Cognitive feedback as a tool for knowledge acquisition

Abstract

Knowledge acquisition is often considered a 'bottleneck' in the development of expert systems. This study conducted a review of 14 knowledge acquisitions methods with a survey of knowledge types, task characteristics, and representation schemes. All of the knowledge acquisitions techniques are considered deficient in their ability to capture a representation of an expert's mental model and procedural knowledge. Cognitive feedback and the lens model, drawn from Egon Brunswik's probabilistic functionalism, are proposed as an alternate knowledge acquisition methodology. Cognitive feedback's theoretical underpinnings are explained as are the various uses to which it has been put. A summary of the many research studies conducted into the effectiveness of cognitive feedback is presented. An automated knowledge acquisition tool using cognitive feedback is proposed and illustrated with state transition diagrams and sample computer screens.