Complete firstBounded subject
The scope and purpose of NeOn Methodology are stated as a concrete question.
Without scope, NeOn project route becomes arbitrary.
Method guideKnowledge Modeling
NeOn Methodology
A practical method guide: clarify prerequisites and materials, understand the complete process, and look up outputs, pitfalls, and stop criteria.
ComplexityHigh
TimeMehrere Wochen bis Monate
Participants2-10
FormatWorkshop + async
MaturityEstablished
01
Prerequisite
What needs to be finished first
Complete firstAccess to relevant perspectives
Ontology requirements specification, source and ontology inventory, reuse and governance goals and domain decision makers are available.
Without these perspectives, central claims in NeOn project route remain unsupported.
02
Preparation
What needs to be ready before start
Materials
Ontology requirements specification, source and ontology inventory, reuse and governance goals, shared workspace, source links, and decision log.
People / roles
Ontology lead · domain experts · data stewards · integration owners
Pre-read
Collect Ontology requirements specification, source and ontology inventory, reuse and governance goals in advance and mark open assumptions.
Time needed
2–4 hours planning; initiative over multiple iterations
Setup
Prepare project-specific combination of the nine NeOn scenarios with explicit deliverables visibly and calibrate assessment terms before starting.
03
Core question
The one question this method answers
Which NeOn scenarios and activities lead from our sources to a maintainable ontology network?
04
Flow
Phases with goal, actions, output and pitfall
NeOn treats ontologies as networks and provides nine scenarios rather than one linear process. A project selects scenarios, outputs, dependencies, and lifecycle to fit its context.
NeOn project route
Fictional worked example
project-specific combination of the nine NeOn scenarios with explicit deliverables as a precise working structure with a fictional example.
Need
CQ · scope · non-goal
Project actions, no finance ontology.
Scenario
Number · purpose · input
S2: reuse and re-engineer CSV; S3: reuse ORG.
Deliverable
Output · test · owner
Mapping tests; ontology lead.
Dependency
Module · version · alignment
Reuse W3C ORG; Person↔Member mapping.
The example demonstrates the domain logic of NeOn Methodology; worksheets remain blank.
- 1
Requirements
Requirements
Goal
Produce ORSD so the core question “Which NeOn scenarios and activities lead from our sources to a maintainable ontology network?” can be answered with stronger support.
Inputs for this step
- Ontology requirements specification
- source and ontology inventory
- reuse and governance goals
Actions
- Establish ontology requirements specification and network boundary.
- Record source, rationale, and open uncertainty directly in ORSD.
Output
ORSD
ORSD · source · uncertainty · next decision
Quality check
Are competency questions and non-goals included?
Pitfall
The nine scenarios are treated as mandatory phases or assigned incorrectly. Select only needed scenarios, define entry and exit outputs, and evaluate external artefacts before adoption.
Timing: 10–20 minutes
- 2
Select scenarios
Select scenarios
Goal
Produce scenario route so the core question “Which NeOn scenarios and activities lead from our sources to a maintainable ontology network?” can be answered with stronger support.
Inputs for this step
- ORSD
- source and ontology inventory
- reuse and governance goals
Actions
- Choose NeOn scenarios from sources and reuse needs.
- Record source, rationale, and open uncertainty directly in scenario route.
Output
scenario route
scenario route · source · uncertainty · next decision
Quality check
Are the nine NeOn scenarios distinguished according to the primary list?
Pitfall
The nine scenarios are treated as mandatory phases or assigned incorrectly. Select only needed scenarios, define entry and exit outputs, and evaluate external artefacts before adoption.
Timing: 10–20 minutes
- 3
Plan activities
Plan activities
Goal
Produce work plan so the core question “Which NeOn scenarios and activities lead from our sources to a maintainable ontology network?” can be answered with stronger support.
Inputs for this step
- scenario route
- source and ontology inventory
- reuse and governance goals
Actions
- Plan deliverables, dependencies, roles, and tests per scenario.
- Record source, rationale, and open uncertainty directly in work plan.
Output
work plan
work plan · source · uncertainty · next decision
Quality check
Does every deliverable have an acceptance criterion?
Pitfall
The nine scenarios are treated as mandatory phases or assigned incorrectly. Select only needed scenarios, define entry and exit outputs, and evaluate external artefacts before adoption.
Timing: 10–20 minutes
- 4
Govern lifecycle
Govern lifecycle
Goal
Produce release route so the core question “Which NeOn scenarios and activities lead from our sources to a maintainable ontology network?” can be answered with stronger support.
Inputs for this step
- work plan
- source and ontology inventory
- reuse and governance goals
Actions
- Govern modules, versions, alignments, and releases.
- Record source, rationale, and open uncertainty directly in release route.
Output
release route
release route · source · uncertainty · next decision
Quality check
Are dependencies and backward compatibility checked?
Pitfall
The nine scenarios are treated as mandatory phases or assigned incorrectly. Select only needed scenarios, define entry and exit outputs, and evaluate external artefacts before adoption.
Timing: 10–20 minutes
05
Artifact
What comes out at the end
Sketch: what the artifact looks like
Form
Versioned NeOn project route with date, sources, owners, and next review.
Versioning / ownership
Retain date, source, assumption state, and decision for every version of NeOn project route.
Tool alternatives
- NeOn project route as board or document
- Source and evidence register
- Decision and action log
neon-methodology-working-template.md
Plan NeOn Methodology around its domain steps and the concrete decision question.
NeOn Methodology: Worksheet
Question
To be confirmed
Desired outcome
To be confirmed
Scope
Full initiative Time: 2–4 hours planning; initiative over multiple iterations
Complete this worksheet on paper or in your own document during the work.
Preparation for this scope
Method setup
- Materials: Ontology requirements specification, source and ontology inventory, reuse and governance goals, shared workspace, source links, and decision log.
- Roles: Ontology lead · domain experts · data stewards · integration owners
- Advance information: Collect Ontology requirements specification, source and ontology inventory, reuse and governance goals in advance and mark open assumptions.
- Overall time needed: 2–4 hours planning; initiative over multiple iterations
- Setup: Prepare project-specific combination of the nine NeOn scenarios with explicit deliverables visibly and calibrate assessment terms before starting.
Prepare for the work steps
Requirements: Requirements
- Ontology requirements specification
- source and ontology inventory
- reuse and governance goals
Select scenarios: Select scenarios
- ORSD
- source and ontology inventory
- reuse and governance goals
Plan activities: Plan activities
- scenario route
- source and ontology inventory
- reuse and governance goals
Govern lifecycle: Govern lifecycle
- work plan
- source and ontology inventory
- reuse and governance goals
NeOn project route
Need
CQ · scope · non-goal
...
Scenario
Number · purpose · input
...
Deliverable
Output · test · owner
...
Dependency
Module · version · alignment
...
Enter only real input, sources, and decisions.
NeOn Methodology for Building Ontology Networks
Requirements: Requirements
Expected artifact: ORSD
ORSD · source · uncertainty · next decision
Entry:
...
- Are competency questions and non-goals included?
Select scenarios: Select scenarios
Expected artifact: scenario route
scenario route · source · uncertainty · next decision
Entry:
...
- Are the nine NeOn scenarios distinguished according to the primary list?
Plan activities: Plan activities
Expected artifact: work plan
work plan · source · uncertainty · next decision
Entry:
...
- Does every deliverable have an acceptance criterion?
Govern lifecycle: Govern lifecycle
Expected artifact: release route
release route · source · uncertainty · next decision
Entry:
...
- Are dependencies and backward compatibility checked?
Open questions and next steps
...
Method guide: https://methodatlas.meierhoff-systems.de/en/methods/neon-methodology/run-sheet
06
Example output
Concrete filled scenario, fictional example
Fictional example for orientation. Counts and timings describe this case and are not universal requirements.
neon-methodology-beispiel.md
Concrete filled scenario, fictional example
Scenario 1 for the project ontology from requirements, scenario 2 to reuse and re-engineer the CSV vocabulary, scenario 3 to reuse W3C ORG, and scenario 5 to reuse and merge person ontologies. List: S1 specification; S2 non-ontology reuse/reengineering; S3 ontology reuse; S4 ontology reuse/reengineering; S5 reuse/merging; S6 reuse/merging/reengineering; S7 ODP reuse; S8 restructuring; S9 localisation. Deliverables: ORSD, reuse decision, mapping tests, and module releases.
07
Pitfalls
Recognize symptoms and steer against them
Quick overview, the full text is in the matching phase in the flow
- RequirementsThe nine scenarios are treated as mandatory phases or assigned incorrectly.View in phase
- Select scenariosThe nine scenarios are treated as mandatory phases or assigned incorrectly.View in phase
- Plan activitiesThe nine scenarios are treated as mandatory phases or assigned incorrectly.View in phase
- Govern lifecycleThe nine scenarios are treated as mandatory phases or assigned incorrectly.View in phase
Trap
Requirements
Symptom
The nine scenarios are treated as mandatory phases or assigned incorrectly.
What to do
Select only needed scenarios, define entry and exit outputs, and evaluate external artefacts before adoption.
Trap
Select scenarios
Symptom
The nine scenarios are treated as mandatory phases or assigned incorrectly.
What to do
Select only needed scenarios, define entry and exit outputs, and evaluate external artefacts before adoption.
Trap
Plan activities
Symptom
The nine scenarios are treated as mandatory phases or assigned incorrectly.
What to do
Select only needed scenarios, define entry and exit outputs, and evaluate external artefacts before adoption.
Trap
Govern lifecycle
Symptom
The nine scenarios are treated as mandatory phases or assigned incorrectly.
What to do
Select only needed scenarios, define entry and exit outputs, and evaluate external artefacts before adoption.
08
Stop criteria
When to pause, resolve prerequisites, or choose another approach
NeOn project route answers the core question with traceable evidence or explicitly marked uncertainty.
Owners, next actions, and review dates are named for open points.
Finished the method guide?
Go to the profile for purpose, similar methods, and sources or continue to the next method in the catalog.