JIGSAW: Preference-Directed, Co-operative Scheduling

_: ...... Techniques that enable humans and _ to cooperate in the solution of complex scheduling problems have evolved out of work on the dally allocation and scheduling of Tactical Air Force = resources. A generalized, _formal model of these applied techniques is being developed. It is called JIGSAW by analogy with the multi-agent, constructive used when solvi___gsaw _zles. JIGSAW begins from this analogy and extends it by propagating local preferences into global statistics that dynamically influence the Value and-_'lable ordering decisions. -The statistical prbJ6Efl6i/S-alSo ai/pYy to abslxact resources and time perlods--4dlowing more opportunities to find a successful variable ordering by .reserving abstract resources and deferring the choice of a specific resource of time period. Keyworde: Scheduling, constraint propagation, statistical look-ahead, hierarchical planning, resource abstractions, Uansformational synthesik