A cooperative problem-solver for investment management

Classical expert systems which are acting as autonomous problem-solvers are unsuitable when the problem needs to be solved cooperatively and when the users of the system are themselves experts. As a consequence a new type of system is emerging-the cooperative problem-solving system. This paper details the development of a cooperative problem-solving system for the domain of investment management. Much of investment management involves comparing alternative solutions. An assumption-based truth maintenance system (ATMS), which allows multiple hypothetical scenarios to be modelled, is the technique used to store each agents portfolio solution, constraints and underlying decisions, Analysis of transcripts obtained during knowledge acquisition revealed seven functions that a cooperative problem-solving system should seek to provide. The resulting system provides a cooperative environment in which multiple users can investigate and compare different solutions, build new approaches to obtaining a solution and introduce new concepts to engender discussion.