LearnIT: An Instance-Based Approach to Learning and Reusing Design Strategies

Abstract

We describe LearnIT, a computer program that can observe an iterative solution to a parametric design problem and learn the design strategy employed. When the design requirements change, the program uses the learned strategy to automatically generate a new solution in the “style” of the original. The program uses a specialized instance-based learning method based on the observation that iterative design is often a form of debugging—each iteration is an attempt to repair a particular flaw in the design. Thus, the program learns the design strategy by observing what actions are taken in response to each kind of flaw. [S1050-0472(00)01203-4]