An integrated graphical tool to support knowledge engineering in AI planning

We describe a Graphical Interface for Planning with Objects called GIPO that has been built to investigate and support the knowledge engineering process in the building of applied AI planning systems. GIPO embodies an object centred approach to planning domain modelling. There are two reasons for providing knowledge engineering support for AI planning: (i) to apply a planning system to a new domain to test the planning system itself (ii) to tackle the end-user problem for the engineer who might be a domain expert but need not necessarily have a specialist knowledge of AI planning. Our research is primarily aimed at developing a method and tools to meet the requirements of the latter case (ii), although the benefits can also be enjoyed by planning experts.