Methodology for Organizing and Processing Qualitative Relationships in Operations Research

摘要

The purpose of the study was to develop a methodology for precisely handling qualitative information, which includes relations. Qualitative information usually involves relations described in terms of word statements, and the reason for handling such information is to develop an output or result which suggests a course of action. A methodology was developed for enabling the describing of qualitative relations in such a manner that they can be precisely handled and applied to particular situations, so that a precise course of action can be developed automatically. The processing of a given situation on a computer with respect to such a formulation would result in a prescription for action. By these means highly complicated and interrelated qualitative relations can be handled automatically by the computer. A set of so-called syntax definitions is written which embodies the ideas, concepts, and relations of the particular class of qualitative problems to be considered. These are the overall relations to be applied to any particular situation. The input, or 'situation,' string is a symbolization, usually in terms of ordinary words, of a particular circumstance that is to be analyzed. The input string, together with the syntax list, is used by a computer program called the 'transtaxor.' The report includes computer programs for the transtaxor as coded for the CDC-3600 and the IBM 360/44.