O-P3: Supporting the planning process using open planning process panels

The authors introduce Open Planning Process Panels (O-P³), which are based on explicit models of the planning process and can coordinate the development and evaluation of multipole courses of action. O-P³ can coordinate the workflow between multiple agents and visualize the development and evaluation of multiple courses of action (COAs). We have used O-P³ to implement two real applications: the Air Campaign Planning Process Panel (ACP3) and O-Plan, a two-user, mixed-initiative Web demonstration of planning. In ACP3, O-P³ helps build a visualization panel for a complex multiagent planning and evaluation demonstration, which uses 11 different software components and involves several users. In O-Plan, O-P³ technology enables the development and evaluation of multiple COAs by a commander, a planning staff member, and an O-Plan automated planning agent. This work has an impact on a number of important research areas outside of planning, including workflow support.