tietokäsitteen

Tietokäsite is a Finnish term that translates roughly to information or data concept. In information science, data modeling and knowledge representation, tietokäsite refers to an abstract notion that defines the meaning, scope, and properties of a data item within a system. It functions as a building block in data models, ontologies, and metadata schemas, helping to describe what a piece of data represents and how it should be interpreted.

A tietokäsite is different from the data value itself (tieto) or the data structure and storage form (tietorakenne). It provides semantic guidance: a defined concept, its definition, data type, allowed values, constraints, and its relationships to other concepts. By articulating meanings and relationships, tietokäsitte support semantic interoperability and enable consistent data use across applications and organizations. They are often accompanied by controlled vocabularies, synonyms, and provenance information.

In practice, tietokäsitte are used in database design, information architecture, library and information science, and the development of ontologies and knowledge graphs. They help organize information in a way that supports accurate retrieval, reasoning, and data exchange. A typical representation assigns a name, definition, scope, synonyms, and links to related concepts, sometimes within a concept catalog or metadata registry.

Related terms include tietomalli (data model), metatieto (metadata), and ontologia. The concept of tietokäsite underpins efforts to standardize meaning in information systems and to improve interoperability across heterogeneous data sources.

See also: data modeling, metadata, ontology, knowledge representation.