UN/CEFACT TMG UCM Project
Draft version 0.2
Requirements for Unified Context Methodology (UCM)
Specification
1. Objectives (from the project proposal)
1.1 Purpose
Context, as a key driver to precisely determine business meaning and intent of information
definition and exchange, requires a formal structure and methodology. Although context has
been identified as a key component of the UN/CEFACT standard, a formal mechanism for
defining and using context has not been in place. With an increasing maturity of a number of
standards (CCTS, CCMA, UMM, etc.) that all have strong needs to define and use context, now
is the time to form a project to tackle this problem.
The purpose of this project is to develop a methodology and technical specification for
developing, registering, and using context drivers as part and for the application of a number of
UN/CEFACT standard artefacts, such as Business Data Type, Business Information Entity,
Business Message, Business Area, Business Process Models etc. This project will start from the
current context mechanism described in the Core Components Technical Specification (CCTS).
This project will be a joint effort between TMG, TBG, and ICG. It will be, however, led and
managed by TMG with participation from TBG and ICG members, as context methodology will
impact a number of standards artifacts being developed under UN/CEFACT.
1.2 Scope
The specification will provide a methodology for assigning context to business information using a
number of defined context drivers by advancing the context driver mechanism of the CCTS. The
specification will take into account the ongoing work within TMG (UMM collaboration models),
ICG (Registry Implementation Specification) and within TBG (Common Business Process
Catalogue). The methodology will also include a recommendation for the code lists that can be
used to represent context drivers and a proposal of how to maintain these code lists.
The proposed steps to develop the draft specification are as follows:
1. Review and evaluate current UN/CEFACT standards that are related to and potentially
impacted by the context methodology;
2. Develop a context framework meta-model and a context methodology for the implementation
of the meta-model;
3. For each area (category) of the context meta-model, develop a taxonomy that can be used to
populate the eventual context driver value instance. Existing taxonomies it shall be used.
4. Collaborate with TBG in developing business process related context model and examples;
5. Collaborate with ICG in registry meta-model and implementation;
6. Develop first complete draft for review;
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2. Requirements
Req. #
1.0
Description
It shall define Context concepts and their representation(s)
as they applies to CCTS, and a methodology for managing
contextual refinements (customizations, extensions, restrictions,
etc.) to core components and related information modeling
artifacts
2.0
It shall include sections covering goals, (sample) use cases,
dictionary of terms, implementation recommendations and
guidelines etc. in addition to a typical standard specification
document.
3.0
It shall include a meta-model, showing the Context concepts
and their representation(s), including appropriate associations,
properties, enumerations, and cardinalities, to reduce ambiguity
and promote common understanding of the context model.
4.0
It shall define the scope of the CCTS related standards that
can be contextually refined (e.g. BIE, ACC, BP, etc.) based on
assessment of use cases.
 It shall be developed in phases, where phase one will
focus on context to CCTS; phase two on context to
message assembly, and phase three and beyond on
context to business transactions and business process
models etc.
5.0
It shall not preclude migration of existing CCTS contexts to
UCM
 It shall specify a migration path from previous methodology
6.0
It shall support assembly of business information entities and
schemas using elements from multiple contexts
7.0
It shall include a mechanism to organize or classify contexts
into categories (e.g. geopolitical region, industry) through
taxonomy, ontology, folksonomy (tagging), or other means, to
(for example) promote and facilitate reuse of components, and
to enable context-driven message assembly
8.0
It shall support context-driven assembly of business
information entities using context, by choosing between contexts
that specify refinements to included elements in each applicable
category (i.e. context drivers, possibly using categories or other
organization mechanism), i.e. context values from multiple
categories and mixed levels of the hierarchies shall be allowed
to form a composite context driver for a given assembly of a
business information entities.
9.0
It shall provide a mechanism for specifying and applying
contextual refinements to supported artifacts at design time, as
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Comments
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well as for using context to facilitate and/or simplify validation at
run time.
10.0
It shall define an extension and maintenance method for the
context model, to allow additional information pertaining to
contexts and related artifacts to be included
11.0
It shall allow and facilitate governance and harmonization of
contexts and related artifacts
 Control changes based on an (externally defined) authority
model and process
 Allow management of lifecycle-related compatibility
problems (e.g. determination of dependencies, facilitation of
model merges)
 Registry of context models and relative to other
UN/CEFACT standards
12.0
It shall structure the methodology and specifications to
minimize dependencies on specific implementation
technologies and other specifications
 It shall build upon and form a cohesive approach with
CCTS, CCMA, and BPWG, but should be as loosely
coupled as possible, see requirements #4 for the phased
approach.
 It shall provide minimal implementation guidance in order
to further understanding, not to prescribe a solution (e.g. use
of namespaces, packages, and similar mechanisms, if
appropriate)
 It shall specify “what” aspects and facilities comprise the
methodology, not “how” they should be implemented
13.0
It shall support context-driven assembly of business
transactions to create business collaborations using context, by
choosing between contexts that specify refinements to included
elements in each applicable category (i.e. context drivers,
possibly using categories or other organization mechanism)
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