Classification Tree Embedded XML Document Structure Design for Enhanced Web Document Utilization

XML document usage is currently in a limbo state probably because of too much freedom endowed to the XML tag definition and schema organization. An effort to restrict the unbounded freedom in XML document structure design may help improve the utilization of XML documents on the Web environment. Abstraction of common document characteristics from diverse user groups in the same application domain can help develop commonly acceptable XML document structures. We can achieve optimality in document structure by abstracting the document structure and implanting optimum classification tree in XML schema. The implantation is enabled if we apply the ID3-based classification tree generation algorithm. In generating the classification tree of a case example, the "situation variable and decision variable' structure was proposed to abstract the business process exception handling document structure. The classification tree was then used to construct XML-schema which enables authoring and transmission of web documents that contain business information. Since the induced classification tree is optimized by the “information gain” criterion, the classification tree based XML-schema design also helps utilize XML document information on the semantic web.