The LQMS research project: a case study in knowledge-based system development

The Log Quality Monitoring System (LQMS) is a medium-sized knowledge-based system that was developed to address the problem of providing real-time assistance to the wireline field engineer. The authors discuss the motivation for the project, review the major decisions that were made, detail how they affected the direction of the project, and identify the basic lessons that were learned. The research version of LQMS was developed at Schlumberger-Doll Research over a period of about three and a half years. The project successfully dealt with several thorny issues in the development of knowledge-based systems: multiple domain experts, real time constraints, embedded environment, coordination and communication of multiple knowledge sources, and technology transfer. The project evolved from an exploratory, rapid prototyping style of development to a more traditional specify/design/implement/test methodology. Much of this evolution was driven by the field testing and technology transfer requirements of the later stages of the project