Problem domain
Encyclopedia
A problem domain is the area of expertise or application that needs to be examined to solve a problem
. A problem domain is simply looking at only the topics you are interested in, and excluding everything else. For example, if you were developing a system trying to measure good practice in medicine, you wouldn't include carpet drawings at hospitals in your problem domain. In this example the domain refers to relevant topics solely within your interest: medicine.
This points to one of the limitations of overly specific and bounded problem domains, one may think they are interested in medicine and not interior design, but a better solution exists outside of the problem domain as it was initially conceived. For example, when IDEO
researchers noticed that patients in hospitals spent huge amount of time staring at acoustic ceiling tiles, which "became a symbol of the overall ambiance: a mix of boredom and anxiety from feeling lost, uninformed, and out of control." The research team then "started a series of deliberate discussions about the findings, and those led us to talk about improving the overall approach to ER logistics, so patients were treated less like objects to be positioned and allocated, and more like people in stress and pain." Although not originally within the bounded problem domain of measuring good practices in medicine, this non-intuitive finding could then be added to the domain space. Arational, problem seeking and non-linear approaches to research such as art
, design
, creative work
and post-normal science
may help internalize previously excluded areas of interest within a problem domain.
In mathematics, the term defines a domain
where the parameter
s defining the boundaries of the domain and sufficient map
pings into a set of range
s including itself are not well enough understood to provide a systematic description of the domain.
This would be a target space
of meta-tools designed to explore a search space
.
Alternatively, a domain specifically defined by some extrinsic problem-system to differentiate it from the set of all domains.
See: domain theory
for the mathematical discipline related to these issues.
In this context see information theory
as the idea behind a domain as a minimal set of sources for mappings relative to the problem a specific instance of applying Occam's Razor
.
Having defined a specific problem domain with sufficient parameters and mappings for consultation, a systematic approach to the solution can be developed in accordance with the Parker Rule. Using this rule, it is implied that any topics not directly associated with the initial problem domain, and its immediate mappings should not be included within the problem domain, but should be considered as parameters of the secondary mappings of any associated domains.
Problem
A problem is an obstacle, impediment, difficulty or challenge, or any situation that invites resolution; the resolution of which is recognized as a solution or contribution toward a known purpose or goal...
. A problem domain is simply looking at only the topics you are interested in, and excluding everything else. For example, if you were developing a system trying to measure good practice in medicine, you wouldn't include carpet drawings at hospitals in your problem domain. In this example the domain refers to relevant topics solely within your interest: medicine.
This points to one of the limitations of overly specific and bounded problem domains, one may think they are interested in medicine and not interior design, but a better solution exists outside of the problem domain as it was initially conceived. For example, when IDEO
IDEO
IDEO is an international design and innovation consultancy founded in Palo Alto, California, United States with other locations in San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Boston, London, Munich, Shanghai, and Singapore, as well as Mumbai, Seoul, and Tokyo. The company helps design products, services,...
researchers noticed that patients in hospitals spent huge amount of time staring at acoustic ceiling tiles, which "became a symbol of the overall ambiance: a mix of boredom and anxiety from feeling lost, uninformed, and out of control." The research team then "started a series of deliberate discussions about the findings, and those led us to talk about improving the overall approach to ER logistics, so patients were treated less like objects to be positioned and allocated, and more like people in stress and pain." Although not originally within the bounded problem domain of measuring good practices in medicine, this non-intuitive finding could then be added to the domain space. Arational, problem seeking and non-linear approaches to research such as art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
, design
Design
Design as a noun informally refers to a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system while “to design” refers to making this plan...
, creative work
Creative work
A creative work is a tangible manifestation of creative effort such as literature, music, paintings, and software. Creative works have in common a degree of arbitrariness, such that it is improbable that two people would independently create the same work. Creative works are part of property...
and post-normal science
Post-normal science
Post-Normal Science is a concept developed by Silvio Funtowicz and Jerome Ravetz, attempting to characterise a methodology of inquiry that is appropriate for cases where "facts are uncertain, values in dispute, stakes high and decisions urgent"...
may help internalize previously excluded areas of interest within a problem domain.
In mathematics, the term defines a domain
Domain (mathematics)
In mathematics, the domain of definition or simply the domain of a function is the set of "input" or argument values for which the function is defined...
where the parameter
Parameter
Parameter from Ancient Greek παρά also “para” meaning “beside, subsidiary” and μέτρον also “metron” meaning “measure”, can be interpreted in mathematics, logic, linguistics, environmental science and other disciplines....
s defining the boundaries of the domain and sufficient map
Map
A map is a visual representation of an area—a symbolic depiction highlighting relationships between elements of that space such as objects, regions, and themes....
pings into a set of range
Range
-In mathematics:* Range , the set of all output values produced by a function* Interval , also called a range, a set of real numbers that includes all numbers between any two numbers in the set...
s including itself are not well enough understood to provide a systematic description of the domain.
This would be a target space
Space
Space is the boundless, three-dimensional extent in which objects and events occur and have relative position and direction. Physical space is often conceived in three linear dimensions, although modern physicists usually consider it, with time, to be part of a boundless four-dimensional continuum...
of meta-tools designed to explore a search space
Search space
Search space may refer to one of the following.*In optimization, the domain of the function to be optimized*In search algorithms of computer science, the set of all possible solutions...
.
Alternatively, a domain specifically defined by some extrinsic problem-system to differentiate it from the set of all domains.
See: domain theory
Domain theory
Domain theory is a branch of mathematics that studies special kinds of partially ordered sets commonly called domains. Consequently, domain theory can be considered as a branch of order theory. The field has major applications in computer science, where it is used to specify denotational...
for the mathematical discipline related to these issues.
In this context see information theory
Information theory
Information theory is a branch of applied mathematics and electrical engineering involving the quantification of information. Information theory was developed by Claude E. Shannon to find fundamental limits on signal processing operations such as compressing data and on reliably storing and...
as the idea behind a domain as a minimal set of sources for mappings relative to the problem a specific instance of applying Occam's Razor
Occam's razor
Occam's razor, also known as Ockham's razor, and sometimes expressed in Latin as lex parsimoniae , is a principle that generally recommends from among competing hypotheses selecting the one that makes the fewest new assumptions.-Overview:The principle is often summarized as "simpler explanations...
.
Having defined a specific problem domain with sufficient parameters and mappings for consultation, a systematic approach to the solution can be developed in accordance with the Parker Rule. Using this rule, it is implied that any topics not directly associated with the initial problem domain, and its immediate mappings should not be included within the problem domain, but should be considered as parameters of the secondary mappings of any associated domains.