Two Design Principles for Knowledge-Based Systems

Abstract

This paper discusses two principles that have become increasingly important in the design of knowledge‐based systems: domain‐specific knowledge used to support opportunistic reasoning and hierarchical organization structure used to control and coordinate problem‐solving activity. We propose a design framework that embodies these two principles and describe how this framework has been used to develop a knowledge‐based job‐shop scheduling system. This system, called OPIS 0, has undergone limited testing in an experimental environment modeled after an actual job shop. Its performance has been very good compared to ISIS and to the more traditional approach of constructing a schedule by dispatching jobs using the COVERT priority rule. The resulting design also shows potential for use in a decision support role.