Machine Learning Methods for Planning provides information pertinent to learning methods for planning and scheduling. This book covers a wide variety of learning methods and learning architectures, including analogical, case-based, decision-tree, explanation-based, and reinforcement learning. Organized into 15 chapters, this book begins with an overview of planning and scheduling and describes some representative learning systems that have been developed for these tasks. This text then describes a learning apprentice for calendar management. Other chapters consider the problem of temporal credit assignment and describe tractable classes of problems for which optimal plans can be derived. This book discusses as well how reactive, integrated systems give rise to new requirements and opportunities for machine learning. The final chapter deals with a method for learning problem decompositions, which is based on an idealized model of efficiency for problem-reduction search. This book is a valuable resource for production managers, planners, scientists, and research workers.

Uncertainty in Artificial Intelligence contains the proceedings of the Ninth Conference on Uncertainty in Artificial Intelligence held at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, on July 9-11, 1993. The papers focus on methods of reasoning and decision making under uncertainty as applied to problems in artificial intelligence (AI) and cover topics ranging from knowledge acquisition and automated model construction to learning, planning, temporal reasoning, and machine vision. Comprised of 66 chapters, this book begins with a discussion on causality in Bayesian belief networks before turning to a decision theoretic account of conditional ought statements that rectifies glaring deficiencies in classical deontic logic and forms a sound basis for qualitative decision theory. Subsequent chapters explore trade-offs in constructing and evaluating temporal influence diagrams; normative engineering risk management systems; additive belief-network models; and sensitivity analysis for probability assessments in Bayesian networks. Automated model construction and learning as well as algorithms for inference and decision making are also considered. This monograph will be of interest to both students and practitioners in the fields of AI and computer science.

Annotation The book presents state-of-the-art knowledge about decision-making support systems (DMSS). Its main goals are to provide a compendium of quality chapters on decision-making support systems that help diffuse scarce knowledge about effective methods and strategies for successfully designing, developing, implementing, and evaluating decision-making support systems, and to create an awareness among readers about the relevance of decision-making support systems in the current complex and dynamic management environment.

The objective of this book is to bring together contributions by eminent researchers from industry and academia who specialize in the currently separate study and application of the key aspects of integration. The state of knowledge on integration and collaboration models and methods is reviewed, followed by an agenda for needed research that has been generated by the participants. The book is the result of a NATO Advanced Research Workshop on "Integration: Information and Collaboration Models" that took place at II Ciocco, Italy, during June 1993. Significant developments and research projects have been occurring internationally in a major effort to integrate increasingly complex systems. On one hand, advancements in computer technology and computing theories provide better, more timely, information. On of users and clients, and the the other hand, the geographic and organizational distribution proliferation of computers and communication, lead to an explosion of information and to the demand for integration. Two important examples of interest are computer integrated manufacturing and enterprises (CIM/E) and concurrent engineering (CE). CIM/E is the collection of computer technologies such as CNC, CAD, CAM. robotics and computer integrated engineering that integrate all the enterprise activities for competitiveness and timely response to changes. Concurrent engineering is the complete life-cycle approach to engineering of products. systems. and processes including customer requirements, design. planning. costing. service and recycling. In CIM/E and in CE, computer based information is the key to integration.

A new edition of the most popular book of project management case studies, expanded to include more than 100 cases plus a "super case" on the Iridium Project Case studies are an important part of project management education and training. This Fourth Edition of Harold Kerzner's Project Management Case Studies features a number of new cases covering value measurement in project management. Also included is the well-received "super case," which covers all aspects of project management and may be used as a capstone for a course. This new edition: Contains 100-plus case studies drawn from real companies to illustrate both successful and poor implementation of project management Represents a wide range of industries, including medical and pharmaceutical, aerospace, manufacturing, automotive, finance and banking, and telecommunications Covers cutting-edge areas of construction and international project management plus a "super case" on the Iridium Project, covering all aspects of project management Follows and supports preparation for the Project Management Professional (PMP®) Certification Exam Project Management Case Studies, Fourth Edition is a valuable resource for students, as well as practicing engineers and managers, and can be used on its own or with the new Eleventh Edition of Harold Kerzner's landmark reference, Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling. (PMP and Project Management Professional are registered marks of the Project Management Institute, Inc.)

Critical Path Method (CPM) and Performance Evaluation and ReviewTechnique (PERT) are widely recognized as the most effectivemethods of keeping large, complex construction projects onschedule, under budget, and up to professional standards. But thesemethods remain underused because they are poorly understood and,due to a host of unfamiliar terms and applications, may seem morecomplicated than they really are. This encyclopedia brings together, in one comprehensive volume, allterms, definitions, and applications related to the time and costmanagement of construction projects. While many of these termsrefer to ancient and venerable building practices, others haveevolved quite recently and refer specifically to modernconstruction and management techniques. Sources include hundreds ofprofessional books, trade journals, and research publications, aswell as planning and scheduling software vendor literature. The detailed glossary of all applicable terms includes across-referenced listing of examples that describe real-worldapplications for each term supplied. An extensive bibliographycovers all applicable books, articles, and periodicals available onproject planning, scheduling, and control using CPM and relatedsubjects. This book is an important quick reference and desktop informationresource for construction planners, schedulers, and controllers, aswell as civil engineers and project managers. It is also theultimate research tool for educators, students, or anyone who seeksto improve their understanding of the management of modernconstruction projects.