A system for achieving a desired goal in a domain. The system may comprise a device operable to receive information and simulate the domain therefrom; a device operable to simulate one or more effects due to one or more operators; a device operable to specify a number of items and/or classes of items and whether each item and/or each class of items is an affectable obstacle or a non-affectable obstacle; a device operable to automatically generate a candidate plan to achieve the desired goal by utilizing the simulated domain and the simulated effect(s), wherein the candidate plan could involve one or more affectable obstacles but does not involve any non-affectable obstacles; and a device operable to automatically refine the candidate plan to change at least one of the affectable obstacles involved in the candidate plan.