Knowledge - Based Systems for the Real World

Over the last ten years we have created a theoretical framework for domain-oriented design environments (DODEs), developed several prototypes and assessed them in real-world settings. DODEs are knowledge-based systems that emphasize a human-centered and domain-oriented approach. Used as intelligent support systems, they facilitate collaboration and communication among humans as well as between humans and their computational environments to create more useful and usable artifacts. In this paper, we discuss a component architecture (the multifaceted architecture) and a process model (the seeding, evolutionary growth, reseeding model) underlying DODEs by focusing specifically on their support for evolution. We describe two of the applications developed for voice dialog and computer network design, and we discuss our experience with the DODE approach derived from realworld uses in collaboration with companies and communities of practice.