[comp.software-eng] Knowledge engineering methodologies - short questionnaire

jack@ztivax.UUCP (Jack Schiff) (02/28/89)

As one input to an overview of knowledge engineering methodologies, I am
trying to collect opinions on potential benefits of such methodologies
and specific areas for their use. 

The attached short questionnaire was designed to take not more than
10-15 minutes for completion, since my main concern here is broad-based
orientation. Consequently, the questions below are much less detailed
than would be needed for a formal survey. Still, I hope they're meaningful
enough to convey an idea of what I'm after, and any additional comments
are highly appreciated.

Thanks a lot for your help!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Background

Experience in					little	some  extensive
 - building expert systems			 ____   ____    ____
 - building conventional systems		 ____   ____    ____
 - using software engineering techniques	 ____   ____    ____
   (which?: __________________________ )
 - project management				 ____   ____    ____

Size of system(s) built				small  medium   large
 - expert system(s)				 ____   ____    ____
 - conventional system(s)			 ____   ____    ____

2. Opinion on general issues in building expert systems
                                                      Importance
Issue                                         | low    medium   high
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Effectiveness                                 | ____    ____    ____
   (targeting expert systems at the right     | 
   problems)                                  |
Efficiency                                    |
   shorter development times                  | ____    ____    ____
   higher reliability of project schedules    | ____    ____    ____
   better coordination of multiple knowledge  | ____    ____    ____
      engineers in large projects             |
Quality                                       |
   higher correctness of expert system results| ____    ____    ____
   better user interfaces                     | ____    ____    ____
   better maintainability                     | ____    ____    ____
Other                                         |
   __________________________________________ | ____    ____    ____
   __________________________________________ | ____    ____    ____

3. Methods and tools for specific knowledge engineering activities

"Method" here refers to some systematic approach used in a specific 
   activity, e.g. repertory grid elicitation in knowledge elicitation.
"Tool" here refers to a computer program which supports one or several
   methods, e.g. Shaw's & Gaines' KITTEN for repertory grid elicitation
   and analysis.

Please indicate your satisfaction with your current practices and your
desire for future methods/tools as l(ow), m(edium) or h(igh), as in the
following example:
                                  |      Satisfaction    |    Desire
Activity                          | ad-hoc  method  tool | method  tool
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Knowledge elicitation             |   l       l          |   h      m

This would mean that currently some mixture of ad-hoc and methodical
knowledge elicitation is used with low satisfaction, an improved method
is highly desired, and a tool would be welcome.

                                  |      Satisfaction    |    Desire
Activity                          | ad-hoc  method  tool | method  tool
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Application selection             |  ____    ____   ____ |  ____   ____
Requirements analysis             |  ____    ____   ____ |  ____   ____
Knowledge elicitation from        |  ____    ____   ____ |  ____   ____
  experts                         |                      |  
Knowledge acquisition from        |  ____    ____   ____ |  ____   ____
  documents                       |                      |
Knowledge acquisition from        |  ____    ____   ____ |  ____   ____
  databases with example cases    |                      |
Knowledge structuring             |  ____    ____   ____ |  ____   ____
Selection of knowledge represen-  |  ____    ____   ____ |  ____   ____
  tation formalism                |  ____    ____   ____ |  ____   ____
Testing                           |  ____    ____   ____ |  ____   ____
Error analysis                    |  ____    ____   ____ |  ____   ____
Coupling to other software        |  ____    ____   ____ |  ____   ____
Maintenance, i.e. several of the  |  ____    ____   ____ |  ____   ____
  activities above performed for  |                      |
  an existing expert system by    |                      |
  other developers than original  |                      |
Other: __________________________ |  ____    ____   ____ |  ____   ____

                           End of questionnaire
-- 
Jack Schiff c/o                  UUCP    : jack@ztivax.uucp
Siemens AG, ZFE F2 INF32           or    : uunet |mcvax!unido!ztivax!jack
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