This is the first textbook on attribute exploration, its theory, its algorithms for
applications, and some of its many possible generalizations. Attribute exploration
is useful for acquiring structured knowledge through an interactive process, by
asking queries to an expert. Generalizations that handle incomplete, faulty, or
imprecise data are discussed, but the focus lies on knowledge extraction from a
reliable information source.
The method is based on Formal Concept Analysis, a mathematical theory of
concepts and concept hierarchies, and uses its expressive diagrams. The presentation
is self-contained. It provides an introduction to Formal Concept Analysis
with emphasis on its ability to derive algebraic structures from qualitative data,
which can be represented in meaningful and precise graphics.
