How can the blackboard metaphor enrich collaborative ACM systems?

1. How can the blackboard metaphor
enrich collaborative ACM systems?
AdaptiveCM 2014 – Ulm 01.09.2014
Helle Frisak Sem, Steinar Carlsen and Gunnar John
Coll (Norway)
Computas AS 04.09.2014 – Please quote

2. 2
Plan for the talk
• The blackboard metaphor
• Adaptive Case Management and collaborative work
Computas AS 04.09.2014 – Please quote
• Balancing flexibility
and compliance
• Example - UTSYS
• Why is the blackboard
metaphor useful?

3. The blackboard metaphor
“A blackboard system is an artificial intelligence application based on
the blackboard architectural model, where a common knowledge
base, the "blackboard", is iteratively updated by a diverse group of
specialist knowledge sources, starting with a problem specification
and ending with a solution.”
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackboard_system
Computas AS 04.09.2014 – Please quote

4. Adaptive case management
CM:
Handling of many cases that are
essentially similar
Focus on automation
Adaptive CM:
Cases are different or circumstances
vary in an unpredictable way
Follow common and identifiable
patterns, but usually also stray
outside these
Supporting knowledge workers
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5. Ordered/complex duality
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Ordered situation with
clear indication of
what to do
Complex situation where
participants discover
patterns and decide actions
within bounds
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6. Types of collaboration (Mintzberg)
Coordination
Direct
supervision
Standardization Mutual
adjustment
of
employee
skills
of
work
processes
of
outputs
Computas AS 04.09.2014 – Please quote

7. Towards a rich ACM toolbox…
• Balancing procedural compliance and run-time flexibility
• Embracing the unknown, creating headroom for expert
7
judgment
We must offer different
collaboration types and
support mechanisms!
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8. Collaboration characteristics
• What is the reason to start to do something?
• How does information flow?
• Where is the locus of control?
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9. Hierarchies / direct supervision
• I act because I’m told to
• Flow follows line of command – Instructions down,
information up
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• One person in control
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10. Standardization – predefined design
• I act because it’s in my job description
• Information flows with the work/relay baton
• Control by design
10
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11. • I act because I think it is important
• Emergent control
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Mutual adjustment
• Shared information
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12. Blackboard metaphor – a way of thinking
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Main principles:
Shared information
Free initiative
Push and pull
Examples:
Progress of science
Scrum boards
Crime boards
Case files
Wirearchy
Computas AS 04.09.2014 – Please quote

13. Our goal:
Provide IT support for collaborative work
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• Support individual
work and
collaboration
• Ensure performance
correctness
• Provide flexibility to
handle the
unexpected
Computas AS 04.09.2014 – Please quote

14. Balancing adaptivity and compliance
Different means serve different collaboration patterns
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• Initiative
• Information flow
• Control
Computas AS 04.09.2014 – Please quote
ACM Shared
information
platform
Tools
and
services
Process-snippets
Structured
blackboards
Tasks
and
worklists
Task
library

15. Balancing adaptivity and compliance
How to do
the work
Easy if you
know what to do ACM Shared
information
platform
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Flexible relay
Shared information
and free initiative
Tools
and
services
Process-snippets
Structured
blackboards
Tasks
and
worklists
Task
library
Computas AS 04.09.2014 – Please quote

16. 16
Example - UTSYS
UTSYS –for The National Police Immigration Service (NPIS)
Operative police work related to immigration and forced
return of illegal immigrants
• Registration
• Identification
• Forced return
• Detention
Computas AS 04.09.2014 – Please quote

17. 17
Example - UTSYS
• Parts of the work follow strict rules
• Unpredictable overall process
• Different types of actors with their specific goals and
subgoals - lines of work
• Non-monotonic goals
Computas AS 04.09.2014 – Please quote

18. Undercover police infiltrates
B’s connections, revealing that
B has family in northern parts
of Elbonia, under a different
surname.
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Identification
status
Travel
documents
Identity
verified
Travelling
arrangements
Work supported by other police systems and UDI systems
UTSYS supported work
Asylum seeker «B»
arrives and an UTSYS
case is created.
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Detain B.
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Book flight.
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Assign escort.
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Surname
retrieved
Case gets reactivated:
Queries to authorities in
Elbonia using this name
returns passportmatch.
This triggers new tasks,
updating the blackboard.
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Police
work
5
The Norwegian Directorate of
Immigration processes the
application for asylum.
The application is turned down.
Application
for asylum
submitted
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When all subgoals
have been completed,
deportation can be
carried out, and the
case closed.
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Acceptance confirmed
by Elbonian authorities.
Identity Return Detention Case state
Awaiting
ID verification
Effectuation
Finalisation
Closing
UTSYS Case blackboard
Detained
Initial
interview
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Work to verify B’s identity
proves inconclusive. It is,
however, 90% certain that
the subject is an Elbonian.
Computas AS 04.09.2014 – Please quote
Failed
application
returned
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Elbonian authorities refuse to
receive B without firm
evidence that he is a subject of
Elbonia. Case is suspended.

19. 19
Example - UTSYS
Structured blackboards with lines of work
• Separate goals
• Mutual adjustment between the lines
• Relay-activity or standardization within tasks/lines
Computas AS 04.09.2014 – Please quote

20. 20
Area for LoW (a)
• Worklist with structured
and unstructured tasks
• Active task support based
on predefined process
snippets
• Context sensitive task
library for LoW (a)
• Rulebase for calculations
• Progress overview
• Emergent workflow
«Case x»
Case
Case state
Case subgoals
Common overview
blackboard
Area for LoW (b)
• Static task library for
LoW (b)
• Emergent workflow
• Tools for for executing
special analyses
• Structured access to
work results
• Activity plan editor
with reminders
Area for LoW (c)
• Mainly a log, where
LoW experts record
their actions and
reminders manually
• Activity plan editor
with reminders
• Resource library for
this LoW
Event 
New case x
instantiated
Main goal:
Case x solved
and closed
Case manager
needs a full
overview, across
lines of work
(LoW)
Discipline specialists operate within their respective lines of work (LoW).
Computas AS 04.09.2014 – Please quote

21. Why use the blackboard metaphor
• Promote the participants’
ability to coordinate work
through mutual
adjustment
• Give the participants
room to act by their
professional judgment
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Computas AS 04.09.2014 – Please quote

22. When to use blackboard metaphor
• When several participants collaborate
• When there is a need for shared situation awareness
• When information- and workflows between participants cannot be
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pre-designed
Computas AS 04.09.2014 – Please quote

23. Questions and discussion
Email: Helle.Frisak.Sem@computas.com
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Computas AS 04.09.2014 – Please quote
Thank you!