The document summarizes the ENSEMBLE project, which aimed to establish the foundations of Enterprise Interoperability Science (EIS) through defining concepts, analyzing best practices, and synthesizing methods from related domains. Over two years, ENSEMBLE engaged over 250 experts, organized events, developed online resources including a portal, wiki and collaboration environment, and published numerous papers to advance the scientific understanding of interoperability issues. While establishing EIS foundations proved challenging, collaboration within the project was successful and laid the groundwork for ongoing work to further develop and apply the EIS methodology.

1. FP7 Call 5 Support Action, FP7-ICT-257548
ENSEMBLE: THE 2-YEAR EXPERIENCE...
Dr. Fenareti Lampathaki,
Greek Interoperability Centre, National Technical University of Greece (NTUA)
FInES Cluster Meeting
Brussels, October 12th, 2012
National Technical University Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche - Coventry University UNINOVA - Instituto de INTRASOFT International S.A.
of Athens (Coordinator) Istituto Di Analisi Dei Sistemi Ed Desenvolvimento de Novas
Informatica “A. Ruberti” Tecnologias

2. Community Support Scientific Excellence
Web Infrastructures
FInES Cluster Meeting, October 12th, 2012 2

3. There is quite some history here…

4. Different interpretations of existing EI knowledge
Wassily Kandinsky (1913) Composition VII

5. To contribute towards the establishment of Enterprise Interoperability Science,
through defining the concepts, analysing the best practices, synthesising
scientific methods and tools from neighbouring domains, defining
problem and solution patterns, affecting standardisation, so that
enterprises can be systematically assisted in exploiting the benefits of
interoperability at strategic, organisational, semantic and technical levels,
yielding innovative products and services of unprecedented quality, return
on investment and sustainability.
EISB = A different, more scientific way to deal with interoperability, tackling
issues at design time, with a systemic way
FInES Cluster Meeting, October 12th, 2012 5

6. Axis 1: Actions
targeting EI
neighbouring
scientific domains
EISB Wave 1 - EISB Wave 2 -
EISB State EISB EISB Wave 3 -
Basic Hypothesis and
of Play Action Plan Empowerment
Elements Experimentation
Axis 2: Actions
focused within the
FInES cluster
ENSEMBLE Contribution to the Waves
FInES Cluster Meeting, October 12th, 2012 7

7. EI is the capacity of two or more enterprises,
including all the systems within their boundaries
and the external systems that they utilize or are
affected by, in order to cooperate seamlessly,
over a sustained period of time to pursue a
common objective

8. Glossary, Taxonomy, Draft Ontology
Scientific Areas, EISB Elements
Problem / Solution Spaces
Laws/Guiding Principles and Hypothesis

9. 0 EISB Scientific Neighbouring Domain Reference Glossary
0 Analysis of Selected Neighbouring Domains
0 Learning Phase
0 Extensibility Phase

10. 0 Elaborating on a Assessment Framework:
0 Patterns-based
0 Related to Problem-Solution Paths
0 Specification of EISB Tools
0 Syllabus EI Post-graduate Programme & EISB Training
Tutorial
0 Envisioning Future Research Directions

11. FInES Cluster Meeting, October 12th, 2012 12

12.  Single source of current knowledge on Enterprise
Interoperability
 Reduced tendency to re-invent technology
 Reduced tendency to focus on limited subset of solution approaches
 Development of generalised software solutions based on
comprehensive domain knowledge and application of standards
 Grasping opportunities for application of research results
 Problem and solution space knowledge together with services
to link problem patterns to appropriate solution approaches
 Supporting problem diagnosis, by directing investigation to critical
problem characteristics
 Accelerating the selection of applicable solution approaches, and
leading to the EISB knowledge to support adoption
FInES Cluster Meeting, October 12th, 2012 13

13.  Jardim-Goncalves, R.; Grilo, A.; Agostinho, C.; Lampathaki, F.; and Charalabidis, Y. (2012)
Systematisation of Interoperability Body of Knowledge: The foundation for EI as a
science. Enterprise Information Systems. DOI:10.1080/17517575.2012.684401
 Listed in ISI Web of Knowledge, Impact Factor, 2012 JCR Science Edition: 3.684.
 Lampathaki, F., Koussouris, S., Agostinho, C., Jardim-Goncalves, R., Charalabidis, Y.,
Psarras, J. (2012) Infusing Scientific Foundations into Enterprise Interoperability.
Computers in Industry
 Listed in ISI Web of Knowledge, Impact Factor, 2012 JCR Science Edition: 1.529
 Jardim-Goncalves, R., Popplewell, K., Grilo, A. (2012). Sustainable Interoperability: The
Future of Internet Based Industrial Enterprises. Computers in Industry
 Listed in ISI Web of Knowledge, Impact Factor, 2012 JCR Science Edition: 1.529
 Jardim-Goncalves, R.; Agostinho, C.; Steiger-Garcao, A.: A reference model for
sustainable interoperability in networked enterprises: towards the foundation of EI
Science Base. International Journal of Computer Integrated Manufacturing, pp. 1-19.
DOI:10.1080/0951192X.2011.653831
 Listed in ISI Web of Knowledge, Impact Factor, 2011 Impact Factor: 1.071
 Popplewell, K. (2011) Towards the Definition of a Science Base for Enterprise
Interoperability: A European Perspective. Journal of Systemics, Cybernetics and
Informatics, Vol. 9, No. 5, pp. 6-11, ISSN: 1690-4524
2 special issues: Computers in Industry and Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing Systems
FInES Cluster Meeting, October 12th, 2012 14

14. Access to FInES-related Share results (FInESPedia
information (Portal) wiki)
Contribute to the online Increase visibility (Social
deliberations (Coll. Envir.) Media)
FInES Cluster Meeting, October 12th, 2012 15

15. Portal
• Complete Access to update all pages, to post news and
Cluster Officials
events, and to upload documents in all categories
• Post news and events related to their project
Project
• Upload documents related to their project
Coordinators
• Update their projects’ profile page
• Post news and events related to their Task Force
Task Force Leaders • Upload documents related to their Task Force
• Update their task force’ profile page
•All Cluster members have open (read / •All users may provide / view comments
write) access
Wiki
to all documents
CE
•Responsbility of integrity of their content •TF leaders & Project Coordinators
to TF leaders & Project Coordinators moderate comments to their docs
FInES Cluster Meeting, October 12th, 2012 16

16. 18.756 visits in the FInES portal coming from 120 countries
8.286 absolute unique visitors in the FInES portal
500+ followers (for the accounts in LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook)
>1500 accounts reached with each tweet
2.053 median number of followers for the @ensemble_FInES followers
34 Klout
17.000+ views (of online content posted in SlideShare, YouTube, Flickr)
918+ downloads of the EISB State of Play
~2.500 downloads since the publishing of the first FRR 1.0 version
750+ pages in the FInES wiki related to the EISB
8 online consultations in the FInES Collaboration Environment
FInES Cluster Meeting, October 12th, 2012 17

17. 250+ Experts engaged
>18 Neighbouring Domains approached and analyzed
8 Events organized by ENSEMBLE
7+2 FInES Cluster Meetings which ENSEMBLE supported
>20 International events in which ENSEMBLE participated
24 Published papers in international conferences and journals + 2
Special Issues + EISB IGI Book
1000+ contributions and comments addressed
3 Supportive Systems sustainable by the community
15 Online Consultations and ESC Meetings
>70 research projects with which ENSEMBLE interacted
FInES Cluster Meeting, October 12th, 2012 18

18. 0 Scientific work in a community that is more applied research-oriented
proved difficult
0 The development of the foundations for the EISB was a major challenge with many
identified difficulties.
0 The development of EISB was in general well accepted by the research and scientific
community, yet a strong recommendation emerged to work towards: EISB -> EIS –> IS
0 Collaboration can be achieved easier with individuals – representatives of
the projects rather than with the whole project consortium
0 Social presence of the Cluster members is limited and eventually hinders
online collaboration
FInES Cluster Meeting, October 12th, 2012 19

19. 0 To other scientific disciplines…
0 To SMEs and entrepreneurs…
0 To other non-ICT industry sectors…
0 To tools, methods, standards…

20. 0 Sustainability of
systems and
knowledge gained
0 Evolution through
new ideas / projects

21. 0 Continuous support to the main activities of the cluster for the transition
period until a new CSA starts
0 Hosting and keeping the portal live
0 Content management support (uploading info in the portal and support to
monthly newsletters)
0 Initiating discussions in social media
0 Evolving the roadmap
0 Publication of an EISB book by IGI Global (entitled «Revolutionizing
Enterprise Interoperability through Scientific Foundations») & preparation of
additional special issues and publications to high impact journals
0 Deadline for chapter proposals: October 30th, 2012
0 More detalils: http://www.igi-global.com/publish/call-for-papers/call-details/787
0 Discussions with other domains to share the methodology of a Science Base
(e.g. Internet Science)
FInES Cluster Meeting, October 12th, 2012 22

22. J. Psarras
(NTUA) Y. Charalabidis F. Lampathaki S. Koussouris R. Goncalves
Coordinator (NTUA) (NTUA) (NTUA) (UNINOVA)
C. Agostinho K. Poplewell M. Missikoff P. Assogna V. Kiousi
(UNINOVA) (CU) (CNR) (CNR) (INTRASOFT)
FInES Cluster Meeting, October 12th, 2012 23

23. Petra Ahrweiler, Arne-Jørgen Stephen Bishop, Jonathan Cave, David Chen,
University College Berre, UCL University of Warwick University Bordeaux 1
Dublin SINTEF
Robert Constable, Antonio Grilo, Ted Goranson, Sergio Gusmeroli, Nenad Ivezic,
National Institute for Creative Nova University and Sirius Beta TXT e-Solutions NIST
Art, Univ. of Auckland Neobiz Consulting
Norbert Koppenhagen, Antonio Weiming Shen, Lars Taxén,
University of Mannheim & SAP AG Manzalini, National Research Linköping
Telecom Italia Council of Canada University
FInES Cluster Meeting, October 12th, 2012 24

24. ENSEMBLE is Over..
Our Collaborative Work
Now Begins!

25. FP7 Call 5 Support Action, FP7-ICT-257548
THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION!
Dr. Fenareti Lampathaki
flamp@epu.ntua.gr fenareti.lampathaki @fenareti
Photos retrieved from Google Images
www.fines-cluster.eu
www.ensemble-csa.eu
National Technical University Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche - Coventry University UNINOVA - Instituto de INTRASOFT International S.A.
of Athens (Coordinator) Istituto Di Analisi Dei Sistemi Ed Desenvolvimento de Novas
Informatica “A. Ruberti” Tecnologias