We describe a generator for hierarchical problems called the Hierarchical Problem Generator (HPG). Hierarchical problems are of interest since they constitute a class of problems that can be addressed efficiently, even though high-order dependencies between variables may exist. The generator spans a wide ranges of hierarchical problems, and is limited to producing hierarchical problems. It is therefore expected to be useful in the study of hierarchical methods, as has already been demonstrated in experiments. The generator is freely available for research use. Categories and Subject Descriptors F.2 [Analysis of algorithms and problem complexity]: General General Terms Algorithms, Theory, Experimentation, Performance Keywords Modularity, hierarchy, hierarchical problems, hierarchical problem generator, scalability, representation development
Edwin D. de Jong, Richard A. Watson, Dirk Thierens