RalphHodgson

I am a partner and co-founder of TopQuadrant, Inc., a consulting company specializing in knowledge-based solutions, the semantic WEB and ontology engineering. I have some 25 years experience in the United States and internationally in enterprise systems design, consulting, software development and methodology development and deployment. Prior to launching TopQuadrant I was an Executive Consultant at IBM Global Services from 1994 to 2001 where I was a founding member of Portal and Java and Emerging Technology practices. Prior to IBM, I was European Technology Director, founder and Managing Director of an international CASE tools vendor.

I have an interest in software technologies for intelligent systems and real time enterprises. I am a member of the "Intent Alliance", an organization that was formed to promote the value of systems thinking for intelligent enterprises. I have an MSc in Digital Electronics at Herriott-Watt University in Edinburgh (1974), studies towards a Ph.D. in the properties of materials in high-intensity magnetic fields at Southampton University (1971) and hold a BSc with Honors degree in Physical Electronics from Northumbria University (1970). I am a published author, with some 30 papers and 6 chapters of books and have been a speaker at international software engineering conferences.

As a consulting company, TopQuadrant (http://www.topquadrant.com) is serving as a "trusted intermediary" helping companies assess technologies and vendors of knowledge technologies. Traditionally understood as ways of connecting people with knowledge, with the advent of web services and the importance of application integration, a new role has emerged for knowledge technologies - shepherding the knowledge that resides and moves between systems. We are finding that successful applications of knowledge technology range from search and asset reuse to semantic mapping and data integration.

In order to help companies understand semantic technologies we provide consulting services for technology appreciation and solution envisioning for defining systems. Our approach is based on what we call "Capability Cases". A CapabilityCase is a way to express a solution idea through stories of real (or envisioned use) within a business context. A galllery of some capability cases nased on ontology engineering and semantic technologies can be seen at out web-site at http://www.topquadrant.com/TopDrawer_Gallery/TQgallery_home.htm.

We have worked and are currently working on 2 ontologies. One for NASA to do with using ontology to improve integration in CAD/PLM application areas. The other is for eGovernment where we are creating a pilot for the use of Semantic Technologies to support the Federal Enterprise Architecture. In the case of the NASA work, we are interested in finding and encouraging the creation of ontologies for engineering domains and for engineering and work processes (this work is for the Space Shuttle and potentially the Space Station). In our eGovernment work, enterprise models are of interest. In particular, those that relate to governance and performance modeling of lines-of business and the concept of 'service' as used in government agencies.

I hope that the ontology-forum will provide a way for us as a new company to connect to other professionals in industry that have an interest in semantic technologies, tools and ontologies. I am also hoping to benefit from sharing ideas on ontologies for engineering and for eGovernment as described above.