Abstract:
A method and systems that allows building cause effect tree related to initial problem statement. Each event of cause effect tree can be added with additional axes: hierarchy and operation. Wizards and templates provide simplify adding of undesirable effects. System automatically generates alternative problem statements and queries for search in knowledge bases.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to problem reformulation techniques. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Cause-and-effect diagrams are typically used for problem reformulation and search of a root cause of an undesirable event. One of the first cause-and-effect diagrams was developed by Kauro Ishikawa of Tokyo University in 1943 and thus are often called Ishikawa Diagrams. They are also known as fishbone diagrams because of the appearance of the diagrams (in a plotted form). See, e.g.,  FIG. 7 . Such a fishbone diagram may reflect different categories of causes. Each possible event is conventionally placed on an appropriate category line. The cause-and-effect diagram systematizes reasons by categories but does not provide a possibility to show causal links between given causes. Thus, each cause may affect one initial undesirable event, but conventionally there may be no provision to determine how multiple causes may be linked between one another. 
   Another conventional diagram for root cause analysis (RCA) is a cause-and-effect tree. The cause-and-effect tree may be organized in tree chains of cause and effect. Conventional tools are available and may be used to provide a logic tree structure such as, e.g., but not limited to, PROACT® Root Cause Analysis (RCA) v3.0 available from Reliability Center, Inc., of Hopewell, Va., USA. See, e.g.,  FIG. 8 . In each tree chain, each previous event may be a cause for a next one. So, if one cause is prevented, then all next causes in the chain may be prevented as well. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   An exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include a system, method and computer program product which may provide an improved way of building a cause-and-effect tree related to an initial problem statement. According to an exemplary embodiment, to each event of the cause-and-effect tree there may be added one or more additional axes. In an exemplary embodiment the additional axes may include, e.g., but are not limited to, hierarchy and/or operation. Wizards and templates may also be provided in another exemplary embodiment. The wizards and templates may simplify adding of undesirable effects. In yet another exemplary embodiment, the system may automatically generate alternative problem statements and queries for search in knowledge bases. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     An exemplary embodiment of the invention will now be described below where like reference numerals refer to similar subject matter and the left most digit of a reference numeral is indicative of the figure number of the reference numerals first occurrence. The drawings include: 
       FIG. 1  shows an exemplary embodiment of a general diagram of the system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  shows an exemplary embodiment of a cause-and-effect chain according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  shows an exemplary embodiment of an operation axis according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  shows an exemplary embodiment of a hierarchy axis according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  shows an exemplary embodiment of a first example of a problem definition; 
       FIG. 6  shows an exemplary embodiment of a second example of a problem definition; 
       FIG. 7  shows an exemplary fish bone cause and effect diagram; and 
       FIG. 8  shows an exemplary cause-and-effect tree. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides a more effective way to resolve problems than conventional methods.  FIG. 1  depicts a diagram  100  illustrating an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Diagram  100  may include in an exemplary embodiment, a system including, e.g., but not limited to, a template  101  to describe an initial problem statement, means to draw a cause-and-effect chain, a template  102  for description of an undesirable event, a wizard  103  for finding resources on a hierarchical axis, a wizard  104  for finding resources on an operation axis, means ( 105 ,  106 ,  107 , and  108 ) for generating automatic alternative problem statements, means ( 109 ) for generating an automatic query, means  110  for ontology queries enhancement, and a knowledge base  111 . 
   In an exemplary embodiment, system  100  may work in the following way. The User may generate an initial undesirable situation. System  100  may contain a template for supporting, e.g., 3 types of such problems. A first type of problem may be associated with a parameter of an object and process and may be as shown in Table 1 below. A User may select one of the characteristics in (column 2), and then may formulate a parameter name (column 3) and an object or process name (column 4). 
   
     
       
             
             
             
             
           
         
             
               TABLE 1 
             
             
                 
             
             
               # 
               Characteristic 
               Parameter 
               Object or process 
             
             
                 
             
           
           
             
               1. 
               Excessive 
               Parameter name 
               Object or 
             
             
               2. 
               Insufficient 
                 
               process name 
             
             
               3. 
               Unstable 
             
             
               4. 
               Uncontrollable 
             
             
                 
             
           
        
       
     
   
   A second type of problem may be described as an absence of a desirable object (or process) or presence of an undesirable object (or process) as illustrated in Table 2. The User may select a characteristic from column 2, and then may formulate the name of an object or process (column 3). 
   
     
       
             
             
             
           
         
             
               TABLE 2 
             
             
                 
             
             
               # 
               Characteristic 
               Object or process 
             
             
                 
             
           
           
             
               5. 
               Absence of 
               Object or process name 
             
             
               6. 
               Presence of 
             
             
                 
             
           
        
       
     
   
   A third type of problem may include an undesirable effect or process as illustrated for example in Table 3. A User may formulate an undesirable effect or process. 
   
     
       
             
             
             
           
         
             
               TABLE 3 
             
             
                 
             
             
               # 
               Characteristic 
               Object or process name 
             
             
                 
             
           
           
             
               7. 
               Undesirable 
               Effect name or process name 
             
             
                 
             
           
        
       
     
   
   If a template is completed, the system  100  may automatically generate one or more problems in accordance with the following rules  105 : 
   For the problem described in Table 1: 
   How to decrease (for row 1) (or increase (for row 2), or stabilize (for row 3), or control (for row 4))&lt;parameter name&gt; of &lt;object or process name&gt;? 
   For the problem described in Table 2: 
   How to provide (for row 5) (remove-for row 6)&lt;object or process name&gt;? 
   For the problem described in Table 3: 
   How to prevent &lt;Effect name or process name&gt;? 
   After initial problem formulation, the system may prompt, in an exemplary embodiment, three alternatives to generate alternative problem statements, which may be placed on three exemplary axes: cause effects, operative and hierarchy. 
   If the cause-effect axis is chosen for continuation, then the system may propose a template ( 102  in  FIG. 1 ) that may be similar to the template described in exemplary Tables 1, 2 and 3. In this template, the user may describe the cause of the initial problem statement. 
   If the cause is selected, then the system may automatically generate problems  106 , in an exemplary embodiment in a similar way as described above for  105 . 
   The system  100  may prompt again, in an exemplary embodiment, three alternatives to generate alternative problem statements, which may be placed on three exemplary axes: cause effects, operative and hierarchy. 
   If the user selects a super-system on the hierarchy axis, then the wizard for resource formulation may be prompted including any combination of the following:
     1. Objects/processes similar to &lt;object/process&gt; &lt;Next&gt;   2. List through comma super-system elements &lt;Back&gt; &lt;Next&gt;   3. List through comma available substances &lt;Back&gt; &lt;Next&gt;   4. List through comma available energies &lt;Back&gt; &lt;Finish&gt;   

   The user can perform or skip any step of wizard. 
   Element  107  may automatically generate problem statements in accordance with following rule:
     For 1 st  step:   How &lt;object/process&gt; can prevent &lt;text of cause&gt;?   For 2 nd  step:   How &lt;super-system elements&gt; can prevent &lt;text of cause&gt;?   For 3 rd  step:   How &lt;available substances&gt; can prevent &lt;text of cause&gt;?   For 4 th  step:   How &lt;available energies&gt; can prevent &lt;text of cause&gt;?   

   If the user selects sub-system on the hierarchy axis then the wizard for resource formulation may be prompted including any combination of the following:
     1. List through comma subsystem elements &lt;Next&gt;   2. List through comma available substances &lt;Back&gt; &lt;Next&gt;   3. List through comma available energies &lt;Back&gt; &lt;Finish&gt;   

   The user can perform or skip any step of the wizard. Element  107  may automatically generate problem statements, in an exemplary embodiment, in accordance with following rule:
     For 1 st  step:   How &lt;subsystem elements&gt; can prevent &lt;text of cause&gt;?   For 2 nd  step:   How &lt;available substances&gt; can prevent &lt;text of cause&gt;?   For 3 rd  step:   How &lt;available energies&gt; can prevent &lt;text of cause&gt;?   

   If the user selects next or previous operations on the operation axis, then the wizard for resource formulation may be prompted including, in an exemplary embodiment, any one, or combination of:
     1. List through comma components available in this operation &lt;Next&gt;   2. List through comma processes available in this operation &lt;Back&gt; &lt;Next&gt;   3. List through comma energies available in this operation &lt;Back&gt; &lt;Next&gt;   4. List through comma available substances in this operation &lt;Back&gt; &lt;Finish&gt;   

   Element  108  may automatically generate problem statements, in an exemplary embodiment, in accordance with following rule:
     For 1 st  step:   How &lt;components available in this operation&gt; can prevent &lt;text of cause&gt;?   For 2 nd  step:   How &lt;processes available in this operation&gt; can prevent &lt;text of cause&gt;?   For 3 rd  step:   How &lt;energies available in this operation&gt; can prevent &lt;text of cause&gt;?   For 4 th  step:   How &lt;available substances in this operation&gt; can prevent &lt;text of cause&gt;?   User can add new causes and for each of them add new resources on the exemplary hierarchy or operation axes.   

   The system may accumulate all problem statements generated by units  105 ,  106 ,  107 ,  108 . Solving of any of these alternative problems provide resolving of the initial problem. 
   Unit  109  may provide automatic generation of appropriate queries for each type of problem, as shown in Table 4. 
   
     
       
             
             
           
         
             
               TABLE 4 
             
             
                 
             
             
               Problem 
               Query 
             
             
                 
             
           
           
             
               How to decrease (for row 1) (or increase (for 
               decrease (or increase, or stabilize, or 
             
             
               row 2), or stabilize (for row 3), or control (for 
               control) &lt;parameter name&gt; &lt;object or 
             
             
               row 4)) &lt;parameter name&gt; of &lt;object or 
               process name&gt; 
             
             
               process name&gt;? 
             
             
               How to provide (for row 5) (remove -for row 
               provide (remove) &lt;object or process 
             
             
               6) &lt;object or process name&gt;? 
               name&gt; 
             
             
               How to prevent &lt;Effect name or process 
               prevent &lt;Effect name or process 
             
             
               name&gt;? 
               name&gt; 
             
             
               How &lt;object/process&gt; can prevent &lt;text of 
               &lt;object/process&gt; prevents &lt;text of 
             
             
               cause&gt;? 
               cause&gt; 
             
             
               How &lt;super-system elements&gt; can prevent 
               &lt;super-system elements&gt; prevent &lt;text 
             
             
               &lt;text of cause&gt;? 
               of cause&gt; 
             
             
               How &lt;available substances&gt; can prevent &lt;text 
               &lt;available substances&gt; prevents &lt;text 
             
             
               of cause&gt;? 
               of cause&gt; 
             
             
               How &lt;available energies&gt; can prevent &lt;text of 
               &lt;available energies&gt; prevents &lt;text of 
             
             
               cause&gt;? 
               cause&gt; 
             
             
               How &lt;subsystem elements&gt; can prevent &lt;text 
               &lt;subsystem elements&gt; prevents &lt;text 
             
             
               of cause&gt;? 
               of cause&gt; 
             
             
               How &lt;available substances&gt; can prevent &lt;text 
               &lt;available substances&gt; prevents &lt;text 
             
             
               of cause&gt;? 
               of cause&gt; 
             
             
               How &lt;available energies&gt; can prevent &lt;text of 
               &lt;available energies&gt; prevents &lt;text of 
             
             
               cause&gt;? 
               cause&gt; 
             
             
               How &lt;components available in this operation&gt; 
               &lt;components available in this 
             
             
               can prevent &lt;text of cause&gt;? 
               operation&gt; prevents &lt;text of cause&gt; 
             
             
               How &lt;processes available in this operation&gt; 
               &lt;processes available in this operation&gt; 
             
             
               can prevent &lt;text of cause&gt;? 
               prevents &lt;text of cause&gt; 
             
             
               How &lt;energies available in this operation&gt; can 
               &lt;energies available in this operation&gt; 
             
             
               prevent &lt;text of cause&gt;? 
               prevents &lt;text of cause&gt; 
             
             
               How &lt;available substances in this operation&gt; 
               &lt;available substances in this 
             
             
               can prevent &lt;text of cause&gt;? 
               operation&gt; prevents &lt;text of cause&gt; 
             
             
                 
             
           
        
       
     
   
   Unit  110  may include making an ontology enhancement of each query in an exemplary embodiment. Each verb of the query may be enhanced with one or more synonyms. 
   An example of such an exemplary enhancement for an exemplary query: decrease &lt;parameter name&gt; &lt;object or process name&gt; appears in the following Table 5. 
   
     
       
             
             
             
           
         
             
                 
               TABLE 5 
             
             
                 
                 
             
             
                 
               Verb 
               Ontology synonyms 
             
             
                 
                 
             
           
           
             
                 
               decrease, 
               diminish, lower, recede, scant, minimize, 
             
             
                 
                 
               reduce, cut down, lessen, limit, shorten 
             
             
                 
                 
               abridge, deplete, dilute, declaim, wane 
             
             
                 
                 
             
           
        
       
     
   
   Enhanced queries may be sent to a knowledge base  111 . 
   Knowledge base  111  may return a list of one or more concepts  112 . 
   A cause effects axis describes causal relations between events. Each cause generates a next event in a chain. And on the contrary, elimination (prevention) of a cause may provide elimination of the next event in the chain ( FIG. 2 ). 
     FIG. 2  depicts an exemplary embodiment of an exemplary cause-effect chain  200 . In the exemplary embodiment, event  4  shown in  202  and event  5  shown in  204  are two necessary causes of event  2 . Furthermore, in the exemplary embodiment of chain  200 , event  2  shown in  206  and event  3  shown in  208  are two sufficient causes of event  1  shown in  210 . Finally, in the exemplary embodiment, elimination of event  4  or event  5  provides elimination of event  2 , and elimination of event  2  and event  3  provides elimination of event  1 . 
     FIG. 3  depicts, an exemplary embodiment of an operation axis  300 . In an exemplary embodiment, an operation axis may describe a previous operation  302  or a next operation  306  that may take place before or after an event  304 , respectively. Operations are not linked by causal relations. Operations are used as a source of resources for elimination events. 
   The problems “how to use resource of operation to eliminate event?” are generated. 
   The user has possibility to choose any of the axes. 
   As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the hierarchy axis may contain a description of elements that may be a super-system  402  or a subsystem  406  for a selected event  404 . 
   Super-systems  402  and subsystems  406  may be used as a source of resources for elimination events. 
   The problems “how to use resource of super-systems and subsystems to eliminate event?” may be generated. 
   The following examples are illustrative, but not limiting of the scope of the present invention. Reasonable variations, such as, e.g., those that may occur to a reasonable artisan, can be made herein without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
   A user may describe a situation as an ineffectively working pneumatic cylinder. The user may enter a description of an initial undesirable situation as “insufficient pressure of gas”  501  indicating insufficient gas pressure ( 501 ,  FIG. 5 ). Then the user may define insufficient power of compressor indicating insufficient compressor power and insufficient cross section of gas pipeline as causes of the initial undesirable situation ( 502  and  503 ). Then the user may describe super-systems for  502  using wizard steps for super-system (Table 6): 
   
     
       
             
             
             
           
         
             
               TABLE 6 
             
             
                 
             
             
               Step 
                 
                 
             
             
               number 
               Wizard question 
               Wizard answer 
             
             
                 
             
           
           
             
               1. 
               Objects/processes similar to 
               Does not exist 
             
             
                 
               &lt;object/process&gt; 
             
             
               2. 
               List through comma super-system 
               Pipeline 
             
             
                 
               elements 
               Cooler 
             
             
               3. 
               List through comma available 
               Electric Generator 
             
             
                 
               substances 
               Compressed Air 
             
             
               4. 
               List through comma available 
               Electric power 
             
             
                 
               energies 
             
             
                 
             
           
        
       
     
   
   The system may automatically generate a list of problems (Table 7, column Problem statements). 
   
     
       
             
             
             
           
         
             
               TABLE 7 
             
             
                 
             
             
               Unit 
                 
                 
             
             
               number 
               Problem statement 
               Query 
             
             
                 
             
           
           
             
               1 
               How to increase pressure of 
               increase pressure of gas 
             
             
                 
               gas? 
             
             
               2 
               How to increase power of 
               increase power of compression 
             
             
                 
               compression? 
             
             
               3 
               How to increase cross section 
               increase cross section 
             
             
                 
               of gas pipeline? 
               of gas pipeline 
             
             
               4 
               — 
               — 
             
             
               5 
               How pipeline can prevent 
               pipeline prevent insufficient 
             
             
                 
               insufficient power of 
               power of compressor 
             
             
                 
               compressor? 
               cooler prevent insufficient power 
             
             
                 
               How cooler can prevent 
               of compressor 
             
             
                 
               insufficient power of 
             
             
                 
               compressor? 
             
             
               6 
               How electric generator can 
               electric generator prevent 
             
             
                 
               prevent insufficient power of 
               insufficient power of compressor 
             
             
                 
               compressor? 
               compressed air can prevent 
             
             
                 
               How compressed air can 
               insufficient power of compressor 
             
             
                 
               prevent insufficient power of 
             
             
                 
               compressor? 
             
             
               7 
               How electric power can 
               electric power can prevent 
             
             
                 
               prevent insufficient power of 
               insufficient power of compressor 
             
             
                 
               compressor? 
             
             
                 
             
           
        
       
     
   
   Solving any of formulated problems may resolve the initial undesirable situation. When the user goes to the problem stage for each problem, queries may be automatically formulated (Table 7, column Queries). Each query may be ontologically enhanced (unit  110 ,  FIG. 1 ) and may be sent to the knowledge base  111 . Knowledge base  111  may extract concepts for a formulated initial undesirable situation. 
   The user may enter a description of initial undesirable situation as insufficient deformation of metal during a pressing operation ( 601 ,  FIG. 6 ). Then the user may define insufficient temperature of metal as a cause of the initial undesirable situation ( 602 ). Then the user may describe a previous milling operation for  602  using wizard steps for operations (Table 8): 
   
     
       
             
             
             
           
         
             
               TABLE 8 
             
             
                 
             
             
               Step 
                 
                 
             
             
               number 
               Wizard question 
               Wizard answer 
             
             
                 
             
           
           
             
               1. 
               List through comma components 
               Cutter, tooling 
             
             
                 
               available in this operation 
             
             
               2. 
               List through comma processes 
               Milling 
             
             
                 
               available in this operation 
             
             
               3. 
               List through comma energies 
               Mechanical power, 
             
             
                 
               available in this operation 
               friction 
             
             
               4. 
               List through comma available 
               Emulsion 
             
             
                 
               substances in this operation 
             
             
                 
             
           
        
       
     
   
   The system may automatically generate a list of problems (Table 9, column Problem statements): 
   
     
       
             
             
             
           
         
             
               TABLE 9 
             
             
                 
             
             
               Unit 
                 
                 
             
             
               number 
               Problem statement 
               Query 
             
             
                 
             
           
           
             
               1. 
               How to increase deformation 
               increase deformation of metal 
             
             
                 
               of metal? 
             
             
               2. 
               How to increase temperature 
               increase temperature of metal 
             
             
                 
               of metal? 
             
             
               3. 
               How cutter can prevent 
               cutter prevent insufficient 
             
             
                 
               insufficient temperature of 
               temperature of metal 
             
             
                 
               metal? 
               tooling prevent insufficient 
             
             
                 
               How tooling can prevent 
               temperature of metal 
             
             
                 
               insufficient temperature of 
             
             
                 
               metal? 
             
             
               4. 
               How milling can prevent 
               milling prevent insufficient 
             
             
                 
               insufficient temperature of 
               temperature of metal 
             
             
                 
               metal? 
             
             
               5. 
               How mechanical power can 
               mechanical power prevent 
             
             
                 
               prevent insufficient 
               insufficient temperature of metal 
             
             
                 
               temperature of metal? 
               friction prevent insufficient 
             
             
                 
               How friction can prevent 
               temperature of metal 
             
             
                 
               insufficient temperature of 
             
             
                 
               metal? 
             
             
               6. 
               How emulsion can prevent 
               emulsion prevent insufficient 
             
             
                 
               insufficient temperature of 
               temperature of metal 
             
             
                 
               metal? 
             
             
                 
             
           
        
       
     
   
   Solving any of the formulated problems may resolve the initial undesirable situation. When the user goes to the problem stage for each problem, queries may be automatically formulated (Table 9, column Queries). Each query may be ontologically enhanced (unit  110 ,  FIG. 1 ) and may be sent to knowledge base  111 . Knowledge base  111  may extract concepts for the formulated initial undesirable situation.