Expert System for NMC&A Auditors

The expert system provides a method for individuals familiar with the requirements of the site audit program, the education and experience of the individual auditor, and the level of responsibility of the auditor for the audit program to identify areas where the level of education and experience is less than that required. The system provides a mechanism for documenting the qualifications of auditors or for evaluating the needs of candidates for auditor positions or for new auditors. The system can also be used when job responsibilities are expanded or the conditions at the site change. The expert system provides a broad evaluation of the qualifications since it considers the education and experience in five areas related to Nuclear Materials Control and Accountability (NMC&A). Qualifications for individuals conducting audits of the various program elements of an NMC&A Program at a facility vary considerably based on the types of activities conducted at the facility and the responsibilities assigned to the individual auditor. The purpose of this expert system is to assist management in determining education or training needs for the individual auditor. The system assumes that the user has information about the types of audit assignments and the education and experience of the auditor. While the system is designed to develop a plan for the individual auditor, a manager could use the system to address the needs of an audit group to assist in defining job descriptions for additional auditors or for determining areas where technical expertise is needed. For example, if the auditor(s) does not have sufficient education or experience in statistics, this expertise is frequently available either within the NMC&A Department or elsewhere within the company. The system can also be used to evaluate candidates for NMC&A Audit positions to match the education and experience available with the audit requirements for the facility. The system assigns levels of education or experience for each of five areas based on questions. The five technical areas with education or experience requirements are accounting, auditing, scientific, security, and statistics. The specific instructions provided to the user are shown in Exhibit 1. The user must provide answers based on the highest level of education or number of years of professional experience in the relevant field.