Development, implementation and evaluation of an expert system for advising naval midshipmen

The development, implementation, and evaluation of an expert system which was designed to support the career field choices made by senior midshipmen in Naval ROTC programs, indicate that the concept has potential, but wide-scale use of the system will require close coordination with instructors who are to use it.

Abstract

Career field choices can be among the most difficult decisions ever made by midshipmen, and advising them in this requires both experience and a great deal of time. This paper describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of an expert system (the Service Selection Advisor) which was designed to support the career field choices made by senior midshipmen in Naval ROTC programs. Midshipmen at three major universities utilized the system as they prepared to submit their career field choices. The system was evaluated by comparing its advice to the final career field determinations made by the Navy as well as by surveying users. The results indicate that the system gave accurate advice, performing as well as the human advisors. Additionally the system can reduce the human advisor workload and can increase midshipmen confidence in career decisions. However, the system was only implemented as intended at one university. Instructors at the other schools were not closely enough involved in the development of the system to completely trust it with this important duty. Evaluation results to date, indicate that the concept of this project has potential, but wide-scale use of the system will require close coordination with instructors who are to use it.