Network Engineering for Complex Belief Networks

Abstract

Developing a large belief network, like any large system, requires systems engineering to manage the design and construction process. We propose that network engineering follow a rapid prototyping approach to network construction. We describe criteria for identifying network modules and the use of 'stubs' within a belief network. We propose an object oriented representation for belief networks which captures the semantic as well as representational knowledge embedded in the vaziables, their values and their parameters. Methods for evaluating complex networks are described. Throughout the discussion, tools which support the engineering of large belief networks are identified.