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112 Socially Intelligent Agentsdemonstrations, transmission of positive evaluations and so on. However, ifsome are not, then the outcome may be unpredictable, depending on distributionof satisfied and dissatisfied agents in social networks. Secondly, this approachinvolves almost no theoretical terms in the sense already defined. An ordinaryconsumer could be asked directly about any of the above behaviours: “Haveyou ever seen an EPO demonstrated?” We are thus assured of measurabilityright at the outset.The mention of social networks shows why questions also need to be presentedspatially and temporally. We need to know not just whether the consumerhas exchanged messages, but with whom and when. Do consumers first collectinformation and then make a decision or do these tasks in parallel?The final (and hardest) set of data to obtain concerns the cognitive changesresulting from various interactions. What effect do conversations, new information,observations and evaluations have? Clearly this data is equally hard tocollect in retrospect - when it may not be recalled - or as it happens - when itmay not be recorded. Nonetheless, the problem is with elicitation not with thenature of the data itself. There is nothing theoretical about the question “Whatdid you think when you first heard about EPO?”I hope this discussion shows that MAS are actually very well suited to “datadriven” development because they mirror the “agent based” nature of socialinteraction. Paradoxically, the task of calibrating them is easier when architecturesare less dependent on categories originating in theory rather than everydayexperience. Nonetheless, a real problem remains. The “data driven” MAS involvesdata of several different kinds that must be elicited in different ways. Anysingle data collection technique is liable not only to gather poor data outside itscompetence but also to skew the choice of architecture by misrepresenting thekey features of the social process.4. Data Collection TechniquesIn this section, I shall discuss the appropriate role of a number of data collectiontechniques for the construction of a “data driven” MAS.Surveys [7]: For relatively stable factors, surveying the population may beeffective in discovering the distribution of values. Historical surveys can alsobe used for exogenous factors (prices of competing products) or to explore ratesof attitude change.Biographical Interviews [2]: One way of helping with recall is to takeadvantage of the fact that people are much better at remembering “temporallyorganised” material. Guiding them through the “history” of their own EPOadoption may be more effective than asking separate survey questions. Peoplemay “construct” coherence that was not actually present at the time and there isstill a limit to recall. Although interviewees should retain general awareness of