Software design of maintainable knowledge-based systems for building design

✍ Scribed by Tom Andersen; Niels Vejrup Carlsen

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1995
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 960 KB
• Volume: 4
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0926-5805
• DOI: 10.1016/0926-5805(94)00042-l

✦ Synopsis

Identifying and establishing a basic structure for knowledge representation is one of the keys to successful design of knowledge-based computer systems. In Building Design and Construction, this initial knowledge structure can be achieved by utilizing a query driven approach to software engineering. As (user) queries reflect the user's demand for in/output, it is natural to link the overall user dialogue with key elements in the knowledge base. Direct connections between user screens and objects in the knowledge base support prototyping and testing the application during development.

However, the price for pursuing this approach in its pure form can be high, as needs for later maintenance and augmentation of the system can be very hard to fulfil. To overcome these problems, a strict user interface software separation strategy must be introduced at early stages of software design, and implemented as a global control module as independent of the knowledge processing as possible.