Creating an Expert System to Provide Financial Advice

1. Creating an Expert System to Provide Financial Advice Various Phases of the Project

2. Phase I • The class wiki contains a page called Investment Advice. Visit that page and do the following: • You are to create an expert system that can be used by someone in the finance/investment management industry in order to provide advice to a client. • Provide a brief description (2-5 sentences) of the type of investment advice that you might provide, as well as some of the questions that you might ask a client in order to come up with a recommendation (answers to your several different questions will result in different recommendations).

3. Phase II • Select a topic for your expert system based upon one of the ideas found on the class wiki or you can develop your own new idea. More than one student can use the same idea as long as each develops their own system (with different results). • Ex • Begin developing a decision tree and narrative that can be used to illustrate the various decisions and recommendations that are to be made by your expert system. Exact questions, answers and courses of action/recommendations are being developed. • You must ask at least 2 questions before the first recommendation is made. • You must ask at least 3 questions before the third recommendation is made. • At least 3 recommendations must be made. Beyond that, you can make as many recommendations as you want. • At least 3 questions must be asked. Beyond that, you can ask as many questions as you want. • The answer to each question takes the user down a different path, although paths may converge. • The decision tree should show • The basic questions being asked • The paths taken as a result of a question being asked • The ultimate recommendation as a result of taking a particular path • Everything should be electronic • Narrative typed in Word • Decision tree can be made using the drawing tools in Word, PowerPoint or some other program.

4. Phase III • Using your decision tree, create/draw out the layout for each form. • Show what the actual form will look like and what goes where. • Show the actual wording that will appear as well. • It will probably be easier if you draw each form on its own page/piece of paper. • This can be done • Electronically using Word’s drawing tools and textboxes • Free-hand on paper using pen and/or pencil and then scanned into Word as either an image or pdf file 2. Your program should begin with an intro form, move into the decision making forms and then a final form should be presented that either lets the user run another session or quit the program.

5. Phase IV • In addition to creating a computer program (expert system), you will also need to create written documentation regarding your application • Components of the documentation will include: • The purpose of your expert system. • What does the system do? • How is it used? • Who might use this type of system (and in what environment/situation/setting)? • A decision tree that shows : • The basic questions being asked • The paths taken as a result of a question being asked • The ultimate recommendation as a result of taking a particular path • The layout for your forms • Other documentation requirements may be added in the future Think of this as your “written report for an assigned project/paper.” It is the explanation for your creative component.