8. Use of an expert system
An MIS is used to make decisions based on the information it provides. But there is also another application that can also provide solutions, namely an expert system.
An expert system contains a store of knowledge and a number of rules that apply to that knowledge.
The expert system allows questions to be asked and it then provides one or more solutions. Some expert systems may also give a reason for each solution.
In this case the expert system can be used as a decision-making tool. The analyst sets up a number of 'what-if' questions and the system then provides one or more solutions..
Quite often the expert system is there to provide assistance to the user rather than make a final decision.
For example
| Expert system | Decision to be made |
|---|---|
| Expert system: Personality profiler. HR (Human Resources) want to assign only one of a large group of people to a new role. Each person answers a number of psychological questions that the expert system presents them with. |
HR interrogates the expert system. It provides a set of personality profiles based on each persons' response. HR make a short list of which people are likely to be good at the job. HR interview those people for a final decision. The expert system is assisting them in cutting down the work load but does not make the ultimate decision. |
| Expert system: Sales mix modeler A car company has a large number of options on a new model they are about launch. The car has a dozen paint colour options, three engine sizes, 24 optional accessories. The expert system has a complete record of what sold well in the past with previous models and some trends for the future. |
The sales planner has the task of picking three car combinations out of the thousands of possible configurations to make stock cars ready for sale. These are the three cars that will be pre-built in their thousands by the factory, so he better get it right. He uses the sales mix expert system to put together a number of scenarios. Each scenario is then discussed with senior management to make a final decision. |
| Expert system: Medical diagnostics This contains a body of knowledge about thousands of diseases. It is used by the doctors at a hypothetical clinic to help diagnose patient illnesses based on their symptoms. |
The doctor meets a patient in the clinic who has an unusual set of symptoms. He loads those symptoms into the expert system. It returns a number of possible illnesses. The doctor then phones a specialist consultant to also ask their opinion before making a decision. The expert system is assisting but not providing the final answer. |
| Expert system: A loan approval system The expert system has a body of knowledge about the results of past loans made by the credit company. It has knowledge about all the factors that point to a low risk or high risk loan. |
The credit approval manager meets the client and poses a number of questions about their financial status along with a history of their past loans. This information is loaded into the expert system. The system comes back with a risk factor for the loan. The manager will use this as part of his decision to approve the loan (or not) |
challenge see if you can find out one extra fact on this topic that we haven't already told you
Click on this link: decision making with an expert system