CONSENSUS-MAKING SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR CREATIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING

This paper proposes a computer-assisted method of consensus making for creative and cooperative problem solving. The creative problem solvin g we treat has a process which constructs appropriate evaluation struc ture interactively and chooses the optimal alternative plan rationally . In this problem solving, the problem is complicated because each par ticipant in the group has his own sense of value which may be differen t from the others'. We expect the problem can be solved effectively by integrating Various techniques such as creative techniques, decision support techniques and groupware techniques. Our major concern is to i nspire the creative thinking of the participants by introducing some c reative thinking methods into the consensus-making process. In this pa per, our consensus-making support method and its implementation exampl e are described. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.