Expert Systems as Design Aids

Abstract

Expert systems provide a framework for the collection and manipulation of data relevant to many types of design problems. Through the use of modern programming techniques it is possible to provide integrated systems that allow complex logical inferences to be made that can effectively utilize the knowledge of “experts” in the design field. This paper demonstrates an example application to the design of fireplaces. This is an area of design where the art and science of the design process are not clearly separated and we need to rely on a mixture of knowledge types and sources.