Arches Resource Model Working Group

The Arches Resource Model (ARM) Working Group is focused on providing consensus-based guidance on Arches Resource Models and constituent Branches, specifically on how to build and apply them. This work informs a repository of peer-reviewed Resource Models and Branches as well as providing documentation on basic modeling patterns for the creation of Resource Models and Branches. The adoption of ARM WG models and branches is meant both to facilitate deployments of Arches and to support the long term compatibility and interoperability of data generated in Arches.

There are several benefits to using ARM-reviewed Resource Models and Branches and/or the methodology established in ARM documentation to create Resource Models and Branches for your own Arches instance. The goal is to help Arches users to:

• Rapidly develop and/or implement high quality Resource Models and Branches
• Recognize the underpinnings for a good conceptual model
• Learn CIDOC-CRM modeling patterns
• Improve interoperability across data management projects
• Incorporate good data modelling practice into domains beyond cultural heritage
• Contribute new Resource Models/Branches or improve existing ones as a valuable member of the Arches community

All users and potential users of the Arches platform are invited to interact with and participate in the ARM WG. In particular, the following groups may find the subject matter useful: IT professionals and service providers, developers, domain experts, and semantic modeling experts.

For additional information about the creation of Arches Resource Models and Branches, and to see how you can help contribute to this project, please see the linked documentation below.

DOCUMENTATION

The following documentation presents information on using and creating Arches Resource Models and Branches for use in Arches implementations. The documentation will help Arches users to understand the basic concepts behind modeling in Arches, the ARM WG methodology for Arches Resource Models, and the benefits of adopting the ARM WG methodology, as well as other resources for more information.

OUR WORK

Branches/Resource Models

The Arches Resource Model Working Group has created an initial set of branches that can be downloaded as a package or individually. The branches here reference the latest CIDOC CRM version along with some modifications based on principles established by the Linked.art project. Resource models (as noted below) will be added to the package shortly. The models and branches published by ARM are meant to provide guidance on best practices and can also be used as templates for modeling in Arches. Some of the models and branches are designed in order to facilitate the publishing of linked open data, while others do not. Whether this functionality is intended by the proposed model or branch is documented in its metadata.

ARM WG Package: We are in the process of publishing a full ARM WG Package with all of the branches and models below along with sample vocabularies and data. Currently, the package includes the branches listed below, and resource models and other data will be added shortly. Access to the Arches Package Repository can be found here.

Individual Branches and Resource Models

Arches Package Library

The Arches Resource Model Working Group will add approved branches and resource models from contributors to this site, forming a library that allows Arches implementers to download packages (which include branches and resource models) that may be applicable to their particular use case or at minimum, that can serve as the starting point for designing their own branches and resource models. This library will also include entire packages from existing Arches instances that implementers can load in order to adopt, inspect, or modify for their particular use case.

MEMBERSHIP

The Arches Resource Model Working Group Core is directly responsible for establishing the group’s methodology, sample branches and resource models that conform to that methodology, and documentation that describes the approach. The core group members will also engage with interested branch and resource model contributors who want to make their work available to the larger Arches community by discussing, reviewing and approving contributions to the Arches branch and resource model library.

Current core group members:

• George Bruseker, Takin.solutions (Chair)
• Annabel Lee Enriquez, Getty Conservation Institute (Vice-Chair)
• Dennis Wuthrich, Farallon Geographics
• Philip Carlisle, Historic England
• Adam Lodge, Farallon Geographics
• Robert Sanderson, Yale University
• Anaïs Guillem, University of California, Merced

Former core group members:

• David Newbury, J. Paul Getty Trust (2018-2019)

For more information about participation, please see the Arches Resource Model Working Group Charter (v1.1).