---
title: "Performance in Practical Problem Solving"
authors:
  - "Leo B. Hartman"
  - "Josh D. Tenenberg"
doi: ""
url: "https://ijcai.org/proceedings/1987/107"
pdf: "https://ijcai.org/proceedings/1987/0107.pdf"
venue: "Proceedings of the Tenth International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence"
year: 1987
pages: "535-539"
track: "Knowledge Representation"
keywords:
---

# Performance in Practical Problem Solving

Leo B. Hartman, Josh D. Tenenberg

*Proceedings of the Tenth International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence*, pages 535-539.

## Abstract

The _quantity of resources that an agent expends in solvmg problems in a given domain is determined by ~e representations and search control strategies that 1t empl?ys. The value <?findivid~al representations or strategtes to the agent 1s determmed by their contribution to the resource expenditure. We argue here that in order to choose the component representations and strategies appropriate for a par?cular P.rob.lem domain it is necessary to measure thetr contnbution to the resource expenditure on the actual problems the agent faces. Thts is as true for a system designer making such choices as it is for an autonomou~ mech~nic~l agent. "fte present one way to me!lsure th1s contr1~ut10n an~ gtve an example in whtch the measure 1s used to 1m prove problem solving performance.