The initial kBOS design was based on research on the integration of business modelling and information systems. The base line technology was the intelligent enterprise platform developed by ENTERPRISE project. The Enterprise project was in 1995 the UK government's major initiative to promote the use of knowledge-based systems in enterprise modelling, aiming to support organisations effectively in the Management of Change. The Enterprise Toolset implemented an Enterprise integration framework with an agent-based architecture was used to integrate off-the-shelf tools in a plug-and-play style. The components of the Enterprise Toolset were: a Procedure Builder for capturing process models, an Agent Toolkit for supporting the development of agents, a Task Manager for integration, visualisation, and support for process enactment, and an Enterprise Ontology for communication. From September 1997 K-Net established the initial BOS prototype in the DAMAS project (EP 25411) which developed dynamic link technology facilitating the development of management information systems from dynamic models by: describing, in an object-oriented fashion, key processes and information used by managers to respond to business change (termed business intelligence) designing a Business Objects Architecture which defines at a top level Business Intelligence objects and at a lowest level software components The DAMAS BOS prototype established a management dashboard allowing non technical managers to obtain the information they need for dynamic decision making at the corporate strategy level and at the operational level using a task assistant tool responsible for initialising, starting, controlling and monitoring management task execution transferring information between tasks using business objects. The kBOS 2.0 released in September 2003 has incorporated the customer feedback from many international companies that adopted the BOS technology over the past few years. An extensive research programme undertaken by K-NET and INLECOM have aided the development. The key projects are listed in the following table. List of R&D Projects ARETOPS A Reference System Architecture and Technology Platform IST-1999-11498, Start 1st January 2000, 24 months. Process and Application to Application integration, XML schemas and mapping tools. CEBOS Cost Effective e-Business Operating Services for SMEs IST-2000-29585, Start 1ST July 2001, 24 months. Development of e-business ASP service incorporating “New Methods of Work and Electronic Commerce”. VRSHIPS Life Cycle Virtual Reality Ship Systems GRD1-2000-25709, Start 1st Oct 2001, 36 months. Integration of software tools used for the design, simulation, construction and operation of vessels enabling real time interaction. TELEMAS Tele-Maintenance and Support through Intelligent Resource Management for Ship Operation., IST - 2001 – 35397, Start 1st May 2002-24 months. Integration Middleware Platform including the TELEMAS Umbrella tool to consolidate information resources, web service identification and linking with e-services ashore.
The initial kBOS design was based on research on the integration of business modelling and information systems. The base line technology was the intelligent enterprise platform developed by ENTERPRISE project.
From September 1997 K-Net established the initial BOS prototype in the DAMAS project (EP 25411) which developed dynamic link technology facilitating the development of management information systems from dynamic models by:
The DAMAS BOS prototype established a management dashboard allowing non technical managers to obtain the information they need for dynamic decision making at the corporate strategy level and at the operational level using a task assistant tool responsible for initialising, starting, controlling and monitoring management task execution transferring information between tasks using business objects.
List of R&D Projects
ARETOPS
A Reference System Architecture and Technology Platform
IST-1999-11498, Start 1st January 2000, 24 months.
Process and Application to Application integration, XML schemas and mapping tools.
CEBOS
Cost Effective e-Business Operating Services for SMEs
IST-2000-29585, Start 1ST July 2001, 24 months.
Development of e-business ASP service incorporating “New Methods of Work and Electronic Commerce”.
VRSHIPS
Life Cycle Virtual Reality Ship Systems
GRD1-2000-25709, Start 1st Oct 2001, 36 months.
Integration of software tools used for the design, simulation, construction and operation of vessels enabling real time interaction.
TELEMAS
Tele-Maintenance and Support through Intelligent Resource Management for Ship Operation., IST - 2001 – 35397, Start 1st May 2002-24 months.
Integration Middleware Platform including the TELEMAS Umbrella tool to consolidate information resources, web service identification and linking with e-services ashore.