Expert Systems: Their Impact on Performance and Cognitive Strategies in Diagnostic Inference.
Abstract
This report covers a 1-year research effort designed to develop a laboratory sequential diagnostic inference task, and assess the impact of introducing a computerized expert-aid system on performance of that task. The report details the laboratory task that was developed to be performed on a microcomputer, the expert system that assisted in the inference task, and the results of an initial experiment where subject performance was tracked under both manual and expert-aided conditions. Assessment of subject performance included a number of both subjective and objective measures such as accuracy, time to perform the task, subjective certainty, cognitive strategies, etc. Results indicate that: a) the development of the laboratory inference task was successful, and the various task manipulations had a great impact on performance measures: b) subjects' performance substantially changed as a result of using the expert system: and c) subjects' strategies were identifiable and did not qualitatively change as a function of introducing the expert system. Implications of the findings for the design and utilization of expert systems are discussed, as well as directions for future research.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 1987
- Accession Number
- ADA188518
Entities
People
- Sallie E. Gordon