Expert systems helps to guide users to find solutions to problems that would otherwise lead to expert advice. They are useful to diagnosing, monitoring, selecting, designing predicting and training. An expert system will ask the user to answer series of questions after which it will provide a suggested course of action. Expert system will not take over but requires the user to make the final decision. Expert system will advice.
An expert system is an knowledge based information system. The system utilizes its knowledge in a specific area and provide suggestions to the users. The system uses the rules to express the logic of the problem being solved. In doing so expert system imitates the human knowledge in a limited domain .Laudon and Laudon defines an expert system as follows.
“an expert system is a knowledge intensive program that solves a problem by capturing the expertise of a human in limited domains of knowledge and experience.”
Expert systems capture the knowledge of skilled employees in the form of set of rules. The set of rules in the expert system stores in the memory .an expert system can assist decision making by asking relevant questions and explaining the reasons for adopting certain actions .Here the system is acting like an expert. Expert systems are extensively used in many different fields like medicine , engineering and physical science and business .For example a doctor treating a patient can seek advice from an expert system. The doctor gives all relevant facts about the patient to the system. The system analyses the data and after that it prescribes the medicine and guidance for further treatment. In fact there are some websites that will even diagnose patients .expert system can also be used in business field for financial planning ,marketing, production etc.
To take another example ,at a chemical refinery a senior employee was about to retire and the company was concerned that the loss of his expertise in managing a fractionating tower would severely impacts operations of the plant .A knowledge engineer was assigned to produce an expert system reproducing his expertise saving the company the loss of the valued knowledge asset.
Another example of an expert system might be a program where a person puts in all of the vital statistics and the program helps to advice about a fitness program which that person can then follow.
FEATURES OF EXPERT SYSTEM
- An expert system is working just like human being in a limited scale in solving problems
- An expert system is a knowledge based system which represents knowledge in the rules or frames. These rules or frames are used in drawing inferences
- An expert system considers multiple hypothesis in arriving conclusions
- An expert system is not a general expert in solving all the problems in an organization. It is useful in certain areas to perform limited jobs quickly.
components OF EXPERT SYSTEM
The following components are necessary for the smooth operation of operating system;
- HARDWARE RESOURCES
The basic hardware requirement of an executive information system is a micro computer as well as work station connected to an information network.
- SOFTWARE RESOURCES
Software system of an executive information system consists of an inference engine process the rules and facts related to specific problem. It also includes programs for communicating with end user.
- KNOWLEDGE BASE
Knowledge base includes knowledge about a particular subject with details. It contains various rules that are applied in reaching solutions. The role in an expert system specifies what to do in a specific system
- PEOPLE RESOURCES
People also constitute an important component of an expert information system. Experts and users are the important people resources associated with an expert system. User interface with the expert system enables the user to enter the instructions in the system and to get the solutions or explanations in the system
Building an EXPERT SYSTEM
Building an expert system is very similar to the development of other information system. In expert system, continuous iterations are needed at all stages of system development.
An expert team development team may consist of one or more experts, who have thorough in the area and one or more knowledge engineers who can translate the knowledge given by the expert in to a set of rules or frames .A knowledge engineer is similar to a traditional system analyst .However he should have the ability to collect information and expertise information from other experts.
As the first step the team members have to identify a suitable problem for an expert system .It is better to conduct a cost benefit analysis before actually developing the system .Generally the team develops appropriate prototypes with the pieces of knowledge supplied by experts .Gradually they this prototypes in to a full fledged system incorporating the wider coverage of information .It is usual to increase the complexity of the system when more and more knowledge is added to the system .Therefore ,steps should be taken to achieve simplicity and power. Finally the system is tested with certain predefined criteria. Once the system is tested and found to be correct ,it is integrated to the other systems of an organization.
ADVANTAGES OF EXPERT SYSTEM
- It is possible to utilize of experts for decision making.
- It enjoys the same competitive advantage as other type of information systems technology.
- Efficiency of operation of the organization will be improved.
- It helps to produce new products and services.
- Finally it leads to the creation of knowledge based information re
limitations of expert systems
- It is not possible to solve general problems faced by the manager since expert systems concentrate on certain specific problems.
- Expert systems fail to solve problems that require broad knowledge and subjective thinking.
- Developing and maintaining expert system is a costly affair.
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