Introduction to Expert Systems

Delivering expertise without the expert's physical presence [13]

The scenario we just examined used a telephone to provide remote access to an expert mechanic. Books and manuals provide other examples of packaged expertise. Methods for delivering advice without the expert's presence that include a stronger goal orientation include checklists, flowcharts and decision tables:

AUTO DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST SECTION 1 1. Does the starter operate?
A. Yes (GO TO SECTION 2)
B. No (GO TO SECTION 3) SECTION 2

A checklist for diagnosing why a car won't start might begin like this. The branching nature of the problem could result in a complex questionnaire.

Graphical representations of diagnostic procedures like this flowchart, provide an alternative to complex checklists.

Rule	1	2	3
Starter runs?	Y	Y	N
Smell gas?	Y	N	.
Dead battery	.	.	X
Out of gas	.	X	.
Flooded	X	.	.

Decision tables can provide procedural guidance for complex problems. Attributes of the problem are listed in the condition stub (green) and rcommendations or intermediate results in the action stub (yellow). Rules (read vertically) specify the action to take for any combination of conditions.

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