Elicitatie

Elicitatie is the process of drawing out information, responses, or knowledge from people or data sources through deliberate questioning, tasks, or interaction. The term is used in Dutch and English in various professional contexts, where the goal is to obtain reliable data while guiding the participant’s input in a controlled manner. Etymologically, it derives from the Latin elicere, meaning to draw out.

In knowledge engineering and cognitive science, elicitation refers to methods for extracting expert knowledge needed to build models, decision rules, or knowledge bases. Common techniques include semi-structured interviews, cognitive task analysis, think-aloud protocols, and protocol analysis. In linguistics, elicitation is used to collect language data when natural speech is insufficient, employing tasks such as translation, picture description, sentence completion, cloze tests, and elicited imitation. In market and user research, elicitation interviews help uncover needs, beliefs, and preferences. In security contexts, elicitation can denote attempts to extract information through social interaction, sometimes raising ethical concerns.

Effective elicitation relies on clear objectives, rapport-building, and carefully designed prompts to minimize bias and avoid leading the participant. Researchers must consider limitations, such as the observer’s paradox, response bias, and the potential disparity between elicited data and real-world behavior. Ethical considerations, including informed consent and the respectful handling of sensitive information, are essential in all applications of elicitation. See also: elicitation in linguistics, knowledge elicitation, interview techniques.