ABSTRACT

This paper describes an on-line system which serves to support the management of the Knowledge Acquisition Process. Research on Knowledge Acquisition has tended to focus on the difficulties encountered in the elicitation of cognitive processes from the human expert with less emphasis being placed on the specific difficulties encountered in the management of Knowledge-Based Systems projects. The results of empirical research undertaken by the authors identified the need for improved rigour in the management of the Knowledge Acquisition Process [Yue & Cox, 1991, 1992a,b]. The Strategy Maze is the implementation of these results.

The goal of the Strategy Maze is to reduce and prevent risks to Knowledge Acquisition projects through improved management. The Strategy Maze identifies those management issues which must be addressed at the planning and implementation stages of the project if risk is to be minimised. The system consists of three levels: the Scoping Level which is designed to reduce and prevent those risks arising from the lack of clear project definition; the Requirements Analysis Level which provides a comprehensive checklist of the tasks and activities which need addressing prior to implementation of the project; and the Implementation Level which assists in the reduction and prevention of potential project risks during the implementation, monitoring, and control stages of the project.

INTRODUCTION

Knowledge-Based Systems (KBS) differ from conventional computer systems in their degree of dependence upon the elicitation, representation and emulation of human knowledge.