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The voting technique emphasizes on finding a compromised solution to a problem. It involves presenting a problem to domain experts and encouraging each member to vote on alternative solutions to the problem. Alternatives are ranked and rated by the group of experts. It is effective only if each expert who participates in the team feels that his or her views and opinions have been heard. It is also vital that each expert has a commitment to the group decision though he or she may have some reservations. Even when one best answer may not be agreed upon by the team, this technique can significantly contribute to knowledge-based systems development efforts. It can be used in defining problem scope, identifying alternate solutions, and soliciting proper solutions. For the technique to be effective, the knowledge engineer must be aware of the possible effects of status, rank, or experience differences among the domain experts. Group Repertory Grid Analysis is a group version of the repertory grid analysis technique. It attempts to represent the domain expert's problem-solving knowledge in repertory grids, which allow experts to rate or judge a solution according to its level of a problem-solving trait. A domain expert uses repertory grids to enter knowledge by means of a rating grid. This grid displays problem solutions that have been elicited from the domain expert, which serve as column headings within the grid. Constructs (e.g., solution traits) are placed beside the grid's rows. The system elicits constructs by presenting the domain expert with sets of solutions and requesting that the expert discriminate among them. The domain expert then provides each problem solution with a rating that represents how it relates to each trait. Once these initial grids have been constructed, the knowledge engineer analyzes them and refines the knowledge base. This technique can be used in conjunction with the brainstorming technique, using brainstorming to generate solutions and constructs and then using a spreadsheet program to implement the repertory grid. A brainstorming tool can be used to facilitate the interviewing session. A Group Matrix tool can be used to facilitate the rating session. Schuler and colleagues developed the AQUINAS, a repertory-grid-based knowledge acquisition workbench, that can be used for collaborative evaluation. Group Support Systems (GSS) are computer and communications systems that facilitate a group's communication, coordination, and decision-making process. Techniques such as repertory grid analysis, brainstorming, Nominal Group Technique, Delphi technique, and the voting technique have been implemented in computer programs to facilitate the acquisition of knowledge from multiple experts using a group support system. The six necessary components include: hardware, software, facility, people, procedures, and facilitation. Benefits derived from using a GSS for knowledge acquisition include: (1) electronic documentation of knowledge; (2) knowledge extraction can be done in parallel from multiple experts; (3) conflicts are addressed during knowledge extraction sessions; and (4) interactions among experts result in an enlarged and enriched domain of expertise.
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