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Subject: VDE comments from the AI Forum attendee's
The following bullets were collected as comments from the AI Forum
attendee's at the conclusion of the 1 day VDE training program. No
edits have been made on the comments.
o add ability for arithmetic operators without having to call out
o have VT220 (not workstation) development interface for V1.0
(can't sell with DECwindows incomplete; i.e. without DECwindow
look and feel)
o V2.0 suggestions
separate windows in delivery environment for history,
explanation and conclusion
text editing directly with mouse
draw tree's directly with mouse
have the pop-up windows come up automatically without having to
use <space>
o in delivery mode, avoid having the single stepping; i.e., type
a response, hit <return> and ALSO hit the <DO>. Eliminate the
<DO> step
o reduce need to keep going back and forth betwwen the mouse and
the keyboard
o too many special keys - is confusing - <space> all the Function
keys, DO, etc.
o hard to sell in it's present PC-like state against all the
ather PC and PC-like tools available at much lower prices - in
particular, LEVEL 5
o would like ascii representation of knowledge based (versus
graphical) for documantation and on-going maintenance purposes
- comment facilities would be helpful for KB to facilitate
on-going maintenance - good mappability between ascii
representation and graphical representation
o to support pre-sales activity we need a sophisticated enough
demo to convinve customers that the tool is powerful enough to
do real work - show's off the "guts" of the tool
o consistent and "visible" mouse selections on menu - not white
on black sometimes, border outline other times and black on
white even other times
o concern expressed over the readability of large ( >30 ) rule
tables - hard to read down the columns
o customers have high expectations when they are sat down in
front of a big, high quality, bit-mapped graphic's screen -
present version of VDE will be disappointment - will be very
difficult to get a second chance to show new version to
customer - prefer VT-based development environment until
DECwindow look and feel is added.
*** EDITORIAL COMMENT ***
Many things were suggested here; some trivial and some serious. At the
end of the discussion I asked a DECwindow's knowledgable person about
how many of the issues discussed would be fixed just by adding the
DECwindows look and feel to the tool. He responded that most all of the
problems would be fixed. This relieved most of the crowd. The main
thing that came through strong all through the discussion, and after,
can be summed up in the last bullet talking about only getting one shot
at the customer. The crowd was consistent in the idea that a VT based
delivery environment for V1.0 would be preferabble to a workstation
version for the first pass.
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| THIS IS THE TIME TO GIVE YOUR INPUTS REGARDING VAX DECISION EXPERT VERSION
2.0. THERE IS A FORMAL OF SUBMITTING PRODUCT REQUIREMENTS (SEE BELOW).
YOU CAN EITHER SEND THEM DIRECTLY TO MARCIA, OR CHANNEL THEM THROUGH ME.
PASCAL
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DATE: 15-March-1989
FROM: Marcia E. Roland
DEPT: AI Product Management
LOC: DLB5-2/B07
EXT: 291-8035
ENET: AITG::ROLAND
SUBJ: VAX Decision Expert V2.0 - OPENING OF PHASE 0
The purpose of this memo is to announce the opening of Phase 0 for VAX
Decision Expert V2.0. The goal of V2.0 is to work on a consistent user
interface along with additional features to further enhance the
VAX Decision Expert development package.
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
VAX Decision Expert is a tool designed to assist programmers and
engineers in building expert systems. VAX Decision Expert was intended for
applications in diagnostics, maintenance and advisory systems, although it
has been used in a variety of other areas.
VAX Decision Expert has both development and delivery packages. The
development package allows users to build expert systems by making
selections from menus. Information can be shown in several ways: in
a table format for entering if-then rules; a graphical editor
for building and/or trees; and a graphical editor for building decision
or procedural trees. VAX Decision Expert allows for both forward or goal
chaining in the if-then table and and/or tree modules. The developer can
control the search technique by setting probability and cost data so the
system will search the most effective and least expensive route first. Also,
the developer can control the search technique by using the utility language.
The utility language is an underlying command language that provides the
ability to perform functions that cannot be classified as if/then table,
and/or tree, or decision tree functions, for instance input/output or
inference control structures. The development package requires a
DECwindows-supported display device.
The delivery or end-user package is a simple menu interface aimed at the
end-user with no computer experience. The screen is divided into two main
parts: the procedure window and the history window. The current question or
procedure is displayed in the procedure window. A pop-up menu window appears
and the end user must choose a response from the menu in order to continue the
session. Once the end-user responds, both the question and the end user's
answer are placed in the history window. The procedure continues until a
solution is reached. The delivery package can be displayed on a VT200 or VT300
series terminal, or in a DECterm window on a DECwindows-supported display
device.
VAX Decision Expert V2.0
Product Requirements Input Form
1. Submittor:
DTN:
Node:
Loc/MS:
Position:
2. Engineering or Support Group issuing requirements request:
Include name and brief description of group.
3. Abstract:
Include brief, single-paragraph description of requirement.
4. Description:
Include detailed description of requirement and an indication of
expected result if requirement is included.
5. Schedule:
Note any schedule concerns caused by products on which this
requirement would be dependent. Include availability dates for
specifications, protos, field tests, and FRS when appropriate.
6. Benefit:
Description of benefit, including substantiating data.
7. Impact of not meeting request:
Describe impact to Digital if request is turned down. Please
explain this in terms of lost opportunities and markets.
8. Justification:
Include here any other reasons for including this request.
Page 2
9. Rating:
Rate the importance of including the requirement using the
following scale:
1 - ESSENTIAL 2 - IMPORTANT 3 - DESIRABLE
o ESSENTIAL = Version 2.0 of the product should not be
shipped without this feature. It is a critical feature that,
if it were missing, would cause most customers not to purchase
the product.
o IMPORTANT = Version 2.0 of the product should include this
feature unless its inclusion would jeopardize the
time-to-market goals. The lack of this feature may cause
certain customers not to purchase the product, either because
it is a feature that is available and used often in current
products or it is a feature they have requested for a long
time. This feature should be included no later than
Version 2.1.
o DESIRABLE = No desirable features will be considered for V2.0.
10. Known issues:
Include statement of risks to either schedule or content.
11. Support documents:
Identify any documents that add detail to the request.
|
| There's some good news in the following. In my mind, the best news is a
simple call from VAX Decision Expert into DECdecision spreadsheet
cells. And DECdecision cells can point to Rdb based data.
Pat
_______________________________________________________________________
VAX Decision Expert Version 2.0
Phase 0 Market and Product Requirements
Author: Marcia E. Roland
VAX Decision Expert Product Manager
Date: November 1989
Company Confidential: This document is for internal use only and contains
highly proprietary information
Digital Equipment Corporation
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
2. MARKET REQUIREMENTS
2.1 TARGET MARKET
2.2 USAGE SCENARIOS
3. PRODUCT GOALS
4. PRODUCT NON-GOALS
5. VAX DECISION EXPERT V2.0 PRODUCT REQUIREMENTS
5.1 VAX DECISION EXPERT DEVELOPMENT INTERFACE
5.1.1 VAX DECISION EXPERT DELIVERY INTERFACE
5.1.2 SUPPORT FOR THE VAX/ULTRIX AND RISC/ULTRIX
5.2 PROVIDING EXTENSIVE CAPABILITIES FOR DEVELOPING EXPERT SYSTEMS
5.2.1 VARIABLES
5.2.2 MANIPULATION OF NUMERIC DATA
5.2.3 MULTIPLE SIMULTANEOUS EDITING SESSIONS
5.2.4 RECURSION AND ITERATION
5.2.5 EXPORTING AND IMPORTING MODULES
5.2.6 EXTENSION TO THE UTILITY LANGUAGE
6. ENVIRONMENT
6.1 SOFTWARE COMPATIBILITY
6.2 HARDWARE COMPATIBILITY
7. PERFORMANCE
8. DOCUMENTATION
8.1 ON-LINE HELP
8.2 DOCUMENTATION
9. SERVICE REQUIREMENTS
9.1 INSTALLATION
9.2 SERVICABILITY REQUIREMENTS
9.3 MAINTAINABILITY
9.4 RELIABILITY
10. PACKAGING AND PERFORMANCE
11. INTERNATIONALIZATION
12. TRAINING AND SUPPORT
12.1 TRAINING
12.2. SUPPORT
13. TIME-TO-MARKET
14. SCHEDULE
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
VAX Decision Expert is a joint development product with General Electric.
It is based on General Electric's GEN-X, a tool that GE has used since 1981
for internal expert system applications.
VAX Decision Expert is an easy-to-use, graphical expert system building
shell. VAX Decision Expert's product strategy is to make expert system
accessible to programmers, engineers and computer-literate domain expert.
VAX Decision Expert is the first tool of the long-awaited "productivity
shell" class to appear on the market, and is specifically designed for
non-AI experts. Productivity shells are designed to make it easy to
develop expert systems for use in a particular problem area. VAX Decision
Expert
addresses the diagnostic problem set, which includes diagnosis,
maintenance, selection, analysis, help-desk, and advisory systems. VAX
Decision Expert enables conventional programmers and even computer-literate
experts to build their own expert systems and integrate them with existing
applications.
VAX Decision Expert does this by providing a menu-driven user interface,
three graphical representations for entering rules and facts, and an
underlying utility language that allows for the integration of expert
systems built with VAX Decision Expert with other applications
and databases.
The goal of VAX Decision Expert V2.0 is to facilitate the developers
programming environment by providing a standard user interface, variables,
simple mathematics, and enhanced programmer productivity features. In
addition, VAX Decision Expert V2.0 provides a simple interface into
DECdecision.
VAX Decision Expert version 2.0 will support VAX/VMS, MIPS/ULTRIX and
VAX/ULTRIX. The target FCS date is Q2FY91.
2. Market Requirements
VAX Decision Expert is an expert system-building tool for diagnostic
applications. Expert system tools can be classified into several
categories: inductive tools, simple rule-based tools, structured
rule-based tools, hybrid tools, productivity shell and domain-specific
tools. VAX Decision Expert is classified as a productivity shell. A
productivity shell is designed to facilitate building expert systems for a
particular problem type. Expert Systems Strategies publication states VAX
Decision Expert "is a significant step in the direction of creating
easy-to-use tools for non-programmers." There are few tools on the market
today that are classified as productivity shells, although they are
becoming increasingly popular.
2.1 Target Market
VAX Decision Expert is aimed at programmers, engineers or
computer-literate domain experts interested in developing expert systems
within the strategic industries of Aerospace, Automotive, Electronics,
Finance/Insurance, Government, Discrete Manufacturing, Medical, Process
Manufacturing, Pharmaceutical and Telecommunications/Utilities. VAX
Decision Expert is targeted for diagnostics, maintenance, help-desk and
advisory systems.
VAX Decision Expert requires a DECwindows display device for developing
applications, but delivery is on a character cell terminal or a
workstation. VAX Decision Expert opens the artificial intelligence market
to new users who are not trained in knowledge engineering.
2.2 Usage Scenarios
The following are some examples of expert system applications created with
VAX Decision Expert:
CLASS - Commercial Loan Analysis Support System
Recommends the granting or refusal of capital-based loans.
The time necessary to validate a loan is reduced from three
days to five minutes.
JET-X - Jet Engine Performance Analyzed and Interpreted
Guides the post-flight analysis of engine fault data. When
analysis is complete, the system gives a summary of the
session and recommends a follow-up maintenance action.
Machine Adjuster's Helper - Assembly-line Maintenance Advisor
Assists mechanics in maintaining several highly specialized
lamp (light bulb) manufacturing machines. Includes both a
training and diagnostic component.
CARE - Computer Aided Requisition Engineering
Takes customer requirements in the form of specifications and
either finds an existing motor that satisfies the required
specifications, or designs a new motor.
Manufacturing Shop-floor Quality Advisor
Provides assistance to the shop-floor production operator in:
- Classifying the quality state of production
- Deciding on an appropriate action for product inventory
- Classifying and guiding corrective actions for process
problems
Help-desk Advisor
Assists computer-room operators in maintaining computer
systems in an unmanned data environment.
3. Product Goals
The goals of VAX Decision Expert V2.0 are to:
- Provide a consistent user interface that conforms to the
interface defined in the MOTIF Style Guide. VAX Decision
Expert for development must be able to be accessed using
icons, pull-down menus and the mouse. At V2.0, the
application programming interface will be OSF/Motif. Motif
is built on MIT X11 de facto standard as part of the Open
System Foundation.
- Provide extensive capability for expert system development.
including Variables and math.
- Support multiple application platforms. VAX Decision
Expert V2.0 will support ULTRIX/OSF platforms for
development and delivery of applications.
- Support Digital's decision support strategy by providing
a means of integrating with DECdecision. Initially the
integration will provide the
- Develop an international product.
4. PRODUCT NON-GOALS
It is not the intention of this project to:
- Deliver a high-end, general-purpose expert system shell.
These needs are best met by our current Digital Distributed
Software and CMP vendors such as NEXPERT, EPITOOL, KNOWLEDGE
CRAFT AND KEE.
- Target artificial intelligence knowledge engineers.
It is our goal in VAX Decision Expert V2.0 to design the user
interface to be simple so that it can be used by programmers,
engineers and computer-literate domain expert.
5. VAX Decision Expert V2.0 Product Requirements
The following product requirements are based on input received from
marketing, field sales, sales support, customers and other engineering
groups. There are two sections to the product requirements, one section is
the required features for VAX Decision Expert V2.0, the second section is
the additional requirements which will be addressed in future version of
VAX Decision Expert.
5.1 VAX Decision Expert Development Interface
VAX Decision Expert development interface must conform to the user
interface defined in the motif style guide. The current product, VAX
Decision Expert V1.0, utilized functions keys which is inconsistent with
other DECwindows products. VAX Decision Expert V2.0 should be accessed
through icons, pull-down menus and the mouse.
A style guide compliant development interface is the number one priority of
the next version and is the feature that currently is holding VAX Decision
Expert V1.0 back.
5.1.1 VAX Decision Expert Delivery Interface
VAX Decision Expert V2.0 applications should be able to be delivered on
character-based terminals as it is currently in VAX Decision Expert V1.0.
In addition, VAX Decision Expert V2.0 will provide the user the ability to
customize the appearance of the end-user interface. A default end-user
delivery environment will be provided.
5.1.2 Support for the VAX/ULTRIX and RISC/ULTRIX operating system
VAX Decision Expert V1.0 only supports the VMS operating system. VAX
Decision Expert V2.0 must run under both VMS (V5.3 or greater), VAX ULTRIX
and ULTRIX/OSF operating system environments. In addition, VAX Decision
Expert V2.0 must provide support for all VAX CPUs, including VAXcluster
environments and servers with the exception of the VAX 11/725, VAXstation
I, and MicroVAX I. VAX Decision Expert V2.0 must also support the
RISC-based DECstation and DECsystem CPUs.
5.2 Providing Extensive Capabilities for Developing Expert Systems
5.2.1 Variables
VAX Decision Expert V2.0 must provide the ability to employ variables.
Currently, users must explicitly define each fact. This can be a deterrent
to constructing large expert system. VAX Decision Expert V2.0 will provide
the user the ability to define values during inference.
The ability to manipulate variables is the feature most requested by
current users for the next version. According to one customer, the lack of
variables and numeric manipulation is the critical failing of the Version
1.0 product.
5.2.2 Manipulation of Numeric Data
VAX Decision Expert V2.0 must provide the ability to handle arithmetic and
expressions. VAX Decision Expert V1.0 does not allow the expert system
developer to manipulate or refer to numeric data which has been found to be
a limitation in developing expert systems for the manufacturing industry.
Expressions in Decision Expert can yield Boolean or arithmetic results,
depending on context.
5.2.3 Multiple Simultaneous Editing Sessions
VAX Decision Expert V1.0 currently limits users to only one developer
developing a knowledge base or running the inference engine in the same
knowledge base at a time. VAX Decision Expert V2.0 will extend this
capability to multiple developers editing and running the same knowledge
base. This ability will allow developers to work together in a team
environment.
5.2.4 Recursion and Iteration
VAX Decision Expert V1.0 does not explicitly define how to do recursion
and iterations for developing a knowledge base. Iteration is the ability
to call the same node several times from within a decision tree module.
Recursion is the ability for call repeately the same module. Customers
have found creative ways to do these functions, but VAX Decision Expert
V2.0 will provide and define these capabilities.
5.2.5 Exporting and Importing Modules
VAX Decision Expert is a graphical interface for developing expert systems.
Customers would also like the ability to simply use a text editor for
updating and creating modules instead of using the graphical development
environment. The export and import command qualifiers will provide the
ability to read and write modules in ASCII format.
5.2.6 Extensions to the Utility Language
VAX Decision Expert V1.0 provides the ability to have modules interact,
call external routines, manipulate the knowledge base, and display or
gather information from the end-user. VAX Decision Expert version 2.0 will
provide all the current Version 1.0 capabilities and add enhancements to
the linker as well as the ability to pass parameters between modules. In
addition, Decision Expert Version 2.0 will provide a simple integration
into DECdecision Calc. Developers who want to communicate to DECdecision
can use a new utility statement which allows data to be read from a
spreadsheet cell. Once the information has been read, Decision Expert can
apply rules and data to recommend a conclusion. The additions and
enhancements to the utility language will improve productivity in
developing expert systems.
6. Environment
6.1 Software Compatibility
VAX Decision Expert V2.0 should support VMS and RISC/Ultrix. Decision
Expert Version 2.0 also requires DECwindows Version 3.0 or later, which is
based on the Motif toolkit.
In addition, tools will be provided to allow of Version 1.0 knowledge
base. All applications developed under Version 1.0 will be upward
compatible with VAX Decision Expert Version 2.0.
6.2 Hardware Compatibility
VAX Decision Expert version 2.0 should support all properly configured VAX
And MIPS/RISC systems or workstations except the following: VAX 11/725,
VAX 11/782, MicroVAX I and VAXstation I.
The Decision Expert development environment requires a XUI display device.
The default delivery package runs on all terminal device supported by LK201
keyboards.
No support for non-Digital hardware is planned. Of course, non-Digital
workstations that are DECwindows servers will be able to access VAX
Decision Expert through a network.
7. Performance
The VAX Decision Expert Version 1.0 development environment was slower than
current developers desired. The Version 1.0 delivery system had acceptable
performance.
The goal of VAX Decision Expert Version 2.0 is to equal or surpass version
1.0 development performance. RISC/ULTRIX performance should be comparable
(ie, within 20%)
8. Documentation
8.1 Online HELP
VAX Decision Expert needs to provide users with online help. On-line help
should conform to Guidelines for Writing DECwindows Help also DCL Help.
8.2 Documentation
Similar to VAX Decision Expert version 1.0, the following documentation
should be included:
- VAX Decision Expert User Guide
- VAX Decision Expert Reference Manual
- VAX Decision Expert Release Notes
- VAX Decision Expert Installation Guides for VMS and ULTRIX
Documentation for Decision Expert should be available for distribution both
in hardcopy and on CDROM.
9. Service Requirements
9.1 Installation
VAX Decision Expert will be customer-installable. It should be able to be
installed on the target configuration in less than an hour. Installation
verification procedures will test that installation was successful.
The installation procedure will be described in the VAX Decision Expert
Installation Guides for VMS and ULTRIX.
9.2 Servicability Requirements
VAX Decision Expert must be supportable through Country, Area and Corporate
Support centers worldwide. The product must meet the servicablility
requirements as specified by CSSE.
9.3 Maintainability
VAX Decision Expert version 2.0 will be simpler to maintain then VAX
Decision Expert version 1.0. The code will be modularized for easy error
correction. Error messages will be coherent and understandable.
Problem duplication should be possible by having the user submit a sample
application or a duplicate of their working environment, if necessary. If
their application is large, users can submit only relevant modules for
problem diagnosis.
VAX Decision Expert must comply with corporate standards for maintenance
and processing of Software Problem Reports (SPRs).
9.4 Reliability
VAX Decision Expert will ship only when the following level of reliability
is achieved:
- No priority 1 and 2 QAR's.
- Maximum of 10 priority 3 QAR's.
- Maximum of 20 priority 4 QAR's.
Knowledge base corruption errors should not occur.
10. Packaging and Pricing
VAX Decision Expert should follow the licensing policy described in
Guidelines for the Implementation of Support for VMS/LMF and New Product
Management Practices Associated with DDSLA/LMF.
VAX Decision Expert will be distributed using VMSINSTAL on VMS and SETLD on
ULTRIX. Decision Expert software will be distributed on magtape (1600
bpi), TK50 tape cartridges and any other relevant media type.
VAX Decision Expert will have a separate part number for VAX/VMS,
RISC/ULTRIX and VAX/ULTRIX. Decision Expert should be able to be offered
as a packaged system bundled with other products as well as consulting.
VAX Decision Expert version 2.0 proposed pricing will be discussed in the
VAX Decision Expert business plan.
11. Internationalization
VAX Decision Expert must be an international product. Specific
international requirements are documented in the Internationalization plan
for VAX Decision Expert located in AITG::[ROLAND.VDE2].
12. Training and Support
12.1 Training
Training for VAX Decision Expert v2.0 will be supplied by Educational
Services as well as ISTG. Currently, a one week course is offered for VAX
Decision Expert version 1.0. The same class should be offered for version
2.0 emphasizing the new features.
Sales Support and Software Service field training is needed. Formal
training is being handled by AI Marketing.
12.2 Support
Hotline support will be handled out of CSC/MA. Hotline support in Europe
will be handled out of Valbonne. This is consistent with the support for
VAX Decision Expert version 1.0.
13. Time-to-Market
The time-to-market goal for VAX Decision Expert is to deliver the product
to market as quickly as possible without compromising either functionality
or quality. Target FCS is Q2FY91.
14. Schedule
Phase 0 March, 1989
Phase 0 Closure
Phase 1 Closure
FCS Q2FY91
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