DocKMan's knowledge base builder: A tool for the organization of knowledge.

Abstract

Information, both print and online is growing at an exponential rate. The ability to locate individual items of information has not kept pace. Once this information has been brought to bear on a problem, the resulting knowledge is lost. It is difficult to organize and store the results of an information search. We propose a tool to assist in the resolution of these problems. DocKMan's knowledge base builder. Through the use of a hierarchical concept organization and a frame-based inheritance scheme, we believe we have found a means of structuring information which allows easier browsing and retrieval of knowledge. The combination this 'structuring tool' with a text analysis tool facilitates the construction of organized repositories of knowledge or 'knowledge bases'. Text can now be analyzed for specific pieces of information which are then inserted into the appropriate area of the hierarchy. Such a set of tools will prove especially useful to knowledge workers in technically oriented fields.