FOSE-MAS Session Wrap-UP

Major Points (1) Scott DeLoach –We have yet to demonstrate benefits of MAS, address industrial needs –Lack of key concepts, notations and models, industry strength methods –Need to define a core meta-model for MAS –Reduced costs, increased reliability Monique Calisti –Need for technology transfer, interaction with industry –Need solid, stable programming languages, tools, libraries, applications –Focus on design, implementation and testing –Good news: SE gradually uses agents’ concepts Michael Winikoff –Adaptiveness, complexity, goals more important than agents and autonomy –Verification and validation are key issues In particular with dynamic structures, emergent behavior –Document successful application Juan A. Rodriguez –Autonomy, interaction, mobility will be key issues for future systems –Need for agreement environment

Major Points (2) Paul Valckenaers –Focus on domains where MAS can have an advantage over traditional SE Core business related applications, exhibit variability and heterogeneity –Capture domain knowledge in reusable artifacts (cases, architectures, patterns, libraries) –Reach out of the MAS community comfort zone Michael Georgeff –Value proposition: poor translation to mainstream SE Present agent concepts in traditional SE terms, show vlaue –Bring key aspects/expertise of MAS & SOA together Danny Weyns –Do we ask the right questions for using MAS? Practical issues are a crucial concern –Integrate MAS expertise in mainstream SE perspective –Software architectures are important Aditya Ghose –Agents are taken up in mainstream SE (e.g. SOA) –Mediate MAS development in industry proactively connect with SOA But keep the agent label alive

Obstacles and Opportunities We are not aware of industrial needs and limitations State of the art of tools and methodologies far from realistic needs Incremental invasion into industry Lower development costs, ease of use Demonstrate benefits, cases of success Services as agents and vice versa Why use agents at all?

Summary (1) MAS-centered approach –Need common MAS concepts –Architectures, cases and patterns are essential –Need accessible and powerful tools, languages and methodologies Account for non-agent elements, address NFR –Practical aspects need attention: testing, verification and validation –Agents education in universities?

Summary (2) Relations between AOSE and other disciplines –Combine key ideas from MAS and SE Work with SOA, Grid, … –Industry does not use what they do not need Demonstrate relevance to needs Cut costs, increase reliability, simplify … –No recognition by others, external communities –We are not going to have MAS, but software systems (which may exhibit MAS properties) Meet requirements Down to earth

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