"Ekran"-technology for collective of experts
"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).
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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Для
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