Decision-support application and system for problem solving using a question-answering system

A system comprising:

• a repository maintaining problem case information regarding a problem in a specific domain;
• and
• a computer processor operatively connected to said repository and having access to evidence sources containing domain knowledge content comprising knowledge in said specific domain,
• said computer processor receiving an initial query and said problem case information from said repository,
• said computer processor automatically extracting relevant information from said problem case information and using said relevant information to expand said initial query so as to generate a specific natural language query,
• said computer processor generating answers to said natural language query by applying natural language processing techniques to said domain knowledge content within said evidence sources,
• said computer processor calculating numerical values for multiple of evidence dimensions for each of said answers,
• said computer processor calculating corresponding confidence values for each of said answers based on said numerical values of each of said evidence dimensions,
• said computer processor outputting said natural language query, said answers, said corresponding confidence values, and said numerical values of each of said evidence dimensions to a decision-maker and to said repository,
• said natural language query, said answers, said corresponding confidence values and said numerical values of each of said evidence dimensions being displayed for said decision-maker on a display and usable by said decision-maker to make a decision regarding said problem,
• said repository storing said natural language query, said answers, said corresponding confidence values, and said numerical values of each of said evidence dimensions,
• said computer processor, in response to new domain knowledge being added to said domain knowledge content in said evidence sources, automatically updating said answers to said natural language query, said numerical values of said evidence dimensions for each of said answers and said corresponding confidence values and determining whether previously generated answers and corresponding confidence values stored in said repository changed based on said new domain knowledge, and
• said computer processor automatically sending an alert to said decision-maker based on a change occurring in any of said previously generated answers and corresponding confidence values, said alert being usable by said decision-maker to re-evaluate said decision.

A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium storing computer readable program code comprising instructions executable by a computerized device to perform a method, said method comprising:

• receiving an initial query and problem case information regarding a problem in a specific domain:
• automatically extracting relevant information from said problem case information and using said relevant information to expand said initial query so as to generate a specific natural language query;
• generating answers to said natural language query by applying natural language processing techniques to domain knowledge content within evidence sources, said domain knowledge content comprising knowledge in said specific domain;
• calculating numerical values of evidence dimensions for each of said answers;
• calculating corresponding confidence values for each of said answers based on said numerical values of each of said evidence dimensions;
• outputting said natural language query, said answers, said corresponding confidence values, and said numerical values of each of said evidence dimensions for one or more selected answers to a decision-maker and to a repository, said natural language query, said answers, said corresponding confidence values and said numerical values of each of said evidence dimensions being displayed for said decision-maker on a display and usable by said decision-maker to make a decision regarding said problem;
• storing, in said repository, said natural language query, said answers, said corresponding confidence values, and said numerical values of each of said evidence dimensions;
• in response to new domain knowledge being added to said domain knowledge content in said evidence sources, automatically updating said answers to said natural language query, said numerical values of said evidence dimensions for each of said answers and said corresponding confidence values and determining whether previously generated answers and corresponding confidence values stored in said repository changed based on said new domain knowledge;
• and,
• automatically sending an alert to said decision-maker based on a change occurring in any of said previously generated answers and corresponding confidence values, said alert being usable by said decision-maker to re-evaluate said decision.