Expert dictionaries: knowledge based tools for explanation and maintenance of complex application environments

ABSTRACT

The paper describes a new type of tool, which has been defined to support complex applications (such as the ones typically found in office environments). The relevant features of this tool are the following:it collects “domain” (also called “deep”) knowledge (relevant for the application domain), and uses it to explain the application “behaviour”, either automated or notit makes use of an extensional representation of the domain knowledge based on Hypertextsit can support the activity of maintenance (of the application) and of training (to understand how the application works). We have chosen for the tool the name “Expert Dictionary”. A first implementation of this tool for a specific application target (document generation) has been carried on with Hypertalk, the programming language of Hypercard.

REFERENCES

• 1: ACM, "Communication of the ACM- Special issue on Hypertexts", Comm. ACM, 31, 7 (July 1988)
• 2: Celentano A., Paolini P., "INDOC- Intelligent Documents Production Demonstrator'', Proc. of the ESPRIT Technical Week, Oct. 1987, North Holland.
• 3: William J. Clancey, Knowledge-based tutoring: the GUIDON program, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 1987
• 4: C. J. Date, An introduction to database systems: vol. I (4th ed.), Addison-Wesley Longman Publishing Co., Inc., Boston, MA, 1986
• 5: D. Goodman, The complete Hypercard handbook, Bantam Books, Inc., New York, NY, 1988
• 6: INDOC Working Team, "Final Report' Final Assessment of the Project and its Results'' EEC Report ESPRIT Project 1542 'iNDOC- INtelligent DOCument production demonstrator", Oct. 1988
• 7: Paolini, P., Garzotto, F., Mainetti, S., Barbic, F., Celentano, A., Liguori, F., "Knowledge Based Document Generation", Proc. IFIP WG8.4 Workshop on Office Knowledge: Representation, Management and Utilization, Lamersdorff ed., North Holland, 1988.
• 8: "Proceedings of HYPERTEXTS'87 Conference'', Chapel Hill (North Carolina) Nov. 1987
• 9: "Proceedings of HYPERMEDIA'88 Conference'', Huston (Texas), Nov. 1987
• 10: "Proceedings 1st Int. Workshop on Explanation'', AAAI'88 Int. Conf., Minneapolis (MN), Aug. 1988.
• 11: "Proceedings 1st Int. Workshop on Hypertexts", AAAi'88 Int. Conf., Minneapolis (MN), Aug. 1988.

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.2 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
      I.2.5 Programming Languages and Software
          Subjects: Expert system tools and techniques

Additional Classification:
  I. Computing Methodologies
  I.2 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
      I.2.1 Applications and Expert Systems
          Subjects: Law; Office automation
      I.2.6 Learning
          Subjects: Knowledge acquisition

General Terms:
Languages, Legal Aspects, Theory