Specifying the Interactions Builds on agent types and scenario descriptors Interaction Diagrams( IDs) involve –Replacing each functionality with the agent that includes it –Inserting a communication between agents where it is needed, and then –Expressing the result as an interaction diagram For example, see page 68-69

Determining where communication between agents is required Whenever there is a step in the scenario that involves a functionality from a new agent, there must be some interaction from a previously involved agent to the newly participating agent –Analyzing the sequential dependencies will identify where messages are required –Initially assume that each message in the ID is a new type. Later, it might be possible to coalesce some of them into a single type

Steps in Scenarios Not necessarily sequential (see Figure 6.2 page 70); analyze options (see sample options on page 70-71) See larger example on pages Interaction Protocols follow IDs, by defining exactly which interaction sequences are valid within the system. They use different notations, and provide control structures (most popular are FIPA standard protocols). Select one and consider alternatives required by application

Developing Protocols Ask: “what are the possible continuations (i.e., sequences of messages)” –In most cases best described by parallelism or looping (see credit card example middle of page 76) Variation field of use case scenario(s) is one source for possible alternatives (for example, see bottom of page 76)

Develop protocol and message descriptors Protocol template includes –Name –Description –Scenarios –Agents –Messages –Notes Message template includes –Name –Description –From agent –To agent –Purpose –Information carried For example, see bottom page 78