The document discusses adoption-centric knowledge engineering (ACKE). It proposes taking a more human-centered approach to knowledge engineering tools by leveraging existing tools that users are familiar with, understanding current practices, and ensuring tool interoperability. The Jambalaya project aims to implement information visualization in Protégé to help users understand and interact with ontologies, conducting user studies to evaluate the approach and identify adoption barriers. Suggestions for ACKE include supporting common tools like Office and email applications, as well as web technologies, and customizing on a case-by-case basis through qualitative analysis.

1. AC Adoption-Centric
KE Knowledge Engineering
Neil A. Ernst
nernst@uvic.ca
Computer Human Interaction & Software Engineering Lab
Department of Computer Science, University of Victoria

2. Overview
Overview
Background • Background
ACKE
• What is ACKE?
Jambalaya
Suggestions
• Our experiences: Jambalaya
• Suggestions for creating user-centered
knowledge tools
May 2003 CHISEL Research Group, University of Victoria
Neil A. Ernst, University of Victoria 2

3. Background: knowledge engineering
Overview
• KE refers to the creation of knowledge-based
Background
systems
ACKE
• Typical methodology: design, acquisition, entry,
Jambalaya refinement
Suggestions
Neil A. Ernst, University of Victoria 3
May 2003

4. Background: knowledge engineering
Overview
• Most design occurs at what Allan Newell called the ‘Knowledge
Background Level’
ACKE
– What exactly is being captured?
• Multiple domain experts are sometimes necessary to explain the
Jambalaya
often complex subject areas
Suggestions • Some tools exist to simplify these steps
– Help with modelling, acquisition,, and/or maintenance
• Two chief user types:
– End user (query, add, update)
– Knowledge engineer (maintain, upgrade, model)
• Similar to software engineer who maintains a legacy
program
• Difference between KE and SE: KE is maintaining an ontological
commitment, not a tool
May 2003 Neil A. Ernst, University of Victoria 4

5. Adoption-Centric Knowledge Engineering
Overview
• Knowledge engineering (KE) has not had a strong
Background
end-user focus
ACKE – FOL oriented, mathematical syntax, research focus
– Nevertheless, an increasing use of KE tools to
Jambalaya
develop applications
Suggestions – Semantic web initiatives increase this
– How can we make Semantic Web tools as simple as
early HTML tools were?
– Doing more complex things, so the feedback cycle is
slower, and the barrier to entry is higher
• Move to leveraging existing cognitive support users
have
• Develop tools and processes with a human-
centered focus
• E.g. Rich Site Syndication (RSS) standard
May 2003 Neil A. Ernst, University of Victoria 5

6. Jambalaya
Overview
• project: implementing information visualization in Protégé
Background
– Protégé is a popular knowledge-based system used to create and manage
ACKE ontologies (specifications of concepts in a domain)
– Jambalaya provides alternate views and tools to explore, understand, and
Jambalaya
interact with these complex datasets
Suggestions • goals
– know there is a problem with current tools (such as navigation and editing
problems)
– our theory: visualization is an essential cognitive aid for conceptualizing a
domain model and communicating that model to others
– examine issues in user adoption of cognitive aids
• how can an adoption-centric knowledge engineering focus help us?
– conduct user studies for theory verification and generation
May 2003 Neil A. Ernst, University of Victoria 6

7. Jambalaya (2)
Overview
Background • demonstration: a research knowledge base,
Shrimpbib
ACKE
Jambalaya
• current work
Suggestions
– Initial approach: a graph visualization in Protégé would be
useful!
– Problem: convince real-world users of this
– Refinement: ethnographic studies of this real-world
• Surveys – large numbers of domains and scopes
• Interviews - Do they need our tool?
– How can we get people to adopt the tool?
Neil A. Ernst, University of Victoria 7
May 2003

8. Neil A. Ernst, University of Victoria 8
May 2003

9. Neil A. Ernst, University of Victoria 9
May 2003

10. ACKE: suggested approaches
Overview
Background • Leverage existing tools such as Protégé
ACKE – Reasonably large userbase, 8000+ registered
Jambalaya – Extensible, open-source, cross-platform
Suggestions – What about different representation formalisms?
(FOL, frames, Description Logic)
• Recall Shaw: “90% of code goes to UI, 10% to
function”
• What practices are currently used? How can WE adapt
to them? (not, “here's a neat tool”)
• Work on tool interoperability as well e.g. common
exchange mechanisms (KIF, RDF, OWL)
Neil A. Ernst, University of Victoria 10
May 2003

11. ACKE: suggested approaches
Overview
Background • Support common tools
ACKE – What are these tools?
Jambalaya • Obvious ones: Office, Email
Suggestions
– Eg. SemTalk (semtalk.com)
• Web-centric tools
– SVG or Flash
– XML data interchange (GXL, GraphXML)
• Custom applications: learn through qualitative
analysis on case by case basis (no one solution)
• Aim to support the most with the least?
May 2003 Neil A. Ernst, University of Victoria 11

12. Questions?
May 2003 Neil A. Ernst, University of Victoria 12