An expert system is a package that holds a body of knowledge and a set of
rules on a subject that has been gained from human experts.
An expert system helps the user make decisions by asking questions and then,
based on the user’s answers and the knowledge that it holds, offering advice. It
can even explain to the user how it arrived at its conclusions.
Expert systems explained with an example from the motor insurance industry!
What is the purpose of expert systems?
Expert systems are designed to help people make decisions by making the
knowledge of a human expert available to them in a software package.
Expert systems are used to help people make decisions in a whole range
of situations.
In the financial world they are used by people to make decisions about
investments, risks, and complex projects.
In hospitals expert systems can help doctors diagnose illnesses and
suggest treatments.
In the oil industry they are used in exploration for oil fields.
In industry expert systems are used to help maintain and repair equipment.
In factories they are used to help manage complex production processes.
Expert systems have the following advantages.
They make expert knowledge available through a computer system.
They combine the knowledge of lots of experts.
They support people when they have important and complex decisions
to make.
People in remote places, for example doctors in remote hospitals, can
have expert help and advice on hand in the shape of the expert system.
People can learn using expert systems by asking questions, reading the
answers and asking the system to give feedback on the reasons for the
answers given.
Advantages of Expert Systems
Training people to become an expert is expensive and very time consuming. Expert systems, though can be copied many times.
They are always available unlike us that need holidays, get sick, change job etc.
Contain the accumulated knowledge from many experts on a particular subject.
What you have to do!
In a word document complete these sentences using the words in bold..
Expert systems are designed to help people make ________ by
making the _______of a human _______ available to them in a
software _______. expert, package, knowledge, decisions
In hospitals ________systems can help doctors diagnose ________and
suggest_________. In the oil industry they are used in __________for
oil fields. illnesses, exploration, treatments, expert
Use the internet to find other examples of the use of expert systems.
Save your document.
What you should be able to do now!
Explain what an expert system is.
Provide examples of where expert systems might be used.
Expert Systems
