"This book deals with a new approach to collaborative problem solving. : The necessary steps to a practical application of this approach are elaborated in a very impressive way. : One special property of this book and this project is the continuous and consistent use of one example, the scheduling of medical appointments. : A comprehensive list of references and the usual high quality of the series make, together with the contents, this book a must for all AI researchers in this area." (Christian Posthoff, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1025, 2003)