Most work in knowledge acquisition and manipulation has focused on expert
systems. Expert systems solve one kind of problem: heuristic classification. This
thesis extends some advances in knowledge engineering to a broader class of problem:
design.
Design is examined as a generic activity, found in many fields of professional
practice. A theoretical framework is developed that supports the refinement of design
from high-level concepts through implementation. This framework includes a
computational model that is shown to be completely general (Turing-equivalent).
Therefore, the theory and model are suitable for representing any design project.
They are applied specifically to software development.
Practical support for software designers is offered in a prototype software design
system. Existing work in automated knowledge acquisition is used to transfer
knowledge about a design from the designer to the automated tool. Consistent
support for refinement of design choices at any level of detail makes design a
maintainable activity. This opens new possibilities for automated code generation,
automated maintenance, and the nlore effective management of software at a
higher-level design representation.
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