Deploying Decision Support Systems Using Semantic Web Technologies

Decision support systems are deployed in a wide variety of business applications using a variety of core technologies and programming languages. One of the more promising technologies to evolve in recent year has been the semantic web. The semantic web aims to create more intelligent and machine readable web pages and online applications. The technologies, programming languages and methods of the semantic web are now maturing and standards have emerged that allow semantic web technology to be deployed broadly across information technology industry and the programming community in particular. This paper outlines a set of requirements for programmers considering the development of decision support systems using semantic web technology. Current strategies across the research community are surveyed that deploy semantic web applications. From the discussion of these strategies, ten basic requirements are derived. These requirements combine technological, psychological and philosophical research ideas. By crossing traditional research boundaries, a broad perspective on deploying decision support systems that utilize semantic web technologies is created.