Motivation Norms of Knowledge Engineers Compared to Those of Software Engineers

This paper describes the results of a survey of members of the American Association for Artificial Intelligence (knowledge engineers) concerning their individual need for growth and their perceptions about their work environment. Responses are compared to those of software engineers whose qualifications are similar to those of knowledge engineers. Comparisons are made on 16 variables. The analysis shows that personnel in the two job categories are quite similar; both have quite high need for growth and therefore need jobs rich in the factors key to motivation. The survey also identified several problems that managers in the artificial intelligence (ai) area need to resolve.