Abstract:
The paper presents the result of a seven-years experiement with the SEPT application (SEPT is the French acronym for equipment monitoring in an extra-high voltage substation). In this framework severla software pieces have been devloped for different reasons: a diagnoser, a simulator and a knowledge configurator. Moreover, explanation generation has been considered along two different ways: built from a local model of the reasoning, and built under the responsibility of the operator. We discuss the different steps of the work and the rational behind the choices made at that time. This application permits to point out the essential role of the context, and the natural movement towards the context-based intelligence assistant systems.

Keywords:
Expert systems, explanation, knowledge configuration, simulation, context, intelligent assistant systems.