RULE BASE EXPERT SYSTEM FOR RETAIL INVENTORY ITEM MANAGEMENT

THE FEASIBILITY OF THE PROPOSED EXPERT SYSTEM WILL BE PROVEN THROUGH ACHIEVEMENT OF THREE GOALS IN PHASE I. THESE GOALS ARE: 1) DEVELOPMENT OF A CONCEPTUAL DESIGN, 2) DEFINITION OF COST/BENEFITS, AND 3) DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF A PROTOTYPE EXPERT SYSTEM ON A PERSONAL COMPUTER. THE OUTPUTS OF PHASE I WILL BE A WRITTEN REPORT AND A WORKING COPY OF THE PROTOTYPE. THE PROPOSED EXPERT SYSTEM WOULD IMPROVE ITEM INVENTORY PERFORMANCE THROUGH INCREASED INVENTORY TURNOVER, LOWER AVERAGE INVENTORY AND HIGHER SERVICE. THE EXPERT SYSTEM WOULD INCREASE UTILIZATION OF THE CURRENT SYSTEM AND DATA, AND REDUCE LABOR REQUIRED TO PROCESS EXCEPTIONS. THE PROPOSED EXPERT SYSTEM WOULD INCLUDE THREE MODULES: 1) A STAND ALONE MODULE TO ASSIST IN TRAINING OF ITEM MANAGERS, 2) AN ON-LINE MODULE TO IMPROVE ITEM CONTROL, AND 3) AN OFF-LINE MODULE TO PROVIDE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT AND PRESCRIPTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT. THE PHASE I OBJECTIVES WILL BE ACHIEVED THROUGH A SIX STEP WORKPLAN AS FOLLOWS: 1) DOMAIN PROBLEM/ FAMILIARIZATION, 2) DOMAIN ANALYSIS, 3) EXPERT SYSTEM WORKSHOP AND TASK SELECTION, 4) EXPERT SELECTION, 5) PROTOTYPE DEVELOPMENT, AND 6) PROTOTYPE EVALUATION. THIS BASIC WORKPLAN HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY UTILIZED PREVIOUSLY BY DIALOG SYSTEMS ON SIMILAR DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.