Semiotics in Interoperation for Information Systems Working Collaboratively

• Published in: Knowledge Discovery, Knowledge Engineering and Knowledge Management Vol. 454; pp. 370 - 386
• Main Authors: Li, Weizi, Liu, Kecheng, Liu, Shixiong
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Springer Berlin / Heidelberg 2015; Springer Berlin Heidelberg
• Series: Communications in Computer and Information Science
• Subjects: Artificial intelligence; Communication; Data mining; Information retrieval; Information systems integration; Organisational semiotics; Semiotic framework; Semiotic interoperability
• ISBN: 3662465485; 9783662465486
• ISSN: 1865-0929; 1865-0937
• DOI: 10.1007/978-3-662-46549-3_24

The interoperability for information systems to work collaboratively has long been seen as a critical issue in achieving organisations’ objectives. However, the lack of scientific foundation and effective approach for interoperation has always been recognised by researchers and practitioners. There is very little published in the nature of information systems’ behaviour in interoperation. Organisational semiotics provides a theoretical foundation for systems interoperability. In this paper, we have synthesised current knowledge on interoperability paradigm which covers requirement articulation, knowledge foundation, analysis and measurement as well as artefact development to enhance systems interoperability. A notion of ‘semiotic interoperability’ is proposed in this paper as a paradigm, guiding systems interoperation and measuring degree of interoperability, covering aspects from physical properties, transmission structure of signs, placing emphasis on communicating meaning, intention to social consequence of information. Furthermore, a conceptual research framework on semiotics interoperability paradigm is proposed to guide further research in assessing, analysing, explaining and predicting as well as designing systems’ behaviour by covering broad semiotic issues of interoperability.