tim@LINC.CIS.UPENN.EDU.UUCP (05/04/87)
COLLOQUIUM
Computer and Information Science
University of Pennsylvania
A Shell for Intelligent Help Systems
Joost Breuker, Radboud Winkels, Jacobijn Sandberg
University of Amsterdam
Department of Social Science Informatics
The research reported here is part of a project
aimed at the construction of an environment for
building intelligent help systems. A help system
supports the user in handling and mastering an
information processing system. Core of this
environment is a shell that contains all domain
independent procedures and knowledge. A
comprehensive help system not only answers
questions of users, but also 'looks over their
shoulders' and interrupts when appropriate. This
means that a help system is equiped with a
PERFORMANCE INTERPRETER, consisting of a PLAN
RECOGNISER, a DIAGNOSER, and a QUESTION
INTERPRETER. Part of this shell and focus of this
paper is a generic COACH. In a help system a COACH
has two functions: to assist the user with a
current problem and to teach the user about the
IPS. The proposed COACH consists of three layers:
1) A DIDACTIC GOAL GENERATOR which genrates an
overlay of domain concepts that may be taught, 2)
STRATEGY PLANNER which constructs coaching
strategies, and 3) TACTICS which are the terminal
elements of strategies. They are the speech acts
finally "uttered" by the COACH. In this paper
these three layers are discussed in greater detail
and are related to empirical research.
Tuesday, May 12, 1987
Room 216
3:00 to 4:30
Refreshements Available
The Faculty Lounge
2:30 to 3:00