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Intelligent database tools & applications — Hyper-information access, data quality, visualization, automatic discovery
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Advances in Engineering Software 21 (1994) 133-134 © 1995 Elsevier Science Limited Printed in Great Britain. All rights reserved 0965-9978/94/$07.00
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l ELSEVIER
Book Reviews Knowledge Acquisition as Modeling. Keneth M. Ford & Jeffrey M. Bradshaw (Editors), John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1993. 344pp.
Intelligent Database Tools & Applications - - Hyperilmfolmation Access, Data Quality, Visualization, Automatic Discovery. Kaman Parsaye & Mark Chignell, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1993. xvi+ 541 pp.
This book is actually a reprint of the two special issues on Knowledge Acquistion (KA) as Modeling of the International Journal of Intelligent Systems (Vol. 8, Nos 1 and 2, 1993). Everyone in the field knows the cliche that KA is the bottleneck in the development of knowledge-based systems. Knowledge acquisition appears to be an opportunity rather than a problem. Results on KA research and practice have already been felt in the diverse areas of education, psychology, and engineering design. This book collects a diversity of papers where KA is considered as a modeling process, and not merely an exercise in expertise transfer of knowledge extraction. The book contains fifteen papers presented in two parts.
This book is devoted to the application of intelligent databases to various scientific and industrial fields. New methods of system design and user interface are developed, and the use of hypertext and icons as query tools is introduced. New graph types for quality control and project management are suggested, and the background knowledge that sets the new ideas within appropriate contexts is included. The contents of the book are as follows: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.
Intelligent databases Architectures and methodologies Graphical user interfaces Information discovery Data visualization Hyperinformation and hyperdata Information presentation Executive information systems Project management and visualization Marketing Intelligent quality control
• Part I Introduction: knowledge acquisition as modeling (Kenneth M. Ford & Jeffrey M. Bradshaw) Knowledge acquisition as a constructive modeling activity (Kenneth M. Ford, Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, Jack R. Adams-Webber & Nell M. Agnew) The knowledge level reinterpreted: modeling sociotechnical systems (William J. Clancey) Modeling practical reasoning (Brian R. Gaines) Structuring interviews with experts during knowledge elicitation (Larry E. Wood & John M. Ford) Knowledge acquisition for model building (Louis Anthony Cox, Jr.) Model formulation as a problem-solving task: computer-assisted engineering modeling (Thomas R. Gruber) Modeling tasks with mechanisms (Angel R. Puerta, Samson W. Tu & Mark A. Musen)
Intelligent database applications offer tools that promote the development of understanding. They are particularly important in dealing with large amounts of data in complex environments. In complex systems one must step back and look at the big picture from time to time or otherwise one is blinded by detail. Therefore the intelligent database approach emphasizes the summarization and visualization of data. Intelligent data base applications have a very strong impact on modern life since they directly affect our ability to deal with its most important and crucial resource information. They help us to create information anew through discovery, maintain its quality through abnormality detection, and provide larger numbers of people with easy and immediate access to it. The book is clearly written, well illustrated and provides a very good treatment of the information explosion. It can serve as a unique reference to database, hypertext, and expert system designers and users. Managers and other professionals will benefit from this book too.
• Part II Modeling as framework for knowledge acquisition methodologies and tools (Brian R. Gaines, Mildred L. G. Shaw & Brian Woodward) A formalization of knowledge-level models for knowledge acquisitions (Hans Akkermans, Frank van Harmelen, Guus Schreiber & Bob Wielinga) Closing the gap between modeling to make sense and modeling to implement systems (Marc Linster) Learning simple causal structures (Dan Geiger, Azaria Paz & Judea Pearl) Acquiring tactical and strategic knowledge with a
Spyros Tzafestas National Technical University of Athens Greece 133
Advances in Engineering Software 21 (1994) 133-134 © 1995 Elsevier Science Limited Printed in Great Britain. All rights reserved 0965-9978/94/$07.00
:" -:~ . / j~ii ;.
i
"
m
l ELSEVIER
Book Reviews Knowledge Acquisition as Modeling. Keneth M. Ford & Jeffrey M. Bradshaw (Editors), John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1993. 344pp.
Intelligent Database Tools & Applications - - Hyperilmfolmation Access, Data Quality, Visualization, Automatic Discovery. Kaman Parsaye & Mark Chignell, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1993. xvi+ 541 pp.
This book is actually a reprint of the two special issues on Knowledge Acquistion (KA) as Modeling of the International Journal of Intelligent Systems (Vol. 8, Nos 1 and 2, 1993). Everyone in the field knows the cliche that KA is the bottleneck in the development of knowledge-based systems. Knowledge acquisition appears to be an opportunity rather than a problem. Results on KA research and practice have already been felt in the diverse areas of education, psychology, and engineering design. This book collects a diversity of papers where KA is considered as a modeling process, and not merely an exercise in expertise transfer of knowledge extraction. The book contains fifteen papers presented in two parts.
This book is devoted to the application of intelligent databases to various scientific and industrial fields. New methods of system design and user interface are developed, and the use of hypertext and icons as query tools is introduced. New graph types for quality control and project management are suggested, and the background knowledge that sets the new ideas within appropriate contexts is included. The contents of the book are as follows: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.
Intelligent databases Architectures and methodologies Graphical user interfaces Information discovery Data visualization Hyperinformation and hyperdata Information presentation Executive information systems Project management and visualization Marketing Intelligent quality control
• Part I Introduction: knowledge acquisition as modeling (Kenneth M. Ford & Jeffrey M. Bradshaw) Knowledge acquisition as a constructive modeling activity (Kenneth M. Ford, Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, Jack R. Adams-Webber & Nell M. Agnew) The knowledge level reinterpreted: modeling sociotechnical systems (William J. Clancey) Modeling practical reasoning (Brian R. Gaines) Structuring interviews with experts during knowledge elicitation (Larry E. Wood & John M. Ford) Knowledge acquisition for model building (Louis Anthony Cox, Jr.) Model formulation as a problem-solving task: computer-assisted engineering modeling (Thomas R. Gruber) Modeling tasks with mechanisms (Angel R. Puerta, Samson W. Tu & Mark A. Musen)
Intelligent database applications offer tools that promote the development of understanding. They are particularly important in dealing with large amounts of data in complex environments. In complex systems one must step back and look at the big picture from time to time or otherwise one is blinded by detail. Therefore the intelligent database approach emphasizes the summarization and visualization of data. Intelligent data base applications have a very strong impact on modern life since they directly affect our ability to deal with its most important and crucial resource information. They help us to create information anew through discovery, maintain its quality through abnormality detection, and provide larger numbers of people with easy and immediate access to it. The book is clearly written, well illustrated and provides a very good treatment of the information explosion. It can serve as a unique reference to database, hypertext, and expert system designers and users. Managers and other professionals will benefit from this book too.
• Part II Modeling as framework for knowledge acquisition methodologies and tools (Brian R. Gaines, Mildred L. G. Shaw & Brian Woodward) A formalization of knowledge-level models for knowledge acquisitions (Hans Akkermans, Frank van Harmelen, Guus Schreiber & Bob Wielinga) Closing the gap between modeling to make sense and modeling to implement systems (Marc Linster) Learning simple causal structures (Dan Geiger, Azaria Paz & Judea Pearl) Acquiring tactical and strategic knowledge with a
Spyros Tzafestas National Technical University of Athens Greece 133