This paper reports on one of a number of Knowledge Based Systems under development at the University of Hong Kong. In particular it deals with the problem of knowledge elicitation and analysis applied to the domain of selection of retaining wall structures. In view of the complexity of the subject matter and the difficulty of training professional engineers, the knowledge-based system attempts to provide selection suggestions by explicitly representing in detail both the knowledge that experts possess and the strategies that they use to reason about what they know.

Acting as an integral part of the development of the knowledge based system, the knowledge elicitation sessions seek to elucidate the strategic and judgmental knowledge that experienced engineers employ in the decision making processes. Basically, three techniques of knowledge elicitation are being adopted, namely, the focused interview, the structured interview and the thinking aloud protocols. The aims, objectives and advantages and disadvantages of these techniques in practice will be discussed. Analysis of the data elicited by these techniques is a critical component of KBS development and a novel Knowledge Analysis Model, developed by Ng at the University of Hong Kong will be described.

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