USING KNOWLEDGE-BASED SYSTEMS FOR STRATEGIC MARKET ASSESSMENT

A methodology for the design, development, and implementation of knowledge-based decision support systems for strategic market assessment is applied and tested. The approach integrates knowledge-based systems with scoring models, logic tables, and the analytic hierarchy process. The resulting system, known as the Strategic Market Assessment System (SMAS), is designed to provide the decision support necessary to evaluate whether or not full-scale development of a candidate product should proceed. It can function as a stand-alone system or in conjunction with other evaluation systems (e.g., those providing financial, technological, manufacturing, and customer satisfaction evaluations) to provide a complete assessment of the product under consideration. Since its implementation, the experts' and other users' expressions of complete satisfaction and commitment to the system is an indication of its value as an important decision support tool.