A Model-Driven Approach to SKOS Implementation

Simple Knowledge Organization System (SKOS) has been recently adopted by the W3C as a standard to support the representation, use and interoperability of different types of structured controlled vocabularies, such as thesauri, taxonomies or classification schemes. In this paper, we propose a model driven approach for the design and implementation of software tools allowing the creation, management and sharing of knowledge organization systems described using SKOS. This approach is based on the definition of metamodels for SKOS and for traditional controlled vocabularies, as well as on transformations between different metamodels. We present the SKOS engine we have prototyped as well as its use for developing thesauri and glossaries.