EXTRA (Experts Telling Relevant Advice) is a knowledge management system that stores and retrieves digitally recorded stories. EXTRA has one intention -- and that is to get a story to a user that will help him or her make a decision just at the time that they are about to make a decision. We use storytelling as the vehicle to impart knowledge.

EXTRA could exist in any domain of knowledge, and in fact, all possible domains of knowledge might come into play, depending on the needs of the user. The system can capture corporate stories, historical stories, or any recorded material. The idea is simple and is based on observations about everyday human interaction. People talk about their problems and those with whom they are speaking offer solutions. Typically, people tell each other information through storytelling. These stories are derived from their own experiences. When someone tells a friend about an issue, they are often regaled with a story that starts with “something like that happened to me” or “you know what I did when I was faced with that situation?”

As I was catching up with Language Log, I read a fascinating post on AI, semantics and linguistics. Too much to take in at one sitting, but full of appended insights, including a link to this novel 'KM system'. I think it appears to be hypothetical, but I need to explore further.