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Practical Considerations in Knowledge Acquisition (Handling Problem Expert…
Practical Considerations in Knowledge Acquisition
Team Interviewing
One KE and multiple experts (one-many)
Common when several experts work closely together.
Such meetings can be very fruitful when the experts are specialized in slightly different situations. They can complement each other and assure that the most complete set of knowledge is being captured.
Differences in opinion can be solved.
Problems
:
1) Sometimes the experts do not get along; can undermine team’s productivity
2) Can be redundant especially in general knowledge-gathering sessions, which is wasteful of experts’ time
3) Inexperienced KEs may be overwhelmed by multiple experts
4) Even experienced KEs may be exhausted quickly, since the KE must maintain concentration while each expert can drift in and out of “highgear”
Multiple KEs and one expert (many-on-one)
Normally not advantageous.
Exception: A senior KE or project leader conducts an interview session in the presence of one or more junior KEs who will implement the knowledge.
Also training for the junior KEs.
Multiple eyes and ears: the junior KEs observe the expert carefully and can identify subtle issues that a single ke might miss.
Problems:
◦ The single expert often feels overwhelmed by the multiple KEs
– may become more defensive
◦ Little chance for synergism, since no one else present has the expert’s level of domain understanding
◦ Domain expert will get more tired easily compared to any other members of the KE
Multiple KEs and multiple experts (many-many)
Range from massive interviews with a roomful of experts and KEs to two on two meetings.
The larger the group, the harder to accomplish the current task. Sometimes unavoidable due to political pressures.
A strong leader must be chosen to control the flow of discussion.
Few-on-few meetings can combine the advantages of synergism and multiple observers.
Planning Interviews
Interview location
The ideal location of the kickoff interview, as well as the general knowledge-gathering sessions, should be the expert’s work area. Expert more at ease, proximity to the expert’s sources of information
Problem
: Interruptions (telephone, visitors)
Alternative: room near the expert’s workplace or meetings before or after normal working hours or during lunch.
Interview Schedules
If possible no more than two or three working days apart.
The knowledge engineer needs sufficient time to digest the acquired information.
Less frequently introduces loss of continuity.
Routine schema is best.
Duration should not exceed three hours and better be kept to two.
Guidelines
: Actual situations may be diverse!
Preparation of an interview
Preparation would consists of
a) Digestion of the knowledge obtained during the last interview. b) Transfer of this knowledge into a representation understandable by the expert(s). Helps to ensure correctness.
Review of Prior Work
Evolving prototype can be demonstrated. Black box!
Role playing can be useful for verification.
This process should not replace the formal validation and verification of the system!
Setting Session Objective
The expert needs to know the objectives of each session.
Typically a session involves choosing one or two new problems within the same overall chunk of knowledge and examining these problems in detail.
Some thoughts to the objectives of the succeeding interview.
Conducting the Interview
Interpersonal Communications
Many knowledge based system fail due to lack of communication between the KE and domain expert.
Good communication is establish through good listening habits.
2 things to watch out which is the non-verbal and verbal cues.
Good listening habits would include
1) Eye contact with the expert as much as possible.
2) Minimize interruptions.
3) Note questions to ask later.
4) Notes: concentrate on the expert’s important points.
5) Reflective listening: paraphrase what the expert states.
Recording the Information Gained in Meetings
Permission must be asked from the expert to tape the interview.
Recorded information can be presented in audio or visual.
Written notes
. Indexes to trigger the KE’s memory. If more extensive notes are needed, record the interview electronically.
Video recorder
: complete record of the interview: also nonverbal cues!
Audio recording
is preferable if there is only one expert and no pertinent visual information.
Always make good notes as backup!
Handling Problem Expert
Wimp expert
Wimp experts fear the loss of their job or status.
Extra care with this expert’s fragile ego is needed!
This can be done through:-
1) The KBS will allow the expert to concentrate on the more challenging aspects of his job.
2) KBSs cannot totally replace humans.
3) KBSs cannot discover new knowledge. Task of people like him.
4) The expert is important, since his company desires to codify his knowledge.
5) New technology: exciting to work with.
Cynical expert
Clues that a cynical expert is present may include the expert’s steadfast refusal to have any electronic recording devices present, criticism of peers and/or supervisors, and other signs of bitterness
If the KE has to work with the expert then there are a few actions the KE can take to ease the situation such as:-
Carefully examine all provided knowledge.
Show sympathy for the expert.
Appeal to the expert’s professionalism.
High Priest of the Domain Expert
Views the KE as an ignoramus who wastes his time with mundane questions, daring to think that he, the expert, can be replaced with a machine.
Patience, development of a competent first prototype.
Paternalistic Expert
Dealing with this expert requires much patience by the KE, as well as a strong but delicate touch in executing interviews. She must minimize the expert’s discourses, attempting to turn them into useful information. She must be skilled to halt his lengthy discourses diplomatically and proceed to other questions. Very often a sense of humor can achieve the desired effect with this type of expert.
Uncommutative Expert
Simply a quiet, introspective individual.
Patience extremely important for the KE.
KE must carefully probe answer and explanation and examine this with great attention.
Uncaring expert
Variation of the uncommunicative expert: never disagrees with anything the KE proposes. It takes to much time to explain.
Result: inability to gather appropriate and complete knowledge.
The KE is forced to take extra care in verifying the expert’s knowledge. Use of recording devices (if he agrees) may force him to think more about the answers given.
The Pseudo-AI-literate expert
Can be a quite dangerous type because they can undermine the knowledge acquisition process by getting involved in the internal detail of the system. May also continually make suggestions about improving the interview process.
Let him gently now who is and who is not the ke!