An integration method for the specification of rule-oriented mediators

Mediator specification and terminology development are two labor-intensive tasks that are serious obstacles to the widespread use of mediator-based systems. In this paper, we propose a three-step approach to acquire mediator specifications and to gradually build a domain terminology at the same time. The approach also allows the support of software assistants, which help a user to acquire and verify the semantics of information sources. We have implemented a first prototype. The integration approach (without the assistants) is currently being evaluated by some users. Furthermore, we have started the development of a second prototype which will include the couple of assistants mentioned in this article