GeoDesign Knowledge Portal

Spatial Expert Support System

The fundamental goal of SDSSs and SESs is basically the same; they seek to improve the quality of decision making. The key difference is that the objective of SDSSs is to support decision making rather than to replace a decision maker. Central to the SDSS-based decision-making process is an interaction between the decision maker(s) and the computer system, while an SES focuses on providing a recommendation to the user, based on the expert knowledge stored in the system. Spatial expert support systems (SESSs) (Zhu and Healey 1992; Sprague and Watson 1996) are systems integrating an SDSS and SES. A well-designed SESS should be both accessible (users should be able to easily inspect and control the problem-solving process) and flexible (the SESS should have the capability to change data, procedures, goals, evaluation criteria, or strategies easily at any important point in the problem-solving process). Adding intelligent front end has been a common approach, assisting the user in selecting the appropriate numerical model or technique, specifying input parameter values, and interpreting model output. Related to intelligent front ends are knowledge-based model support systems, which help the user build the appropriate model.

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