Getting Started with ISO 15926

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Contents

1. Abstract
2. ISO 15926 Roadmap
3. Getting Ready
   1. Read the Primer
   2. Build a Team
   3. Training
4. Deciding What to Work On
   1. Make a Map of Your System Landscape
   2. Choose an Information Flow to Automate
   3. Gather Application Information
   4. Build a Business Case
5. Getting Your Feet Wet
   1. Play with RDS/WIP
   2. See What Existing Models Are Available
6. Execution
   1. Set up a Sandbox to Test
   2. Map Internal Applications to ISO 15926
   3. Use the Ontology Browser

Abstract

Implementing ISO 15926 at the introductory end is relatively simple, with proven tools. Many organizations are realizing business benefits today. At the top end, ISO 15926 is evolving quickly, with new tools and implementation methods being developing, more or less, as we speak. This section proposes ideas for analyzing the information interoperabiltiy needs at an organization and planning the implimentation of ISO 15926.

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The purpose of this section is to give you a roadmap for implementing ISO 15926 at your organization. Of necessity, the roadmap will not be a single direct route to a single end-point. This means that you can start with limited goals, say, to map two interacting applications together using ISO 15926 part 4 (15926-4). Later on you can work up to a full 15926-7 façade.

So this section will not be like a route map from your travel agent showing the shortest route from your house to the beach where you plan to take your next vacation, it will be more like a roadmap of the entire countryside. For instance, if you lived in London, England and wanted to go the the beach at Cannes, an easy way would be to take the Eurostar to the Gare de Nord train station in Paris, transfer to the Gare de Lyon, then take the train à grande vitesse (TGV) to Cannes.

Figure 1 - A More Interesting Route to the Beach

On the other hand, if you channelled a bit of Rowen Atkinson, you would have a much more interesting journey.

ISO 15926 Roadmap

Figure 2 - ISO 15926 Roadmap

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Getting Ready

Read the Primer

Well, actually, you're already reading it. But in case you linked directly to this page, start at the beginning. Poke the "Primer" link in the big green box.

It is important to understand that ISO 15926 is a fundamentally different approach to making machines able to talk to each other and convey meaning. In the past we've viewed machine-to-machine communication as a technology problem, building more powerful processors, or writing more artful code. But we ran into the wall of not knowing how to handle the information. ISO 15926 sidesteps the powerful chips and Machiavellian code and focuses on modeling information.

Build a Team

There are a number of roles to be filled. In theory, they can all be filled by one person. Alternatively, if the project is large enough, one role can be split between several people.

Subject Matter Expert

This is the person who knows what your business does.

• If your organization is a refinery or petro chemical plant, it should be a process engineer, or someone who knows a great deal about all of the chemical and physical processes, and all of the equipment.
• If your organization is an EPC, this person should be familiar with all of your work processes, and have an understanding of all engineering disciplines.

Information Modeler

This person will learn ISO 15926 methodology in information modeling, and will eventually work with your Subject Matter Expert.

Application Configuration

This person will need to know how to set up web services and how to create a database.

Project Manager

This is a typical project manager role. It will be helpful to have some prior exposure to computer programming projects.

Training

Information Modeler

• ISO 15926 methodology for information modeling

Applications Configurator

• Set up web services
• Storage for triplestores
• Configuring I-Ring components

Subject Matter Expert

• Overview training

Deciding What to Work On

Make a Map of Your System Landscape

You will need to know all the individual software applications your organization uses, where they get their input from, and where their output goes. Show all of the information exchanges. Your most important applications will probably already be mapped together either with custom programing or commercial middleware. Other information exchanges might be made manually with manual keyin every time, or exchange files in a neutral format, or perhaps ad hoc software. Show all of them, even if they seem to be working properly.

Choose an Information Flow to Automate

Look for an opportunity to improve an information exchange by using ISO 15926. Preferably, the entire information exchange should be within your organization, as opposed to automating an exchange with a business partner. Choose something simple to start with if you have a choice.

To help you out, here are three examples of mapping to ISO 15926 Part 4:

• Automate a Manual Exchange

• Encapsulate an Application

• Decouple an Application from a Confederation of Applications

Here is an example of building a complete façade.

• Build a Façade With iRING

Gather Application Information

Dig into each application

Document the schema - catalogue what's there.

• Do this for the information that has to move, not necessarily everything

Cover any special requirements. For instance, uncover any relationships that have to be maintained. Understand them all.

Build a Business Case

The very first line in this Primer explains why we need ISO 15926:

So we can exchange complex plant and project information easier and cheaper.

So if ISO 15926 actually accomplishes this, it shouldn't be too difficult to build a buisness case. Here are some ideas:

• Look at your system landscape.
  • Which applications are linked?
  • What could you do differently if more of them, or all of them, were able to exchange information easily?

• What does it cost your organization to maintain the existing links between applications?

• Is your organization forgoing opportunities to upgrade individual applications because doing so may break links to other applications?

All of these questions lead to justification to implement ISO 15926. For any pair of applications, it will always be cheaper and easier to directly map them togther using traditional means. But the maintenace and lack of flexibility will limit you. And once your organization is familiar with ISO 15926, using it to connect applications together will get significantly easier.

Getting Your Feet Wet

Play with RDS/WIP

Understand the purpose of RDS/WIP.

Look at the classes that are there

Look at the types and subtypes

To know how deep to model, match the legacy system. For instance, to move an instrument list you may only need the class of instruments, not every subtype. It depends on how the legacy system at each end holds them. But the legacy system at each end may not be at the same level. While one application may only use the base class, the other may you subclasses.

Most of the steps will be the same as they would have been without ISO 15926, you will just be modeling the information to ISO 15926 standards.

See What Existing Models Are Available

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Execution

Set up a Sandbox to Test

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Map Internal Applications to ISO 15926

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Use the Ontology Browser

Use the ontology Browser to examine content to see if the mapping is correct.

... Huh?

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