Practical Open-Loop Optimistic Planning

International audienceWe consider the problem of online planning in a Markov Decision Process when given only access to a generative model, restricted to open-loop policies-i.e. sequences of actions-and under budget constraint. In this setting, the Open-Loop Optimistic Planning (OLOP) algorithm enjoys good theoretical guarantees but is overly conservative in practice, as we show in numerical experiments. We propose a modified version of the algorithm with tighter upper-confidence bounds, KL-OLOP, that leads to better practical performances while retaining the sample complexity bound. Finally, we propose an efficient implementation that significantly improves the time complexity of both algorithms

Practical Open-Loop Optimistic Planning

International audienceWe consider the problem of online planning in a Markov Decision Process when given only access to a generative model, restricted to open-loop policies-i.e. sequences of actions-and under budget constraint. In this setting, the Open-Loop Optimistic Planning (OLOP) algorithm enjoys good theoretical guarantees but is overly conservative in practice, as we show in numerical experiments. We propose a modified version of the algorithm with tighter upper-confidence bounds, KL-OLOP, that leads to better practical performances while retaining the sample complexity bound. Finally, we propose an efficient implementation that significantly improves the time complexity of both algorithms

Applying project management concepts and tools to built environment research projects

This paper concerns the issue of Built Environment research students utilising a formal approach for designing and conducting research projects. The authors draw upon their experience of supervising and examining Built Environment research projects at undergraduate and postgraduate levels to critically reflect upon issues faced by researchers. Furthermore, student feedback has been obtained via semi formal interviews. Within the paper a case is presented for research students in built environment disciplines to adopt and use Project Management concepts and tools in order to exercise better management control of research projects and increase the possibility of bringing the research to a successful conclusion. The works of Phillips and Pugh (2005), Rudestam and Newton (2001) and Delamont et al (1997) support the authors’ observations and conclusions that research students would benefit from having a more formalised approach when conducting their research in order to better control and succeed in their research activities