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Computer-Aided Design and Applications (ISSN 1686-4360) is an independent, international peer-reviewed technical journal dedicated to the applications of computer-aided design and manufacturing.
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Volume 5 Numbers 1-4 Pages 161-177
Applying Graph Theory and Autonomous Agents to Automate Product Development Processes
Greg Roach, Brigham Young University – Idaho
John Daley, Phoenix Integration
Abstract. Graph theory has been used to model simple and complex systems of a wide variety of contexts. In this paper, it is used to represent product development workflows so that alternative options can be explored before actual deployment occurs. The paper presents the methodology using graph theory fundamentals. It then shows the application to product development workflows. The paper also introduces autonomous agent theory as a way to produce automatic configurations of workflow as connected graphs of agents. A secondary calculus is introduced that is used to score the configurations with respect to program objectives of cost, time to execute, etc. The paper shows several examples using an implementation based off of a commercial software solution.
Keywords: autonomous agents, product development processes, automation.
DOI: 10.3722/cadaps.2008.161-177
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