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Notes on General Framework Notation: Note 2

The Generalized Framework (GF) has the form of an n tuple:

< a(0), a(1), a(2), . . . , a(n) >

Figure 1: The Zachman Framework

The value of a(0) is set by a pre-process that categorizes the event that the Framework will be used to characterize.

Example 1, the categorization can be the name of a DARPA R&D program that is to be characterized in the framework. Of course the name of the program is not a “categorization of an event” but is simply a label.

Example 2: technology offering for vendors that have been successful in previous competitions.

The conceptual space being defined by Example 1 and Example 2 can be compared. For course we can then see the impedance mismatch that has been talked about elsewhere.

In other uses of the same tool set (the OSI development environment), the pre-categorization provides a feedback loop to the clustering of category contents using the SLIPCore Browser. This is a more complex case to explain. Hopefully once the functionality of the OSI browsers are seen by a user, then feedback loops will be used to iterative refine a knowledge base and the various sets of natural-kinds that we developed. This is following the senseMaking architecture.

Suppose that the “event” is the elicitation of tacit knowledge about the R&D program that is derived by a human clerk while looking at the textual description of the R&D program. The clerk is to answer each of the thirty questions in the framework.

Who is the subcontractors, or when is the work to be done.

Note that the when / subcontractors may have a number of separate answers, and even variations in how the question is posed. But the task of the clerk is to answer however it seems best and not to be overly concerned about the details. Consistent with a methodology that we see expressed in Acappella Software (a knowledge elicitation/vetting system) the task of the clerk is to fill out as much as is comfortable and in any way that the clerk feels fit. So some cells will not be responded to, and some will have perhaps several paragraphs written. This methodology is also consistent with the Method of Descriptive Enumeration (PowerPoint URL).

Over time, suppose that 100 of these events have been considered. The OSI Framework Browser (currently under design by Don Mitchell) will have stored the cell values as strings, and will have developed an XML type text file for each of the 100 events. An I-RIB will exist that governs the access to the data in the XML. The OSI Framework Browser elicits the knowledge from the human clerk and then stores this in a convenient way.

A parsing program is then launched from the OSI Framework Browser. The parser is not part of the first version of the Framework browser, and will be prototyped by prueitt using FoxPro tools. The parser produces a correlation analysis and results in a “derived” n tuple:

< a(0), a’(1), a’(2), . . . , a’(n) >

where a(0) is the event type (name of the R&D program) and a’(1), . . . , a’(n) are each fillers that minimally sign the cell contents.

The derivation of minimal signs will be fully demonstrated, but there is a great deal of flexibility here in making what is essential.

There is a reduction of a free form of writing to a set of standard fillers for cells. Over time, the filling of cells might often be made from a pick list; as long as there is always a means to introduce new types of fillers at any moment. The reverse is also possible if one has a natural language generation capability such as in the Acappella Software or Wycal’s linguistic ConText engine (now not longer a part of oracle “full text retrieval” capability). A Cyc knowledge base type first order logic might also be employed in the standard Schank-type scripts with slots and fillers and predictive methodology. This will even work in the Intrusion Detection Architecture proposed to Industry last year by OSI.

The set of fillers for each framework cell (a cell is called also a slot in script theory) becomes the set of natural-kind that is observed to be the structural components of the event under consideration. These structural components are the substance of the events, and the discoveries of relationships between structural elements are to be viewed using the categoricalAbstraction (cA) and eventChemistry (eC) OSI Browsers.

Categorical expression is expressed within the co-occurrence of elements of structure and these correlate to functional dependencies expected by the R&D program. The senseMaking architecture for the OSI Knowledge Operating System (OSI - KOS) is then used to annotate these dependencies and to develop first order logics that provide top down expectancies and predictive filling in of slots (cells) that have not been filled in.

Several other features are to be discovered with this very simple system. The total size of the system (of five OSI browsers) is less that 600K. As the system is used, the knowledge base grows but is always preserved as ASCII text files that are editable and which are read in at the beginning of the use of the KOS.

OSI expects to have the first release of the Framework Browser available by October, 1, 2002. The complete KOS development environment is available at a year license of $19,500. This license comes with ample tutorials and 160 hours of consulting and customization.

The predictive Methodology using cA/eC is fulfilled in a nice way using the Generalized Framework in senseMaking architecture.

(…) Comments can be sent to ontologyStream e-forum . (Note 1. .)