The effects of types of knowledge on the performance of fault diagnosis

With respect to the effectiveness of types of knowledge on human diagnostic performance, the results of several experiments claimed that training with diagnostic rules (procedural knowledge) is more effective than training that provides theoretical knowledge (principle knowledge). However, we usually have the idea that understanding the principles of system dynamics is necessary for diagnosis in some situations. In this study, we pointed out some problems in the previous experiments that force to reinterpret their experimental conclusions. Accordingly, we conducted an experiment to reinvestigate the value of theoretical knowledge in two problem situations. A simulator system, which is named DLD, that is to diagnose an electronic device was created for this purpose. It is a context-free digital logic circuit which includes forty-one gates of three basic types. Our experiment investigated the marginal effects of theoretical knowledge over common diagnostic rules. The experimental results showed that the effectiveness of the instruction in theoretical knowledge is dependent on the complexity of diagnostic situations. This adds up an experimental evidence against the presumed ineffectiveness of theoretical knowledge and forward reasoning in fault diagnosis. Furthermore, the result suggests the source of the use of theoretical knowledge.