Contents

1. Introduction
i. What is Knowledge based support systems History of Knowledge based support systems Application Area

ii. iii.

2. Objectives 3. References

Knowledge based decision support -

Knowledge based systems are artificial intelligent tools working in a narrow domain to provide intelligent decisions with justification. Knowledge is acquired and represented using various knowledge representation techniques rules, frames and scripts. The basic advantages offered by such system are documentation of knowledge, intelligent decision support, self learning, reasoning and explanation. Knowledge-based systems are systems based on the methods and techniques of Artificial Intelligence. Their core components are:
y y y

knowledge base acquisition mechanisms inference mechanisms

Knowledge Base Systems (KBS) goes beyond the decision support philosophy to indicate the expert system technology into the decision making framework. Expert Systems (ES) have been the tools and techniques perfected by artificial intelligence (AI) researchers to deduce decision influences based on codification of knowledge. The codification of knowledge use the principles of knowledge representation (part of the large theoretical ideas of knowledge engineering). Typically such codification uses rules like IF-THEN rules to represent logical implications. While for some authors[who?] expert systems, case-based reasoning systems and neural networks are all particular types of knowledge-based systems, there are others who consider that neural networks are different, and exclude it from this category. KBS is a frequently used abbreviation for knowledge-based system.

History of Knowledge based decision support Computerized decision support systems became practical with the development of minicomputers, timeshare operating systems and distributed computing. The history of the implementation of such systems begins in the mid-1960s. In a technology field as diverse as DSS, chronicling history is neither neat nor linear. Different people perceive the field of Decision Support Systems from various vantage points and report different accounts of what happened and what was important (cf., Arnott & Pervan, 2005; Eom & Lee, 1990b; McCosh & Correa-Perez, 2006; Power, 2003; Power, 2004a; Silver, 1991). As technology evolved new computerized decision support applications were developed and studied. Researchers used multiple frameworks to help build and understand these systems. Today one can organize the history of DSS into the five broad DSS categories explained in Power (2001; 2002; 2004b), including: communications-driven, data-driven, document driven, knowledge-driven and model-driven decision support systems. This hypertext document is a starting point in explaining the origins of the various technology threads that are converging to provide integrated support for managers working alone, in teams and in organization hierarchies to manage organizations and make more rational decisions. History is both a guide to future activity in this field and a record of the ideas and actions of those who have helped advance our thinking and practice. Historical facts can be sorted out and better understood, but more information gathering is necessary. This web page is a starting point in collecting more first hand accounts and in building a more complete mosaic of what was occurring in universities, software companies and in organizations to build and use DSS. This document traces decision support applications and research studies related to model and data-oriented systems, management expert systems, multidimensional data analysis, query and reporting tools, online analytical processing (OLAP), Business Intelligence, group DSS, conferencing and groupware, document management, spatial DSS and Executive Information Systems as the technologies emerge, converge and diverge. All of these technologies have been used to support decision making.

Application Area

1. Artificial Intelligence 2. Expert Systems

Artificial Intelligence

 Behavior by a machine that, if performed by a human being, would be considered intelligent  study of how to make computers do things at which, at the moment, people are better (Rich and Knight [1991])

Expert Systems  Attempt to Imitate Expert Reasoning Processes and Knowledge in Solving Specific Problems  Most Popular Applied AI Technology o Enhance Productivity o Augment Work Forces  Narrow Problem-Solving Areas or Tasks

Objectives -

Artificial Intelligence Objective -

Make machines smarter (primary goal) Understand what intelligence is (Nobel Laureate purpose) Make machines more useful (entrepreneurial purpose)

Artificial Intelligence fields

Many Different Sciences & Technologies Linguistics Psychology Philosophy Computer Science Electrical Engineering Hardware and Software

Major AI Areas Expert Systems Natural Language Processing Speech Understanding Robotics and Sensory Systems Computer Vision and Scene Recognition Intelligent Computer-Aided Instruction Neural Computing

Expert Systems Objective Provide Direct Application of Expertise

Expert Systems Do Not Replace Experts, But They o Make their Knowledge and Experience More Widely Available o Permit Non experts to Work Better

ES Components
Knowledge Acquisition Subsystem Knowledge Base Inference Engine User Interface Blackboard (Workplace) Explanation Subsystem (Justifier) Knowledge Refining System User

References

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