Research and Development
Research and development are an integral part of the work of Comelio GmbH. Smaller research projects frequently arise in the context of academic theses (at universities or universities of applied sciences) as well as internship semesters completed by students of computer science or business informatics.
Larger initiatives, which may involve multiple contributors and locations, are carried out by Comelio GmbH in cooperation with universities, universities of applied sciences, and research institutions. This ensures sound scientific supervision and methodological rigor. Funding is provided partly from internal resources and partly through public funding programs.
Social Research
Comelio GmbH conducts numerous client projects in the field of Business Intelligence, including classical reporting systems, expert systems, and solutions for data mining and data warehousing.
As a specialized service within the BI domain, several projects have been implemented for the development of customized questionnaire systems for corporate use and analytical software for questionnaire data. These and related systems address similar problem domains but result in differentiated survey tools that are optimized and tailored to specific groups of respondents.
This research project examines how a general ontology for the domain of “questions and answers” can be used to develop a highly generic software framework for surveys and questionnaires, as well as supporting analytical tools. Scientific supervision is provided by the Munich School of Philosophy. Funding is granted by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology within the ProINNO II funding program.
Parties
- Comelio GmbH
- Munich School of Philosophy
- Chair of Metaphysics, Prof. Godehard Brüntrup
- Research Associates: Matthias Rugel, Ludwig Jaskolla
Results
- Ontology of question–answer structures
- Ontology-based relational and hierarchical data model for questionnaires
- Prototype of survey software
- Prototype of a questionnaire design tool
Real Estate
The domain model focuses on industrial buildings in the manufacturing sector, particularly warehouse and production facilities. An extension to additional industrial building types is possible.
Building and property data are captured in a structured manner using numerous parameters. Properties can be modeled independently of buildings; nearly 100 evaluation criteria are available. For valuation purposes, buildings can be divided into distinct areas, with flexible area configurations allowing different structural conditions to be represented through area-specific parameters. Building usage is defined by creating new usage modules or selecting them from an existing module library.
The analysis is conducted using a rule engine that assigns individual or grouped modules as comprehensively as possible to the most appropriate areas. This allocation is subsequently followed by evaluation and comparative analysis across multiple buildings.
Parties
- SchürmannSpannel AG
- Comelio GmbH
- IPH – Institute for Integrated Production, Hannover
Results
- Development of a domain model and criteria for future-oriented building evaluation
- Expert system for the analysis of industrial and commercial real estate and location assessment
- Award-winning project in the Ruhr Region Future Competition
Logistics
The logistics sector has gained significant importance in recent years and is undergoing structural transformation. On the one hand, online sales in both private and commercial markets continue to increase, requiring large-scale individualized shipping services.
On the other hand, cost-efficiency requirements have increased the importance of enhanced control over supplier and internal shipping processes across the logistics chain.
Both academic business literature and emerging software solutions have increasingly focused on improving and optimizing corporate logistics activities. These include large standardized software platforms as well as specialized niche providers. In addition, technological advancements such as satellite-based navigation and, in particular, web services – examined in this research project – enable new approaches to optimization within an electronic transport marketplace.
Parties
- University of Wuppertal, Chair of Controlling, Prof. Manfred Wolff
Results
- Analysis of the current state of electronic transport marketplaces
- Requirements analysis for medium-sized logistics companies
- Reference architecture for an electronic transport marketplace
Frequently Asked Questions on Research and Development
This FAQ addresses the topics most frequently discussed in consulting engagements and training sessions. Each answer is concise and refers to additional material where appropriate. If your question is not listed, please feel free to contact us.
What is the objective of the ontology project in social research?
The project investigates how a general ontology for the domain of “questions and answers” can be used to develop a generic software framework for surveys and questionnaires. The objective is to establish a structured, ontology-based data model that standardizes questionnaire systems and provides a unified conceptual foundation for different survey tools.
What results were achieved in the real estate valuation project?
A domain model for industrial buildings in the manufacturing sector was developed, incorporating numerous building and property parameters as well as modular usage components. Based on this model, an expert system was implemented to enable structured building valuation and comparative assessment of multiple properties.
What is the focus of the electronic transport marketplace research project?
The logistics project examined how technological developments – including web services -can be leveraged to optimize logistics processes within an electronic transport marketplace. The outcomes included a situational analysis, a requirements assessment for medium-sized logistics companies, and the design of a reference architecture.