Evaluating Decision Support and Expert Systems

Evaluation is, all too often, treated as an afterthought, an activity tacked onto the end of the system development process. Yet, when effectively integrated into the design and development process, evaluation is an unqualifiedly powerful tool, the all-important control mechanism that keeps the development process firmly on track. Evaluating Decision Support and Expert Systems is an innovative and comprehensive look-from the user's perspective-at how to perform effective evaluations of decision support systems and expert systems. Not only does this important guide provide an understanding of the fundamental methods required to perform effective evaluations, it also demonstrates how to efficiently incorporate them into the design and development process. Evaluating Decision Support and Expert Systems is the first text to provide a multifaceted approach to evaluating decision support and expert systems. This important three-pronged approach includes subjective, technical, and empirical evaluation methods, all of which are clearly integrated into a prototype blueprint for developing decision support systems and expert systems. The character and specifics of each evaluation method are examined in detail, including such highlights as: An examination of five subjective evaluation methods, with illustrations on how two were used in a development effort for the U.S. Air Force The four classes of technical evaluation methods, including those used for formal software testing and verification The use of experiments, quasi-experiments, and case studies to empirically assess whether the system actually improves performance Evaluating Decision Support and Expert Systems also clearly shows how to manage the multifaceted approach so as to ensure project control. The basic issues in managing the test and evaluation process, the key elements for effective testing, and how to use test documentation as a control tool are explained in accessible, hands-on style. For professionals in system design, users and developers, managers in industry and business, and graduate students interested in building effective controls into every phase of system design and development, Evaluating Decision Support and Expert Systems is the essential guide to learning how.Adelman, Leonard is the author of 'Evaluating Decision Support and Expert Systems' with ISBN 9780471548010 and ISBN 0471548014.