Active management in the development of intelligent products

The author explores a general framework for analyzing or synthesizing intelligent systems, as well as techniques for implementing them. The framework consists of six factors: purpose, space, structure, time, process and efficiency. The technologies involve the methods of artificial intelligence and strategies for developing knowledge-based systems. The framework has been used to develop diverse applications, ranging from an expert system for creative product design to a package for factory configurations. This framework is discussed in the context of an expert system for the design of personal computers.<>