1. A general purpose interactive rule based system for generating problem solutions in schematic diagram form comprising: a computer processor; a graphics terminal coupled to said processor; means for providing a multi-portion split display on said graphics terminal; a plurality of functions and graphic primitives stored in said computer processor; means for creating a library of icons for an intended application by enabling a methodology designer to: select and arrange said graphic primitives using said graphics terminal, and identify, by way of example, parameters for using each icon in response to prompts initiated by said computer processor; means for generating and storing a specific set of rules pertaining to the use of each icon on the basis of the parameters identified; means for symbolically displaying in one portion of said split display a set of icons from said library; means for displaying in another portion of said split display a set of said functions; and means for enabling a problem solving user to access and select displayed icons and functions, and to build a solution to a problem by using functions to graphically couple icons together on a chart work area portion of said split display in accordance with said rules.
1. A general purpose interactive rule based system for generating problem solutions in schematic diagram form comprising: a computer processor; a graphics terminal coupled to said processor; means for providing a multi-portion split display on said graphics terminal; a plurality of functions and graphic primitives stored in said computer processor; means for creating a library of icons for an intended application by enabling a methodology designer to: select and arrange said graphic primitives using said graphics terminal, and identify, by way of example, parameters for using each icon in response to prompts initiated by said computer processor; means for generating and storing a specific set of rules pertaining to the use of each icon on the basis of the parameters identified; means for symbolically displaying in one portion of said split display a set of icons from said library; means for displaying in another portion of said split display a set of said functions; and means for enabling a problem solving user to access and select displayed icons and functions, and to build a solution to a problem by using functions to graphically couple icons together on a chart work area portion of said split display in accordance with said rules. 2. The system of claim 1 further comprising means for enabling a methodology designer to select and concatenate functions to each other and to icons, using said graphics terminal, to create more complex functions for display and for use in building problem solutions.