Research methodology

This section is weak. Please contribute!

A research methodology defines what the activity of research is, how to proceed, how to
measure progress, and what constitutes success. AI methodology is a jumbled mess. Different
methodologies define distinct schools which wage religious wars against each other.

Methods are tools. Use them; don't let them use you. Don't fall for slogans that raise one above
the others: ``AI research needs to be put on firm foundations;'' ``Philosophers just talk. AI is
about hacking;'' ``You have to know what's computed before you ask how.'' To succeed at AI,
you have to be good at technical methods and you have to be suspicious of them. For instance,
you should be able to prove theorems and you should harbor doubts about whether theorems
prove anything.

Most good pieces of AI delicately balance several methodologies. For example, you must
walk a fine line between too much theory, possibly irrelevant to any real problem, and
voluminous implementation, which can represent an incoherent munging of ad-hoc solutions.
You are constantly faced with research decisions that divide along a boundary between ``neat''
and ``scruffy.'' Should you take the time to formalize this problem to some extent (so that, for
example, you can prove its intractability), or should you deal with it in its raw form, which ill-
defined but closer to reality? Taking the former approach leads (when successful) to a clear,
certain result that will usually be either boring or at least will not Address the Issues; the latter
approach runs the risk of turning into a bunch of hacks. Any one piece of work, and any one
person, should aim for a judicious balance, formalizing subproblems that seem to cry for it
while keeping honest to the Big Picture.

Some work is like science. You look at how people learn arithmetic, how the brain works,
how kangaroos hop, and try to figure it out and make a testable theory. Some work is like
engineering: you try to build a better problem solver or shape-from algorithm. Some work is
like mathematics: you play with formalisms, try to understand their properties, hone them,
prove things about them. Some work is example-driven, trying to explain specific phenomena.
The best work combines all these and more.

Methodologies are social. Read how other people attacked similar problems, and talk to
people about how they proceeded in specific cases.

A whole lot of people at MIT

Triple_e (m) Re: Hop Eee2

« #1 on: June 12, 2008, 01:31 PM »

What is Feasibility Study

A feasibility study is a preliminary study undertaken to determine and
document a project's viability. The term feasibility study is also used to refer to
the resulting document. The results of this study are used to make a decision
whether or not to proceed with the project. If it indeed leads to a project being
approved, it will — before the real work of the proposed project starts — be
used to ascertain the likelihood of the project's success. It is an analysis of
possible alternative solutions to a problem and a recommendation on the best
alternative. It, for example, can decide whether an order processing be carried
out by a new system more efficiently than the previous one.

[edit] Importance of Project Feasibility Study

It is estimated that only one in fifty business ideas are actually commercially
viable. Therefore a Business Feasibility Study is an effective way to safeguard
against wastage of further investment or resources [1] If a project is seen to be
feasible from the results of the study, the next logical step is to proceed with
the full Business Plan. The research and information uncovered in the
feasibility study will support the business planning stage and reduce the
research time. Hence, the cost of the Business Plan will also be reduced. A
thorough viability analysis provides an abundance of information that is also
necessary for the Business Plan. For example, a good market analysis is
necessary in order to determine the business concept's feasibility. This
information provides the basis for the market section of the Business Plan [2]
Finally, a feasibility study should contain clear supporting evidence for its
recommendations. The strength of the recommendations can be weighed
against the study ability to demonstrate the continuity that exists between the
research analysis and the proposed business model. Recommendations will be
reliant on a mix of numerical data with qualitative, experience-based
documentation. A Business Feasibility Study is heavily dependent on the
market research and analysis. A feasibility study provides the stake holders
with varying degrees of evidence that a Business Concept will in fact be viable.
[3]

[edit] DIMENSIONS OF BUSINESS VIABILITY

The Business Feasibility Study findings will be assessed by potential investors
and stakeholders regarding their credibility and depth of argument. The
Business Feasibility Study places the findings of the Dimensions of Business
Viability Model assessment into a formal business report. It also aligns the
findings with functional processes of an enterprise which an audience can
easily understand (Thompson 2003a).

[edit] Technical feasibility study

This involves questions such as whether the technology needed for the system
exists, how difficult it will be to build, and whether the firm has enough
experience using that technology. The assessment is based on an outline design
of system requirements in terms of Input, Processes, Output, Fields, Programs,
and Procedures. This can be qualified in terms of volumes of data, trends,
frequency of updating, and other areas in order to give an introduction to the
technical system.

[edit] Schedule Feasibility study

This involves questions such as how much time is available to build the new
system, when it can be built, whether it interferes with normal business
operations, type and amount of resources required, dependencies, etc.
Contingency and mitigation plans should also be stated here so that if the
project does over run the company is ready for this eventuality.

[edit] Cultural Feasibility study

In this stage, the project's alternatives are evaluated for their impact on the
local and general culture. For example, environmental factors need to be
considered.

[edit] Legal Feasibility study

Not necessarily last, but all projects must face legal scrutiny. When an
organization has either internal or external legal counsel, such reviews are
typically standard. However, a project may face legal issues after completion.

[edit] Marketing Feasibility study

This will include analysis of single and multi-dimensional market forces that
could affect the commercial, along with the company that is carrying out the
feasibility achieving more and more reputation as they have carried out safety
checks which allow the system to run appropriately.

Economic feasibility – Establishing the cost-effectiveness of the proposed

system i.e. if the benefits do not outweigh the costs then it is not worth going
ahead.
Legal feasibility – Determines whether the proposed system conflicts with
legal requirements, e.g. the Data Protection Act.it will be done by some legal
advisiors
Operational feasibility – Do the current work practices and procedures support
a new system. Also social factors i.e. how the organisational changes will
affect the working lives of those affected by the system.
Schedule feasibility – Looks at how long the system will take to develop, or
whether it can be completed in a given time period using some methods like
payback period.