We define interoperability as the ability of two or more systems to exchange information through a common representational system to perform complex tasks that cannot be done by each single system alone.

The common representational system provides the highest level of generalisation leading to a range of benefits including

• No privileged one-to-one connection between systems is required nor desired
• Linear scaling of interoperability operations as more systems are added, rather than power scaling for one-to-one compatible systems.

Agreement on a common representational system also facilitates standardisation of computational interfaces as well as standardisation of documentation, based on underpinning metadata, taxonomies and ontologies.

• Standardisation of interfaces
• Standardisation of data documentation facilitated by agreement on the common representational system