Contexts as explicit parameterization of ontology driven methods

In the recent Computer Science literature, contexts have been proposed mainly to formalize context dependent background knowledge. In this paper we discuss the importance of the application of contexts as explicit parametrization of methods exploiting the knowledge encoded in ontologies. We propose a context formalization suitable to improve the flexibility of ontology driven methods like semantic similarity and granularity. Herein, we detail in particular the context parametrization for semantic granularity. The user scenario pertaining to the exploitation of a repository for industrial design product models is discussed to illustrate the proposed formalization.