Author(s)

R. Threadgold & F. Coenen

Abstract

Using allspeak to reverse engineer KBS specifications R. Threadgold* & F. Coenen^ Cardiff, South Glamorgan CF4 1DJ, UK * Department of Computer Science, Liverpool University, Chadwick Building, P. 0. Box 14 7, ABSTRACT The maintenance of Knowledge Based Systems (KBS) is often hampered by inadequate or incorrect system specification documents. It results from software being perfected and updated without similar consideration being given to the original specification. This is particularly so in the manufacturing and production engineering industry where the emphasis is on ensuring that plant continues to be productive, i.e. remain in opera- tion. However, to achieve continuous operation, it is suggested that the operating manuals for such KBS are kept up to date. This observation is exploited, to address the maintenance of inadequate specifications, through a process of reverse engineering whereby the maintenance engineer commences the maintenance task with "up to da

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