IBAW

From semanticweb.org

Issue-based Argumentation in a Wiki (IBAW) was developed by Max Völkel in 2002 as an attempt to represent Issue-based argumentation (see Rittel, H. and Kunz, W. "Issues as elements of information systems." Working paper #131. Institut fur Grundlagen der Planung I.A. University of Stuttgart.)

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issue based information management uses the following keywords:

• issue - a problem in the world, which a group of people or a person on its own tries to solve
• idea - a possible solution to a problem
• pro - a pro-argument for an idea, possibly raising one or several new issues
• con - a contra-argument for an idea, possibly raising one or several new issues
• see - a reference to evidence for an argument (website, person,paper, or the name of another issue...). Instead of 'see' you can also use Wiki-links or weblinks.

Contents 1 note 2 syntax in a wiki 3 the grammar of ibaw 4 syntax example

[edit] note

this documentation is a guideline to understand IBAW documents. It's not strict and may always evolve

[edit] syntax in a wiki

ibaw works well in a wiki, with support for indented lists. if indented lists are supported, but with a different syntax, the wiki syntax for indented lists should be used.

the basic syntax for an ibaw is (listitem) (keyword) ':' text

[edit] the grammar of ibaw

ibaw  --> issue*
issue --> (name?, text, idea*)
idea  --> (text,(pro|con)*,decision?)
pro   --> (text, see* (issue|idea)*)
con   --> (text, see* (issue|idea)*)
see   --> (text)
decision --> ('ACCEPT' | 'REJECT')
name  --> [a-zA-Z0-9]*
text  --> any text string is permitted here

pro and con can be considered subclasses of issue.

[edit] syntax example

issue: our coffee machine is broken
* idea: fix it
 * pro: cheap
 * con: takes too much time, we can't live so long without coffee
* idea: buy a new one
 * pro: fast
 * con: expensive
  * issue: we need approval form our director
   * idea: we collect money ourselves

which renders in a wiki as

issue: our coffee machine is broken

• idea: fix it (tom)
  • pro: cheap (sven)
  • con: takes too much time, we can't live so long without coffee (max)
• idea: buy a new one (sven)
  • pro: fast (tom)
  • con: expensive
    • issue: we need approval form our director
      • idea: we collect money ourselves

... if you use the corresponding wiki snytax for lists, which you should.

You should also add names, so that it becomes easier to ask and you dont have to look in the page history.