Coates et al. - Operational Design Coordination
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The Structure of Concern Project compares many theoretical models from many disciplines to the Adizes PAEI model, arguing that they must all be reflecting the same underlying phenomenon. One concern structure model is described below.


In their approach to real-time operational design coordination for multi-agent systems, Coates et al. (2003) endorse a six-part model of operational design coordination: organizational coherence, communication, task management, resource management, schedule management, and real-time support. They then define agent types to match these six functions. Both functions and agent types are defined in PAEI order as follows:

P – Real-time support: managing and adapting to changeable, dynamic and unpredictable processes.

Schedule management: managing the dynamic assignment of tasks to resources, and the enactment of the resulting schedules.

Agent Types:
Scheduler – Perform scheduling.
Activity director – Implement schedules


A – Task management: organize and control tasks and interdependencies, such that they can be undertaken and completed in a structured manner.

Resource management: organize/control resources to continually optimize use.

Agent Types:
Resource manager – Maintain knowledge of resources
Resource monitor – Sense, forecast, and disseminate resource performance efficiency
Information manager – Manage input-output files related to analysis tool executions.
Task manager – Execute analysis tools given unique input data to create unique output data.


I – Coherence: integrating, or linking together, resource efforts and tasks in a harmonious manner to avoid chaos.

Communication: exchange structured and meaningful data, information, and knowledge.

Agent Types: Coordination manager – Facilitate communication between related agents.


Since this is a model of real-time operations, the long-term, future-oriented, strategically focused E-style of concern does not make much of an appearance in this model.

Bibliography
1. Coates, G., Duffy, A. H. B., Whitfield, I., & Hills, W. (2003). “An integrated agent-oriented approach to real-time operational design coordination.” Artificial Intelligence for Engineering Design, Analysis and Manufacturing, 17, 287-311.
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