Initial Knowledge Base Development

In this chapter we identify and explore issues that must be addressed in the initial stages of developing a knowledge base. It might appear to the naive developer that the acquisition of knowledge is primarily an issue of access to experts. Actually, the availability of experts is the easiest component in the entire picture. The real issue is to ascertain what it is that one wishes to acquire from each expert. The information desired must be described so that there is compatibility between elements acquired from one expert in one area and another expert in some other area, as well as from future experts who supply information in the same domain in later years (Giuse et al., 1993; Giuse et al., 1993; Giuse et al., 1989; Suwa et al., 1982).