Describing a location for different users: A location-based model for spatial databases

The core problem for spatial data infrastructure developers lies in the fact that the real needs of users become clear in the process of exploitation. This paper describes our experience in designing a flexible data production system with a potential to handle unpredictable demands in the future. Most users want a fine-tuned data system output — a requirement which in many cases is somewhat hard to accomplish: simple wishes may require major changes in the database design. These changes could ruin the applications and services that utilize the database. To allow for the changes to take effect, redevelopment of applications is needed, and typically small changes in production come with a high cost. This leads to a so-called “never forever” situation in the data systems usage. Spatial database design with a user-based ontology engine can be considered as one possible solution to the aforementioned problem.