Technology report: Building legal practice systems with today's commercial authoring tools

Document assembly and other substantive legal practice applications are the most knowledge-intense forms of software now widely available in the legal technology marketplace. This article provides an illustrative look at two contemporary practice system engines-CAPS and Scrivener-and examines their relevance for AI-and-law researchers.     

PAxSPL: A feature retrieval process for software product line reengineering

Software product lines (SPLs) are a well-known solution to systematically create reusable software products. Among the approaches to create an SPL, the extractive approach is usually used when the organization already has a set of similar systems. These systems are analyzed to extract, categorize, and group their common and variant features throughout the SPL reengineering process. As there are different scenario variables, such as available artifacts and team experience, the activities and techniques used to perform these tasks may change. This may increase the effort and decrease the quality of retrieved features when users with low experience in SPL reengineering perform such tasks. However, there is a lack of a process supporting these tasks considering different scenarios. Therefore, we specify the P repare, A ssemble, and E x ecute Process for SPL Reengineering (PAxSPL), a process that provides support to prepare, assemble, and execute feature retrieval throughout the analysis of documentation and team experience. To initially evaluate PAxSPL, we conducted and reported an exploratory case study in a real development environment. The results indicated that our proposal helps in the assembly of a feature retrieval process according to user needs. Results were important to identify points for improvement in PAxSPL. We also could use the information gathered to improve the guidelines and provide this information to be used as basis of comparison for future users.     

Applying logistic regression to relevance feedback in image retrieval systems

This paper deals with the problem of image retrieval from large image databases. A particularly interesting problem is the retrieval of all images which are similar to one in the user's mind, taking into account his/her feedback which is expressed as positive or negative preferences for the images that the system progressively shows during the search. Here we present a novel algorithm for the incorporation of user preferences in an image retrieval system based exclusively on the visual content of the image, which is stored as a vector of low-level features. The algorithm considers the probability of an image belonging to the set of those sought by the user, and models the logit of this probability as the output of a generalized linear model whose inputs are the low-level image features. The image database is ranked by the output of the model and shown to the user, who selects a few positive and negative samples, repeating the process in an iterative way until he/she is satisfied. The problem of the small sample size with respect to the number of features is solved by adjusting several partial generalized linear models and combining their relevance probabilities by means of an ordered averaged weighted operator. Experiments were made with 40 users and they exhibited good performance in finding a target image (4 iterations on average) in a database of about 4700 images. The mean number of positive and negative examples is of 4 and 6 per iteration. A clustering of users into sets also shows consistent patterns of behavior.     

The ARCHIMEDES Network System: a system for searching and accessing information in multiple multimedia sources

The amount of information available to information workers recently has becomeoverwhelming. This confronts information workers with two majorproblems: finding the information needed, and accessing it; they arecalled the search problem and the access problem, respectively. Asthe main result of our research an architecture is specified of anautomated tool that provides integrated support for searching andaccessing multimedia documents that may be located at arbitraryplaces. The architecture contains a database with information aboutthe documents and with thesaurus-like information. The architecturealso contains a browse mechanism and a query mechanism for inspectingthe database. In the design process of the architecture, severalfundamental questions arose, like “What is a document?”and “ What is a medium kind?”. The developed answers tosome of these questions are considered to have a general characterand thus to be useful also outside the scope of the research at hand.The paper concludes with an overview of the current status of theproject and a discussion of future work.     

CD-ROM: an effective use of technology?

Abstract. The correct use of information systems implies, in part, the effective delivery and use of information. In situations where, as has frequently been the case in recent years, CD-ROMs form a part of an information system, there is very little that users can do to regulate or control the quality of the information being supplied. Poor information cannot be effectively used. This paper discusses the effective use of the medium and questions whether all publishers are paying sufficient attention to quality.     

Decision support for moving from a single product to a product portfolio in evolving software systems

Successful software systems continuously evolve to accommodate ever-changing needs of customers. Accommodating the feature requests of all the customers in a single product increases the risks and costs of software maintenance. A possible approach to mitigate these risks is to transition the evolving software system (ESS) from a single system to a portfolio of related product variants, each addressing a specific customers’ segment. This evolution should be conducted such that the extent of modifications required in ESS's structure is reduced. The proposed method COPE+ uses preferences of customers on product features to generate multiple product portfolios each containing one product variant per segment of customers. Recommendations are given to the decision maker to update the product portfolios based on structural analysis of ESS. Product portfolios are compared with the ESS using statechart representations to identify the level of similarity in their behaviors. A proof of concept is presented by application to an open-source text editing system. Structural and behavioral analysis of candidate portfolios helped the decision maker to select one portfolio out of three candidates.     

Temporality in Medical Work: Time also Matters

CSCW has long been concerned with the distribution of activities in time and in space, but the problems of distributed work have often taken analytic and technical precedence. In this paper, we are interested in the issue of temporality in collaborative work. In particular, we want to examine how the temporal organization of action is experienced by those who are involved in it. To investigate this phenomenon, we conducted a field study of medical workers in a surgical intensive care unit. Through this study, we highlight the temporal organization of the work. In particular, we introduce and describe three temporal features – temporal trajectories, temporal rhythms, and temporal horizons – that emerge from and influence the work of healthcare providers as they attempt to seek, provide, and manage information during the course of their daily work.     

Linguistically based functions in information retrieval: PADOK and the German Patent Information System

This paper reports on methodological considerations and the results of the Information Retrieval (IR) project PADOK I and II. PADOK has been carried out by the Linguistic Information Science Group of the University of Regensburg (LIR) since November 1984 and has been sponsored by the German Ministry for Research and Technology. The long term objective is to integrate artificial intelligence topics and the methods of information retrieval research without neglecting traditional IR methodology. In PADOK we consider a type of mass data IR system which indexes its documents rather shallowly (freetext or morphological components) and adds an intelligent information retrieval component to this kernel system. So far we have obtained, on the basis of two large-scale retrieval tests of the German Patent Information System results which show how the linguistically based functions of an indexing system contribute to its performance, and indicate what is the most reasonable basic content analysis program for a German Patent Information System. This paper focusses on the general principles and aims of PADOK I and PADOK R and on the statistical evaluation of the retrieval tests.Christa Womser-Hacker has a Ph.D. in Linguistic Information Science. From 1985 until 1990 she was involved in several LIR-Projects concerning text processing, evaluation of the German Patent Information System, man-machine-interaction, intelligent interfaces for databases. Since May 1990 she has been an LIR staff member. She is interested in information retrieval, (statistical) evaluation methods of man-machine-interaction, intelligent interfaces. She has published Der PADOK-Retrieval-test (1989) and Die statistische Auswertung des Retrievaltests (1990).Jürgen Krause is professor of Linguistic Information Science at the University of Regensburg. He is a member of the editorial boards of the periodicals Computer and the Humanities and GLDV-Forum, and co-editor of Sprache and Computer. His research interests include office automation, artificial intelligence help system, information retrieval, evaluation of natural language systems. He is co-editor (with Christa Womser-Hacker) of Das Deutsche Patentinformationssystem, Entwicklungstendenzen, Retrievaltests and Bewertungen (1990) and co-editor of Computer Talk (1991).     

面向航空产品项目管理网络计划模型研究

为了解决航空产品研制过程中网络计划难于按节点有效控制的问题,在对航空产品项目计划特点分析的基础上,提出了控制流和文档流相分离的分级网络计划模型和网络计划层次划分指导原则。详细介绍了单层网络计划中建立控制流矩阵和文档流矩阵、分解耦合活动集、计算时间参数和关键路径的方法。基于该模型开发的软件在几家航空制造企业得到应用,结果表明该模型不仅可以合理有效地制定网络计划,而且可以有效对项目进度进行监控。     

On research issues regarding uncertain query processing in an office document retrieval system

TEXPROS (TEXT PROcessing System) is an intelligent document processing, system; it supports storing, extracting, classifying, categorizing, retrieving, and browsing information from a variety of office documents [76]. This article presents a retrieval subsystem for TEXPROS, which is capable of processing incomplete, imprecise, and vague queries, and providing semantically meaningful responses to the user. The design of the retrieval subsystem is highly integrated with various mechanisms for achieving these goals. First, a system catalog including a thesaurus is used to store the knowledge about the database. Second, there is a query transformation mechanism composed of context construction and algebraic query formulation modules. Given an incomplete or imprecise query, the context construction module searches the system for the required terms and constructs a query that has a complete and precise representation: The resulting query is then formulated into an algebraic expression. Third, in practice, the user may not have a clear idea of what he is searching for. A browing mechanism is employed for such situations to assist the user in the retrieval process. With the browser, vague queries can be entered into the system until sufficient information, is obtained to the extent that the user is able to construct a query for his request. Finally, when processing of queries fails by responding with a null answer to the user, a generalizer mechanism is used to give the user cooperative explanation for the null answer. The presented techniques will contribute to our research toward development of highly intelligent data processing facilities beyond the present scope of database technology.This work was supported, in part, by the New Jersey Institute of Technology under grant No. 421280 and by a grant from the AT&T Foundation.     

Query processing and inverted indices in shared-nothing text document information retrieval systems

The performance of distributed text document retrieval systems is strongly influenced by the organization of the inverted text. This article compares the performance impact on query processing of various physical organizations for inverted lists. We present a new probabilistic model of the database and queries. Simulation experiments determine those variables that most strongly influence response time and throughput. This leads to a set of design trade-offs over a wide range of hardware configurations and new parallel query processing strategies.     

基于事件的新闻报道分析技术研究进展*

首先给出基于事件的新闻报道分析技术相关概念的定义,并提出一个基于事件的新闻报道分析技术框架;然后从四个方面介绍了基于事件的新闻报道分析中的关键技术,包括事件探测、事件追踪、事件相关文档摘要和事件RSU检索.对一些关键技术进行了分类和评价,剖析其优势及不足,通过对各种方法的分析和比较,提出了一些改进的方法和建议.最后展望了未来基于事件的新闻报道分析技术的发展方向.     

Determinants of e-consumer productivity in product retrieval on a commercial website: An experimental approach

This article investigates what determines e-consumer productivity, in the specific case of product retrieval, on a commercial website. With a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design on 292 participants, an online experiment reveals that productivity in product retrieval (measured in terms of effectiveness, efficiency, and time) relates to website design (e.g., abstraction level of labels, animation), user characteristics (e.g., Internet experience, product category familiarity, cognitive absorption), and situational characteristics (e.g., task nature). The results also confirm interactive effects among the type of strategy used, the nature of the task, and the website design. These findings have notable implications for both research and practice.     

Self-efficacy about information retrieval on the web across all domains: a short measure in French and English

Considering developments on the measurement of Internet Self-Efficacy literature, a short scale was developed with a focus on web searching across all domains. The Information Retrieval On the Web Self-Efficacy scale (IROWSE) was spread from the General Self-Efficacy Scale [Schwarzer, R. 1994. “Optimism, Vulnerability, and Self-Beliefs as Health Related Cognitions: A Systematic Overview.” Psychology and Health: An International 9: 161–180] and measures the value attributed by an individual to her/his own capacity to organise and execute information searches on the web. In study 1 (N?=?228), we aimed to ensure reliability, explore factorial structure, and check for criterion-related validity of a French form. In study 2 (N?=?534), we aimed to validate an English version among US and international (non-US) sample. From an internal validity point of view, both IROWSE versions turned out satisfactory with a one-factor model of eight items. As expected, the scales were not confused with self-esteem as a trait (study 1), self-reported Internet search skills (study 2) or general attitudes towards the Internet, and stemmed from direct experience with the Internet (study 1 and 2). Overall, slight differences between samples would indicate the cultural sensitivity of IROWSE measure encouraging running studies with a comparative approach. Resorting to the IROWSE measure might enhance the understanding of Internet practices, information retrieval behaviours, and search performance since self-efficacy would thus be assessed at a more domain-specific level.     

Uncharted Waters: ERM Implementation in a Medium-Sized Academic Library

ABSTRACT

There is no perfect formula for successful implementation of an electronic resource management product. Countless issues need to be addressed, ranging from questions about software functionality to distribution of new responsibilities. The end result is a centralized site for information accessible to anyone, anytime, anywhere. A little bit of planning and patience can make the implementation of an electronic resource management product a worthwhile venture.     

Software performance tuning of software product family architectures: Two case studies in the real-time embedded systems domain

Software performance is an important non-functional quality attribute and software performance evaluation is an essential activity in the software development process. Especially in embedded real-time systems, software design and evaluation are driven by the needs to optimize the limited resources, to respect time deadlines and, at the same time, to produce the best experience for end-users. Software product family architectures add additional requirements to the evaluation process. In this case, the evaluation includes the analysis of the optimizations and tradeoffs for the whole products in the family. Performance evaluation of software product family architectures requires knowledge and a clear understanding of different domains: software architecture assessments, software performance and software product family architecture. We have used a scenario-driven approach to evaluate performance and dynamic memory management efficiency in one Nokia software product family architecture. In this paper we present two case studies. Furthermore, we discuss the implications and tradeoffs of software performance against evolvability and maintenability in software product family architectures.