GTP:Generic information model
From TraceFood
Contents |
Introduction
This page contains a description of a generic information model for chain traceability with the emphasis on generalising traceability model elements to be agnostic with respect to what kind of goods/food/trade item to be traced, what kind of traceability event that capture traceability information, and what kind of actor that manage or generate traceability information. Relevant relationships between the different traceability types are outlined and a generic mechanism for managing quality information about the different elements in the model is outlined. The content of this page is based on a report developed for the Norwegian eSporing project: Øvsttun, G. (DNV), Christiansen, T. (DNV), Torkveen, A. (IBM), Hestvik, R (DNV). and Forås, E. (SINTEF). The eSporing Information Model - Introduction to the UML Model, eSporing, Oslo, 2008, 27 p.
The rationale for generalising the information model is to make it able to leverage across different food branches, countries and actors by focusing on the core information necessary to support chain traceability. A standard chain traceability information model will make it easier to provide generic information exchange mechanisms and standards as well as help to provide relevant interfaces for actors that participate in information sharing/exhange of traceability information.
Fundamental model elements
Each of the fundamental model elements needs to have a unique identification in the chain or chain traceability system to be able to build working relationships with the other model elements. The fundamental model elements together form the basic building blocks for traceability data to be used in navigating in a traceability graph.
Properties
To every fundamental model element, a list of properties can be attached that specify master data and quality data. The model does not specify the semantics of these data, but refers to separate vocabulary definitions that should provide semantic information to be used when exchanging/sharing information. Vocabulary definitions can either be specified by national or international standardisation organisations (recommended), as a common understanding in a branch or among trading partners, or internally within a company.
Relationships
Typical relationships between the different model elements:
- Actor – Resource
Resource owned by an Actor
Actor owning resource
- Actor – Trace Event
Actor received/transmitted Traceable Unit
Actor created/registered Trace Event
Trace Events created/registered by Actor
- Actor – Traceable Unit
Traceable Units owned by an Actor
Traceable Units in custody by an Actor
Custody and Ownership history for a Traceable Unit
- Trace Event – Traceable Unit
Event history of a Traceable Unit
Generation of new Traceable Units as function of Trace Events
- Trace Event – Resource
Which Resource was used when generating a Trace Event?
References
Øvsttun, G. (DNV), Christiansen, T. (DNV), Torkveen, A. (IBM), Hestvik, R (DNV). and Forås, E. (SINTEF). The eSporing Information Model - Introduction to the UML Model, eSporing, Oslo, 2008, 27 p.
