Roles for Knowledge-Based Systems in Environmental Planning

In the first part of this paper a view is presented of what environmental planning is and how it can be implemented, providing in support a brief review of key literature on planning theory and practice. The review points to limited success in adapting mathematical programming techniques from operations research to the making of environmental planning decisions. Computer scientists have long been interested in developing computer programs that solve problems and make decisions in the way that humans do. Over the last ten years most of this ‘artificial intelligence’ research has concentrated on knowledge-based systems and one variety of these systems, expert systems, has now been developed to the stage where it can be successfully applied to practical problems. In the second part of the paper the working of knowledge-based systems is briefly described, and the features that make them promising for planning purposes are introduced. These features can be summarized as (1) the handling of qualitative information, (2) the use of uncertain and incomplete information, (3) ease of modifying information on which decisions are based, (4) an ability to explain solutions and decisions, and (5) use of natural language for communication. Different types of expert systems have been developed for such diverse tasks as design, classification, selection, and monitoring; tasks typically undertaken in environmental planning. In the third part of the paper ways in which these types of systems can be applied to the different stages of the planning task are suggested. Although it is too early to judge the likely success of these systems in practice, it is clear that they have the potential to overcome some of the deficiencies of earlier computerized decision aids.