1. A method for conducting an expert conversation, the method comprising: constructing a knowledge database comprising a dialogue repository comprising a plurality of dialogues, each dialogue representing a framework for creating at least one expert conversation and comprising a plurality of nodes and a plurality of edges extending between pairs of nodes, by identifying a subject for each node and associating an identifying text string with each node, the identifying text string comprising the identified subject for each node; grouping the nodes by common subject; into a plurality of node groups, each node group associated with a given subject; identifying containment hierarchies among the subjects, each containment hierarchy comprising a subset relationship between a given pair of subjects; organizing the node groups in the knowledge database in accordance with the containment hierarchies; and using the dialogue repository in combination with a runtime dialogue system in communication with the knowledge database and executing on a computing system that is in communication with an expert and a user to use the knowledge database to conduct a live expert conversation between the expert and the user using the plurality of nodes in the knowledge database as turning points in the live expert conversation to prompt the exchange of information between the expert and the user, to use the exchanged information to identify appropriate edges at each node and to extend the expert conversation across the identified appropriate edges through the plurality of nodes.
1. A method for conducting an expert conversation, the method comprising: constructing a knowledge database comprising a dialogue repository comprising a plurality of dialogues, each dialogue representing a framework for creating at least one expert conversation and comprising a plurality of nodes and a plurality of edges extending between pairs of nodes, by identifying a subject for each node and associating an identifying text string with each node, the identifying text string comprising the identified subject for each node; grouping the nodes by common subject; into a plurality of node groups, each node group associated with a given subject; identifying containment hierarchies among the subjects, each containment hierarchy comprising a subset relationship between a given pair of subjects; organizing the node groups in the knowledge database in accordance with the containment hierarchies; and using the dialogue repository in combination with a runtime dialogue system in communication with the knowledge database and executing on a computing system that is in communication with an expert and a user to use the knowledge database to conduct a live expert conversation between the expert and the user using the plurality of nodes in the knowledge database as turning points in the live expert conversation to prompt the exchange of information between the expert and the user, to use the exchanged information to identify appropriate edges at each node and to extend the expert conversation across the identified appropriate edges through the plurality of nodes. 10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the nodes comprise text search nodes, each teach search node comprising a single question and a plurality of text alternatives that are displayed in response to entered text, each text alternative matching at least a portion of the entered text.