"Ekran"-technology
for collective of experts
V.A. Filimonov , Institute of
Information Technologies and AppliedMathematics of Siberian Branch of Russian
Academy ofScience
I. Prototyping and
methodology
In this text we describe the complex
process of creating intellectual environment (named "Ekran") for
supporting of cooperative work of a group of experts. We consider that the
fields of the competence of the experts differ essentially one from the other.
Besides, we suggest that the group investigates some problems, relates to
humanitarian knowledge: investment projects, policy organizations and so on.
There are analogical projects, f. e. Intensely Supportive Learning Environment
[13] and Inspiration [8].
We suppose, that at the first stage
of any project have to be created special "rapid prototype" - the
simplest version of the system with the most complex element of it [10]. Then,
although users can get useful information, it doesn't increase quality of their
control of the object. So the problems were: to get the adequate resulting
document (in order to mark the intermediate result of collective work) and to
create the adequate system for transformation knowledge to action. At this
stage methodology became the critical point of the project.
We follow, in general, the
methodological school of G.P.Scshedrovitsky [12]. We suppose, that realization
even few of a great number of the results may be very useful. Many problems can
be solved with the system analisys, but at first it needs to have an adequate
system representation of the object and of the goals. The appropriate answer to
this questions, especially in the case of social systems, may be found with
methodological tools only. One of the main achievements of this methodology was
the conception of the methodological scheme. Presense the position of actor
(subject of action) and the appropriated method of utilization of just this
scheme differs it from any other schemes. We use such schemes as
"investigation" (see fig.1), "activity",
"reflection" and many others.
The next great achievement of this
school was invention and realization such sociocultural phenomenon as
Methodological Game. The Game may be described (very approximately) as
collective intellectual work with systematical using of methodology and
psychotechniques to control of the discussions.
The main result of this process is
the understanding of the importance of creating the adequate infrastructure,
provides the actualization of knowledge (the ways to transform social knowledge
to adequate social action). So "Ekran"-technology was created as the
polyscreen environment, where the activity of the collective of experts has
been organized by the special team (fig. 2): methodologist, game specialist and
master of the polyscreen.
II. Computer Patterns
Patterns are very important part of
the "Ekran"-technology. It shows how some tool may be used. Now we
describe patterns, which demonstrates some possibilities of computer
representation of knowledge.
The software base are the
"Master" integrated system (like FrameWork-III) for representation of
texts, spreadsheets, graphics, data base and some sort of prolog language -
K-system (logical reasoning) for IBM PC. There is a possibility to make voice
output of a text with FONEMAFON software and hardware. The ordinary screen of
IBM PC serves us as a propotype of a really large polyscreen. The information
base consists of descriptions of different types of knowledge (logical schemes,
sets of statistical data, precedents) in different forms (hypertexts, texts as
an artistic work, pyctography, calculations models, cognitive graphics).
Computer simulation carry out in a widespread form of difference equations [7],
and allows to create diagrams and two-dimentional graphics. There were some
methodological schemes for such concepts as "activity",
"reflexy", "policy". In addition to the ordinary using of
texts special forms of text representing may occur very useful. In our projects
were used such forms as pamphlets, verses and anekdotes.
We emphasize the usefullness of
creation of a set of images ("knowledge is the image of information,
wisdom is the image of knowledge"). There is a possibility to create
dynamic figures like Chernoff's faces as adequate images of some multifactors
processes (f.e. social tension in a region, values of financial streams and so
on). Methods of cognitive graphics may occur here very useful.
In the "Ekran"-system
there is an example of the technology of creating the computer form of a
document. The Desicion of the Goverment of Russia concerning the order of
bankruptcy of enterprises has been transformed into two tables of decision
(spreadsheets).
There is a possibility to represent the
spectrum of the experts' estimations of а given set of parameters. Such representation
uses, in particular, for forecasting of socio-economical development. The
program of logical reasoning (K-system) uses to demonstrate to experts the
possibility of the searching of nearest and remote consequences in the chains
of events. The chains forms from the set of production rules such as "i f
A t h e n B". The logical nets of events, which may form the cause of some
another events, gives the opportunity to build interesting models of social
processes [6].
Documents are rather important
result of human activity. Therefore we try to reveal the skeleton of social
programmes, specifications and so on. We use the set of patterns to deTERMINe
the objects, and, quite the opposite, to make the determinations more fuzzy. So
our documents consists of several stratums. We use also, of course, AI methods:
frames, semantical nets and so on.
III. Creative
Thinking and Human Factors
The procedures of creative thinking
based on G.S.Altschuller's Theory of Decision of Inventors' Problems [1].
However, it orients to technical sphere, and needs some modifications for
social applications. We often use inversion the meanings of the slots of given
frame representation of social situation. Very interesting possibilities opens
the interpretation of some figures as a logical progammes of making conclusions
about relations of the elements of some system [11]. This technique is the
process of combining ancient Chinese medicine achievements and new branch of
cybernetics - homeostatics [2].
The next component of technology has
been taken from NLP [3]. The experts have some "shady" knowledge
about "shady" processes (f.e. economic life of region). Creation and
modifications some schemes without their content interpretation gives the
opportunity to investigate such processes. In addition may be used the
randomized interrogatory method. Forms of communication depends of the type of
perconality [4,9] and competence. This factors may be tested and the results
may be used for monitoring of the given collective of experts. For this purpose
there is the screen "mirror" of polyscreen (see fig. 2).
IV. Resource,
Application and Future
The most difficult problem is to
extract knowledge from experts and to transform it for some computer program
standart. The lucky chance for the "Ekran" was the special arranged
methodological game (some sort of non-stop scientific conference), that had
taken place in Omsk (November 1990). More than 200 specialists and managers had
made the examination of problems of Omsk during two weeks. The stenographic
report consists of more than 1500 pages. The chief of the game - S.V.Popov, the
President of Interregional Methodological Association, Moscow - had made
possible to understand how and which the different points of view may exists.
This material is the background of the "Ekran". It contains about 40
topics such as "Concepts", "Culture", "Policy"
and so on, about 700 logical conclusions in the form "i f A t h e n
B", 1500 precedents and 2500 conclusions in the form "it have to
(make, destroy and so on)".
The method and
"Ekran"-technology had been used in Omsk for creating investment
projects. The process of application may be described as follows. During the
investigation the authors of the projects (in company of the author of the
"Ekran") creates more detailed representation of the problem
(determinations, concept, the reglament of discussion). They uses the
possibilities of system (schemes, blueprints, formulations). The main results
of this investigation were used for creating of some new components of
educational processes. In Omsk State University have been elaborated the course
"Expert systems" for students of the mathematical faculty. In Omsk
educational center "INFRA" have been elaborated the course "The
foundations of an analytical investigation" for financial managers. The
students gets some training in the process of "packing" of the given
information to the forms of schemes and models.
The new stage of the project demands
new versions of all the components of the infrastructure: investigations,
applications, education. We intend to use some system of pattern recognition to
create the set of patterns of social situations, and to make all the processes
more active and creative by using some sociotechnique.
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