Skip to main content

Modeling Conventions

This guide establishes consistent conventions for modeling concepts in the Naas Ontology.

Naming Conventions​

Class Names​

  • Use PascalCase for class names: AIAgent, CognitiveCapability
  • Be descriptive and unambiguous: TruthSeekingCapability not TSCapability
  • Include domain context when needed: AIProcessingAct not just ProcessingAct

Property Names​

  • Use camelCase for property names: hasCapability, realizesProcess
  • Use verb phrases for object properties: participatesIn, isRealizedBy
  • Use noun phrases for data properties: hasValue, hasScore

Individual Names​

  • Use snake_case for individuals: claude_agent, grok_instance
  • Include descriptive context: ethical_reasoning_capability_001

BFO Grounding Requirements​

Systematic Classification​

Every concept must be properly grounded in BFO:

# Correct: Proper BFO grounding
abi:AIAgent a owl:Class ;
    rdfs:subClassOf cco:ont00001017 ; # Agent (which extends BFO Independent Continuant)
    rdfs:label "AI Agent"@en .

# Incorrect: Direct BFO extension without CCO mediation
abi:AIAgent a owl:Class ;
    rdfs:subClassOf bfo:BFO_0000004 ; # Should use CCO Agent instead
    rdfs:label "AI Agent"@en .

Required Metadata​

All classes must include:

  • rdfs:label - Human-readable name
  • skos:definition - Clear, precise definition
  • skos:example - At least one concrete example
  • Proper parent class relationship
abi:CognitiveCapability a owl:Class ;
    rdfs:subClassOf bfo:BFO_0000017 ; # Realizable Entity
    rdfs:label "Cognitive Capability"@en ;
    skos:definition "A realizable entity that represents a cognitive ability of an AI system."@en ;
    skos:example "Truth-seeking analysis, ethical reasoning, multimodal processing."@en .

Relationship Patterns​

Use BFO Relations When Possible​

Prefer standard BFO relations over custom properties:

# Preferred: Standard BFO relations
abi:claude_agent bfo:BFO_0000087 abi:ethical_reasoning_role . # has role
abi:ethical_process bfo:BFO_0000066 abi:ethical_reasoning_role . # realizes

# Avoid: Custom relations when BFO relations exist
abi:claude_agent abi:hasRole abi:ethical_reasoning_role .

Property Hierarchies​

Organize custom properties under BFO relations:

abi:hasCapability a owl:ObjectProperty ;
    rdfs:subPropertyOf bfo:BFO_0000087 ; # has role
    rdfs:label "has capability"@en ;
    rdfs:domain abi:AIAgent ;
    rdfs:range abi:CognitiveCapability .

Documentation Standards​

Definition Quality​

Definitions must be:

  • Precise - Clearly specify the concept boundaries
  • Non-circular - Don't use the term being defined
  • Differentiating - Explain how it differs from similar concepts
  • Context-appropriate - Suitable for the AI domain

Example Requirements​

Examples should be:

  • Concrete - Specific instances, not abstract descriptions
  • Relevant - Appropriate to the AI/ontology domain
  • Diverse - Cover different use cases when possible
  • Current - Use contemporary AI systems and technologies

Quality Assurance​

Validation Checklist​

  • Proper BFO grounding through appropriate parent classes
  • Complete metadata (label, definition, example)
  • Consistent naming conventions
  • Appropriate use of BFO relations
  • Clear differentiation from similar concepts
  • Concrete, relevant examples

Common Mistakes to Avoid​

  1. Direct BFO extension - Always use CCO mediation when appropriate
  2. Circular definitions - Don't use the term in its own definition
  3. Vague examples - Provide specific, concrete instances
  4. Inconsistent naming - Follow established conventions
  5. Missing metadata - Include all required properties

Integration with Foundries​

Foundry Curation​

All concepts should specify their foundry context:

abi:AIAgent abi:is_curated_in_foundry "ai_development_foundry", "personal_ai_foundry" .

Access Control Considerations​

Consider who needs access to concepts when assigning foundries:

  • Enterprise concepts → enterprise_management_foundry
  • AI development → ai_development_foundry
  • Personal AI → personal_ai_foundry
  • Knowledge management → knowledge_management_foundry