Multi-Perspective Planning - Using Domain Constraints to Support the Coordinated Development of Plans

摘要

The project investigated multi-agent mixed initiative interaction between a 'task assignment' or 'command' agent and a planning agent. Each agent maintains an agenda of outstanding tasks they are engaged in and uses a common representation of tasks, plans, processes and activities based on the notion that these are all 'constraints on behavior'. Interaction between the agents uses an exchange of explicit task and option management information and explicit agent authorization. The project has provided a Web-based demonstration of a Course of Action (COA) comparison matrix being used as an interface to an O-Plan plan server to explore multiple qualitatively different plan options. The scenario used for this demonstration is concerned with crisis operations on the island of Pacifica. The interface allows two users acting in designated user roles to maintain their own views on the COA comparison matrix. The two users work together to explore and evaluate several different plan options based on different command-level requirements and different assumptions about the environmental conditions. This work is part of a larger effort to build a comprehensive mixed initiative command, planning and execution support system incorporating human users in designated user roles.