Problem acquisition in scheduling domains

Abstract

In knowledge acquisition, knowledge engineers typically lack the background needed to pose optimal questions, to capture the right knowledge, and to structure the knowledge acquired about a particular application area. A large amount of time and effort is consumed in forming a detailed coherent model of the application domain. Even after the model is formed, it is typically informal both in their mind and in their documentation. This makes further acquisition of problem solving knowledge and later system design difficult. This paper discusses the situation and presents a model-based approach to problem acquisition in scheduling domains. In order for this approach to work, an adequate model of scheduling problems is a prerequisite. In the paper, a domain-independent model and a problem-formulation framework are described. Guided by them, knowledge engineers will know what to ask in their interview with domain experts and how to organise formally the domain knowledge they acquire. © 1993.