A framework for the validation of knowledge acquisition

Current knowledge acquisition literature provides few guidelines as to the appropriate set of validation criteria and techniques to be applied at various stages of the knowledge-based systems (KBS) development process. Utilizing a representational homomorphism definition of validation, this paper proposes a framework where validation evolves as a sequence of stages paralleling the different stages of the KBS development life cycle. This framework incorporates an inventory of validation methods and identifies the entities to be measured, the types of evidence to be collected, the criteria to be applied and the type of comparisons to be made to assess validity. © 1989 Academic Press Limited