EXPECT: Explicit Representations for Flexible Acquisition

To create more powerful knowledge acquisition systems, we not only need better acquisition tools, but we need to change the architecture of the knowledge based systems we create so that their structure will provide better support for acquisition. Current acquisition tools permit users to modify factual knowledge but they provide limited support for modifying problem solving knowledge. In this paper, we argue that this limitation (and others) stem from the use of incomplete models of problem solving knowledge and inflexible specification of the interdependencies between problem solving and factual knowledge. We describe the EXPECT architecture which addresses these problems by providing an explicit representation for problem solving knowledge and intent. Using this more explicit representation, EXPECT can automatically derive the interdependencies between problem solving and factual knowledge. By deriving these interdependencies from the structure of the knowledge-based system itself EXPECT supports more flexible and powerful knowledge acquisition.