The Second Generation Integrated Collaborative Decision Making (ICDM) Model: A Three-Tier Approach to Agent-Based, Decision-Support Systems

Ten years ago the CAD Research Center at California Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo, California identified a standard framework for agent-based, decision support systems. Employing inter-process and inference engine technologies of the time, the CAD Research Center termed this ‘blueprint’ the Integrated Collaborative Decision-Making (ICDM) framework. Over the past twelve years ICDM has been successfully used as a foundation in several systems. These systems focus on a wide range of domains of application including architectural design and ship cargo stowage. Success of the ICDM framework in conjunction with the availability of newer technologies has prompted an evolutionary leap in the ICDM architecture. Capitalizing on the recent introduction of technologies such as distributed object servers and web-based computing the second generation of ICDM promises to maintain its position on the technological cutting-edge. This paper describes this second stage in evolution of the ICDM framework