Fuzzy-based Intelligent Expert Search for Knowledge Management Systems

In managing organizational tacit knowledge, recent researches have shown that it is more applicable in many ways to provide expert search mechanisms in KMS to pinpoint experts in the organizations with searched expertise. In this paper, we propose an intelligent expert search framework to provide search capabilities for experts in similar or related fields according to the user's information needs. In enabling intelligent expert searches, Fuzzy Abstraction Hierarchy (FAH) framework has been adopted, through which finding experts with similar or related expertise is possible according to the subject field hierarchy defined in the system. To improve FAH, a text categorization approach called Vector Space Model is utilized. To test applicability and practicality of the proposed framework, the prototype system, "Knowledge Portal for Researchers in Science and Technology" sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) of Korea, was developed.