CFP: ExaCt 2009 (IJCAI 09 Workshop on Explanation-aware Computing)

[Pierre Grenon]

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    ** Please forward to anyone who might be interested **


                   CALL FOR PAPERS
            for the 4th International and
                  IJCAI-09 Workshop on

        EXPLANATION-AWARE COMPUTING (ExaCt 2009)

           11-12 July 2009, Pasadena, CA, USA

            http://exact2009.workshop.hm

     ** Paper submission deadline: March 6, 2009**


Both within AI systems and in interactive systems, the ability to
explain reasoning processes and results can have substantial impact.
Within the field of knowledge-based systems, explanations have been
considered as an important link between humans and machines. There,
their main purpose has been to increase the confidence of the user
in the system's result (persuasion) or the system as a whole
(satisfaction), by providing evidence of how it was derived
(transparency). More recently, in recommender systems good explanations
have also been used to help to inspire user trust and loyalty (trust),
and make it quicker and easier (efficiency) for users to find what they
want (effectiveness). Additional AI research has focused on how computer
systems can themselves use explanations, for example to form new
generalizations (learning).  Explanations have also been used to
increase the external user's understanding of a domain (education).

Current interest in mixed-initiative systems provides a new context in
which explanation issues may play a crucial role. When knowledge-based
systems are partners in an interactive socio-technical process, with
incomplete and changing problem descriptions, communication between
human and software systems is a central part. Thus explanations
exchanged between human agents and software agents may play an
important role in mixed-initiative problem solving.

This workshop series aims to draw on multiple perspectives on
explanation, to examine how explanation can be applied to further
the development of robust and dependable systems, and increase
transparency,  user sense of control (scrutability), trust,
acceptance and decision support.

If you would like to participate in discussions on this topic
or like to receive further information about this workshop you
might consider joining the Yahoo!-group
   http://groups.yahoo.com/group/explanation-research.
Information on explanation research is also collected at
   http://on-explanation.net.


GOALS AND AUDIENCE
We invite original contributions to the research on explanations
from a variety of areas and communities such as computer science,
cognitive science, linguistics, philosophy of science, psychology,
and education. In addition to presentations and discussions of
invited contributions and invited talks, this workshop will offer
organised and open sessions for targeted discussions and creating
an interdisciplinary community. Demonstration sessions will
provide the opportunity to showcase explanation-enabled/-aware
applications.


TOPICS OF INTEREST
Suggested topics for contributions (not restricted to IT views):
 * Models and knowledge representations for explanations
 * Integrating application and explanation knowledge
 * Explanation-awareness in (designing) applications
 * Methodologies for developing explanation-aware systems
 * Explanations and learning
 * Context-aware explanation vs. explanation-aware context
 * Confidence and explanations
 * Privacy, security, trust, and explanation
 * Empirical studies of explanations
 * Requirements and needs for explanations to support human
  understanding
 * Explanation of complex, autonomous systems
 * Co-operative explanation
 * Visualising explanations
 * Dialogue management and natural language generation
Submissions on additional topics are welcome as well.

SUBMISSIONS AND STYLE
Workshop submissions will be electronic, in pdf format only, using
the EasyChair submission system linked from the workshop website.

Papers must be written in English and not exceed 12 pages in the
Springer LNCS format. At least one author of each accepted paper
must register for the workshop and present the contribution in
order to be published in the workshop proceedings. The organising
committee is considering editing a special issue of an appropriate
international journal (e.g., Kluwer's Knowledge-based Systems,
Elsevier's Expert Systems with Applications, or Springer's
Information System Frontiers) depending on the number and quality
of the submissions.

Those wishing to participate providing a live system demonstration
should submit a proposal (1-2 pages). Those wishing to participate
without paper or demo submission should submit a brief synopsis of
their relevant work or at least a brief statement of interest.

Non-archival working notes will be produced containing the papers
presented at the workshop.

If you have questions please contact the chairs at the following
email address: exact2009 at dfki.uni-kl.de.

IMPORTANT DATES
Submission deadline:                     March 6, 2009
Notification of acceptance:              April 17, 2009
Camera-ready versions of papers:         May 8, 2009
IJCAI-09 Workshop Program:               July 11-12, 2009


WORKSHOP SCHEDULE
The schedule will be made available on the workshop website. See the
workshop website for an agenda overview und links to past workshops.


INVITED TALKS
Talks by two invited speakers, each representing a different community
addressing explanation issues, are planned.


CHAIRS
Thomas R. Roth-Berghofer, German Research Center for
 Artificial Intelligence DFKI GmbH, Germany
 thomas.roth-berghofer at dfki de
Nava Tintarev, Department of Computer Science,
 University Of Aberdeen, UK
 n.tintare at abdn ac uk
David B. Leake
 Computer Science Department, Indiana University, USA
 leake at cs indiana edu


PROGRAMME COMMITTEE
Agnar Aamodt, Norwegian Uni of Science and Technology (NTNU)
David W. Aha, Navy Center for Applied Research in AI, USA
Patrick Brézillon, LIP6, France
Jörg Cassens, NTNU
Francisco Javier Díez, UNED Madrid, Spain
Babak Esfandiari, Carleton University, Canada
Pierre Grenon, IFOMIS, University of Saarbrücken, Germany
Anders Kofod-Petersen, SINTEF, Norway
Hector Muñoz-Avila, Lehigh University, USA
Paulo Pinheiro da Silva, University of Texas, El Paso, USA
Enric Plaza, IIIA-CSIC, Spain
Michael M. Richter, University of Calgary, Canada
Sven Schwarz, DFKI, Germany
Gheorghe Tecuci, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
Douglas Walton, University of Winnipeg, Canada