A methodology of design: directed evolution from a KBS to a script

A methodology is proposed by which the design of a knowledge based system (KBS) facilitates the evolution into a more structured script-based approach. Scripts consist of semi-structured (in the sense of Gorry and Scott Morton, 1971) knowledge about stereotypical events. Scripts comprise a set of roles, props, goals, locations, and events. The process and methodologies used to move from an ill-structured problem to a running KBS and subsequent evolution toward a script-based situation are sketched. The methodological approach is grounded in an illustration with an expert system designed to assist entrepreneurs with lease negotiations. From their experience with LEASE, a GURU-implemented expert system (ES), the authors derive several heuristics to assist in the process of transforming an ES into a script. They also comment upon specific features of the leasing task, LEASE, and the resulting script: a wide variety of variables affect the process of enscripting. Sample heuristics include: examine the KBSs knowledge tree to look for patterns; select KBSs to enscript that run on problems that recur frequently and problems that are salient and important to the user; avoid KBSs that involved a great deal of subjectivity