring authors to manually evaluate all available symbols.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a comprehensive notation-base is built to improve notation selection accuracy, then the repertoire of available notations increases, but the system complexity and data storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The notation-base is segmented into distinct contextual properties (such as domain, diagram type, notation function) that can be independently stored and queried. This segmentation allows the system to manage comprehensive notation data in an organized manner, enabling versatile search and recommendation capabilities while maintaining system manageability through structured data organization.
3Reliability
If the system tracks and updates notation usage through crowd-sourcing, then ad-hoc standards are created and notation selection is improved, but the time and computational resources required increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically collecting and storing notation usage data as diagrams are created and edited. This continuous background tracking prepares the notation-base in advance, so that when a user needs notation recommendations, the system already has processed usage patterns ready to provide immediate, reliable suggestions without requiring real-time computational analysis.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for contextual-based search of modeling notations to be used in a model. The method comprises obtaining a contextual property of a notation to be used in a diagram, wherein the contextual property defines a context of a usage of the notation in the diagram; and searching in a notation-base for notations, whereby a search result set is obtained, wherein the search result set comprises notations that were previously used in a similar context to the contextual property, wherein the notation-base is stored in a data storage.