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Heuristic Structuring and Methods Selection in the SEP: An Expert System in M.4
Author(s) -
Clayson Mark H.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
incose international symposium
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2334-5837
DOI - 10.1002/j.2334-5837.1996.tb02107.x
Subject(s) - structuring , heuristics , computer science , selection (genetic algorithm) , expert system , process (computing) , heuristic , matching (statistics) , function (biology) , knowledge base , engineering design process , systems engineering , industrial engineering , software engineering , artificial intelligence , engineering , mechanical engineering , statistics , mathematics , finance , biology , operating system , evolutionary biology , economics
Systems engineering problems, and their analysis and design methods, become increasingly structured during the systems engineering process. The analysis and control function plays a structuring role in the concept phase and at the start of every loop (e.g., requirements, design, validation) in the systems engineering process. Part of analysis and control can be decomposed into a structuring loop which selects or matches methods to be applied. Heuristics are a powerful unstructured method for leveraged structuring in the critical concept phase, and later. The criteria for matching of heuristics and more structured methods to problems is logically described in decision tables. These in turn may be implemented in a knowledge base or expert system. One such operational prototype has been developed in the M.4 rule‐based environment, and is described here. The benefits of such aids may be significant for the systems engineering management and systems architects heavily involved in the analysis and control function. The same approach may be followed using existing taxonomies for specific tool selection.