30 Years of Engineering Multi-Agent Systems: What and Why?

Michael Winikoff

Abstract: Research on Engineering Multi-Agent Systems (EMAS) aims to provide software engineers with what they need to be able to effectively develop multi-agent systems. The field is broad, covering foundational concepts, notations, processes, techniques, tools, and languages. Although it is difficult to pin down a precise year, it can be argued that the community is now 30 years old [1]. This talk will review where the field is, and outline some challenges and future directions. In addition to answering the question "What is EMAS?" the talk aims to raise the profile of the field and the community, answering the question "Why should I care?".