# Designing Multi-Agent System Organisations for Flexible Runtime Behaviour
## 2 Organisation-Oriented MAS Design and Development
### Organisation Meta-Models for MAS
#### 2.2.1 Comparison of Existing Organisation Meta-Models and Approaches to Coordination  
The behavioural requirements for agents in the rescue scenario in Section 1.2 are captured using agent stories expressed in the first person in a similar way to user stories that describe requirements. Below, select organisation meta-models for MAS are described and compared with reference to the requirements expressed via these stories. 1. Adopt goals and work with others: _As an agent with capabilities to act to change my environment, I wish to adopt goals that I am capable of achieving so that I support the organisational goals and resolve a problem. If I am capable of achieving part of a designed high-level goal, I am happy to do so in collaboration \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c} \hline \hline
**Coordination Mechanism** & & & & & \\ \hline
**Meta-Model** & **Design** & **Role Based** & **Tasks/Goals** & **Roles** & **Agents** \\  & **Time** & **Coordination** & **Defined** & **Define** & **Adjust** \\  & **in Plans** & & **Independent** & **Agent** & **Plans at** \\ \hline OMACS [23] & ✓ & ✓ & ✓ & & \\ JaCaMo [24], JaCaMo+ [25] & & ✓ & ✓ & ✓ & \\ MOISEinst [26] & & ✓ & ✓ & ✓ & \\ OperA [27], OperA+ [28] & ✓ & ✓ & ✓ & ✓ & \\ SharedPlans [29] & & ✓ & ✓ & ✓ & ✓ \\ OJazzIC [21] & ✓ & ✓ & ✓ & ✓ & ✓ \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 1: Comparing meta-models in relation to coordination. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c} \hline \hline
**Organisation Structure** & & & & & \\ \hline
**Meta-Model** & **Explicit** & **Agents** & **Structural** & **Select a** & **Fixed** \\  & **Organisation** & **Explicitly** & **Change to** & **Predefined** & **Structure,** \\  & **Structure** & **Share** & **Organisation** & **Structure at** & **Flexible** \\  & & **Intentions or** & **Possible at** & **Runtime** & **Allocation** \\  & & **Outcomes** & **Runtime** & & **Process** \\ \hline OMACS [23] & ✓ & & & & & ✓ \\ JaCaMo [24], JaCaMo+ [25] & ✓ & & & & ✓ & \\ MOISEinst [26] & ✓ & & & & ✓ \\ OperA [27], OperA+ [28] & ✓ & & & ✓ & \\ SharedPlans [29] & & ✓ & & & \\ OJazzIC [21] & ✓ & ✓ & ✓ & ✓ & ✓ \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 2: Comparing meta-models regarding organisation structure. with other agents who can achieve the necessary complementary required sub-goals in order to achieve the mission or organisational goal._
2. Be aware of others and mutually adjust to fit in with others: _As an agent, I wish to be aware of other agents working in the space and able to fit in with others so that we can dynamically coordinate to work together to resolve a problem. This may involve planning a solution, agreeing on roles, and then executing the plan; or partially planning a solution and then adjusting our goals to fit in with others as the detailed plan unfolds. For example, if I as a medic agent have agreed to help with a stretcher rescue with another medic agent with the initial plan that I will meet my partner with the stretcher, but then my partner arrives first, I will adjust my own goals to fit in with the situation of my partner already having begun to put the patient on the stretcher; then I will instead adopt the support role, carrying the stretcher. I will be sure to communicate my intentions with other agents to achieve coordination where necessary. 3. Prioritise organisational goals: _As an agent, I wish to act autonomously to adopt goals according to my own priorities, whilst giving priority to the organisational goals so that these are achieved._
4. Rescue injured: _As a medic agent, I wish to find and rescue the injured to move them to the ambulance drop zone so that the rescue is complete._
5. Coordinate to perform stretcher rescue: _As a medic agent, if I find a seriously injured patient, I wish to work together with another medic agent so that we coordinate a stretcher rescue to carry the injured patient to the ambulance drop zone.