Knowledge-based approach to domain modeling: organizational process modeling application

Abstract

An application domain is defined to be a collection of systems that share common characteristics. A domain model is used to capture common characteristics and variations among a family of software systems in a given application domain. From the domain model, target systems can be generated by tailoring the domain model according to the requirements of each target system. Thus, a knowledge engineer can develop the specifications for a target system in terms of the previously specified domain model, and does not have to perform a full systems analysis every time a new target system has to be constructed. This paper presents the design and application of an intelligent, microcomputer-based group support system used to automate the execution of collaborative organizational processes performed by multiple organizational members. Knowledge-based system technology has been used to construct the domain model of organizational processes and to generate a specific organizational process model from it. The intelligence of the system is demonstrated primarily by the following. First, intelligent software agents, each representing and emulating a human organization member, are used as the basis for the solution design. Second, as a part of the software solution, a knowledge-based requirements elicitation tool (KBRET) has been developed to automate the process of generating the specification for target systems from the domain model. The entire software solution has been implemented using CLIPS (C Language Integrated Production System), an expert system shell developed at NASA/Johnson Space Center.