ICT Applications in Organizations: Expert Systems, Monitoring, and More

Posted on Jan 3, 2025 in Other subjects

How Organizations Use ICT

Expert systems are knowledge-based systems that use a range of human knowledge to solve various problems. They use a set of rules in the form of reasoning to solve a problem by the system asking questions. The user considers the solution and chooses the most appropriate one.

Expert systems gather the knowledge of experts to form a knowledge base. A rules base is a set of rules that an inference engine uses to reason through a problem.
The system explains the logical reasoning used to arrive at a conclusion.
It is necessary to employ a knowledge engineer, who gathers data from databases, designs the knowledge base and the rules base, and designs and creates the inference engine, which is the reasoning part of the system.
The user interface is how the computer interacts with the user. It displays questions and information and enables the user to type in answers, enabling the inference engine to find solutions. Validation checks are imposed.

Mineral Prospecting:

Exploration of geological sites with a view to discovering the likelihood of a particular ore being present. The system is used to calculate the probability of minerals being found in that location.

Gathers inputs directly from sensors or uses satellite data from that sensor.

Investment Analysis:

Used to monitor stock markets by looking at how prices vary, to sell shares automatically. Used by investment companies to select the companies that their investors should invest in.

Does the investor mind investing in risky companies? Specific areas? Specific companies not to invest in?

Financial Planning:

Used to assess what actions to take in a given situation or to set a financial plan for an individual or company. The plan could suggest how to manage debts, retirement, organize investments…

Users enter an individual’s personal and financial data, and the system devises plans.

Credit Analysis:

Expert systems help decide on the creditworthiness of potential customers.

For companies, questions about their sector, balance sheet… For individuals, their income, actual loans…

Car Engine Fault Diagnosis:

When something goes wrong, a mechanic is needed to identify what is wrong. Knowledge bases have been developed from data from mechanics.

Questions about what is wrong with the car.

Medical Diagnosis:

The doctor inputs the symptoms, and the system outputs possible illnesses. The doctor considers alternatives and makes a diagnosis. It is important that responses are entered accurately.

Route Scheduling for Delivery:

Calculates the most efficient route and therefore reduces costs. Towns to visit are input, and the cheapest way is output.

Inputs: number of drop-off points, distance between each point, total available time…
The manager can decide the number of vehicles and drivers needed and the time to be taken.

Plant and Animal Identification:

The user is asked questions about the features of the plant or animal. The expert system can suggest the likely plant or animal.

Does it eat meat? Have a long neck? Does it have four legs?

Advantages:

Reduces the time taken to solve a problem, is more accurate than a single expert as it is based on the knowledge of various experts, and it improves customer service.

Disadvantages:

Costs a lot to set up, users need training, and it needs continual updating.

Monitoring and measurement: The use of a computer or microprocessor-based device to monitor or measure physical variables.

Uses sensors, which measure things such as temperature, humidity, pressure… An ADC then sends information to a microprocessor and then to a computer. Results are shown on a graph, printed, or even put through speakers. The software used is normally called a data logging system.

Medical Applications:

Used in intensive care units. Variables are pulse rate, body temperature, blood pressure… Systems are fitted with alarms and are constantly comparing variables to a range of pre-set values. An alarm sounds when the readings are out of range.

Weather Monitoring:

Used to observe trends of global warming, used by weather centers to help with weather forecasts. Variables for rivers: temperature, PH, oxygen turbidity…

Scientific Experiments:

Using sensors provides greater accuracy and enables automatic or immediate processing.

Project Management: Ensures that a project completes on time and not above the budget allowed by the company.

Gantt charts, Pert charts, and event chain diagrams and special software are used to enable the division of tasks which can be done at the same time in order to save time and/or money.

There are 2 types:

Software Development:

When a new piece of software which has to be produced to solve a particular problem is broken down into modules. The steps normally are: writing the code, testing, and implementing. Some modules will be written in sequence, while others will be done at the same time.

Building Construction:

When a new piece of construction has to be built, and ICT is used to decide what parts can be done first and which can be done later. It’s possible to have certain tasks run at the same time.

Modeling: The use of computers to represent a real-life situation, to create models.

Models require: A mainframe computer to run efficiently, purpose-built software (normally), spreadsheet software to help create the model, inputs (where the user types data), and outputs (a way of representing the system).

9 types of modeling:

Economic:

Used by governments to predict the future of a nation’s economy. Variables: taxes amount, interest rates, amount spent on public goods and services.

Prototype:

Used for testing as a physical model is built to an exact scale. As prototypes are expensive, computers are used to create virtual prototypes, using Computer-aided design software.

Climate:

Spreadsheet software is used to represent the data collected by the sensors. Variables such as greenhouse gas emissions…

Weather Forecasting:

Used to calculate weather predictions thanks to data achieved by sensors. Variables such as rainfall, temperature, wind speed…

Simulations:

Used to replicate a situation where the user is in control, for example, an airplane.

ADV: safer way of learning, the same maneuver can be repeated several times, dangerous simulations can be simulated.
DISAD: Expensive, impossible to replicate certain simulations, users could be overconfident as they are not in danger.

Market research: The use of ICT to collect and analyze information from the market in order to discover the demand for a type of product or service.

Two ways: Primary research: Customers are interviewed by the company. Secondary research: Examination of data which has already been published.

The use of research on advertising media may show how effective a particular advertisement is.
Research in public opinion is used by governments to analyze the reaction of the people to certain economic or legislation changes that they are planning or have planned.
There are 3 ways of interviewing to collect the information:

Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI):

When the interviewer and the interviewee are together in the same room, and they sit in front of a computer answering questions.

Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI):

Where the interviewer is in a call center. The interviewee can answer by dialing a certain number.

Computer-Aided Web Interviewing (CAWI):

Answered by logging on to a certain website which asks the questions.

Research applications: When the power of a computer is used in research for science and technology, either researching existing data or information stored on the internet or collected data.

3 main areas:

Medicine:

A lot of research is needed here in order to increase the number of cures for diseases. Computer models have been created to help explain what things can go wrong. Brain scanners have helped to understand the brain better and in order to try new drugs which have been invented thanks to the use of a computer which helps decide what are the most convenient “ingredients”. This also helps with the analysis of the genes which are so complex that only a computer can process them.

Science:

The research is made in things that happen around us in the world. Space research is one of the best areas. By setting a list of parameters (such that there’s a vacuum in space), we can use the computers to help us decide what are the best materials which can be used on a spaceship, what effect certain things will have on the humans, etc. Universities also help in the research in areas such as psychology, biology, or chemistry, especially for achieving energy in a clean way using alternative energy resources.

Education:

Research can be done to find out what education skills are effective and which aren’t and can help students become more independent and responsible for their own learning.

Online applications: Organizations which operate online services have to have web servers (a word given both to hardware and software needed to facilitate the hosting of websites) to handle transactions to customers. Web designers should design the websites using web-authoring software packages.

Online Banking:

The user logs on, and data is transferred to the bank’s web server.
The server looks into the server database and returns the information needed.
Firewalls are all through the process, as the webpage must be secure.

Online Shopping:

It should have access to a web server, and shopping cart software is used. Uses the same principle as online banking.

Online Booking Systems:

Used to book a range of items online such as holidays, plane tickets, appointments…
Also known as computer reservation systems (CRS)
Customers need to have access to the server, so there are security issues too, as well as information about each user such as requested searches or a history of the flights or tickets booked.

Stock control: Automated systems where stock is controlled by a computer with little human input and manual systems where humans use the computers to help stock control.

Electronic Points of Sale (EPOS):

Consists of a screen, barcode reader, number pad, and are found in almost every supermarket.
The EPOS system is connected to a database stored on a server which has details of the barcode number, details of the product, the number in stock, the re-order level, and the re-order quantity.
There’s a file containing details of the supplier of each product so that, when the stock number is smaller than the re-order level, this file is accessed, and more products are ordered.
Benefits to the supermarket: goods reordered automatically, no employees needed, the company can see a list of best-selling items.
Benefits to the customer: Less queuing, fewer mistakes.

Manual Systems:

When stock systems take place at particular times of the year.
The system doesn’t do the process for you; you still have to call to order products and compare values of stock, but the information is stored in a computer.

Just-in-time systems: are when the goods are ordered so that they arrive at their distribution point as required. This means that fewer storing warehouses are needed.