1. Define a Use Case

This module is about getting set up for success by clearly and accurately defining the use case you are trying to solve. Once you've defined the use case, you'll be able to identify the expertise you need to teach the system to learn well.

Learning Objectives

At the end of this module, you will be able to:

  • Identify the knowledge components that are key for defining a use case

  • Explain actions, sensors, KPI, benchmarks, and ROI

  • Identify actions, sensors, and KPI for a real use case

Video Lesson

Practice Activity

Read the production scheduling case study and think about these questions:

  • What are some individual control actions?

  • What are some sensor variables you would need to track?

  • What is the KPI?

Then read on for answers.

Check Your Understanding

Read the oil blending use case and answer the following questions.

For questions 1-5, characterize each variable as a sensor or an action

  1. Amount of crude oil #1 purchased

Check your answer

Action. The amount of each crude purchased per day is one of the key decisions the operator or autonomous system needs to make.

  1. Yield of naphtha from distillation

Check your answer

Sensor. The amount of naphtha that results from distillation is a variable that is determined by how the system is operating.

  1. Yield of kerosene from distillation

Check your answer

Sensor. Just like naphtha, the amount of naphtha that results from distillation is a variable that is determined by how the system is operating

  1. Amount of naphtha sent to reformer

Check your answer

Action. While the amount of naphtha produced in the distillation step is a sensor, the amount of that naphtha that is sent into the next step rather than saved as a finished product is a decision.

  1. Total naphtha available

Check your answer

Sensor. The total amount of naphtha available is an environment property, not a decision.

  1. What would you choose as the KPI for the process?

    1. Throughput: maximize total product created

    2. Waste: minimize unusable product created

    3. Profit: maximize revenue minus costs

    4. Demand satisfaction: minimize unsold product

Check your answer

The answer is C. According to the use case description, the overall goal of the process is to maximize profit.

  1. What is the decision frequency for this process?

    1. 1 minute

    2. 1 hour

    3. 1 day

    4. 1 month

    5. 1 year

Check your answer

The answer is C. According to the use case description, the decision about the blend of oils is made daily.

For questions 8-9: Measurements that define the characteristics of the different crude and finished oils (for example, density, sulfur, viscosity, wax, and metal content) are not included as variables in the system.

  1. Why is it possible to control this process effectively without that information?

    1. These qualities are not important for making decisions about oil blending

    2. That information is assumed to be standard for each crude type and product

    3. It is not possible to directly measure the physical characteristics of the oil stocks and products

    4. This would provide too much information and slow the system down to the point of uselessness

Check your answer

The answer is B. These physical properties are very importnt for oil blending, but they are part of the definition of different crude and product types.

  1. The problem set-up assumes that physical properties are standard within the crude and product types. If in the real world there is variation within these categories, what challenging phenomenon would that represent?

    1. Changing conditions

    2. Different scenarios

    3. Incomplete information

    4. Noise

    5. Funnel states

Check your answer

The answer is D. Variation within the data that is not meaningful for system control is noise.

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