Topic maps - an enabling technology for knowledge management

In this paper, we show how topic maps (semantically structured, self-describing link networks standardized by ISO/IEC 13250) can be used to represent superimposed information as well as domain ontologies - two established approaches to knowledge management systems. Superimposed information enriches explicit knowledge resources for purposes like retrieval or connection, without modifying this base information. Domain ontologies are frequently used to capture and formalize implicit domain-specific knowledge. Since the underlying abstract model of topic maps provides a high degree of power and flexibility, topic maps can be also used to combine both approaches and provide a framework that supports the evolutionary construction of organizational memories that are able to grow both in structure and extent