SISES: an expert system for site selection

Site selection is a critical decision making element for a wide range of economic activities, from land use planning to residential location selection by individuals. Typically, site selection involves two phases. First, a small number of alternatives among all possible sites are identified for further evaluation. Then these selected alternatives are examined in depth to find the optimal site. Because of the effort required for a thorough evaluation of each site, the number of sites included in the second stage is, by necessity, small. Therefore, the first phase of the site selection process is very important because if, for example, the “best” available site is not included in the set of alternatives selected for thorough study, then this site can never be selected as the optimal site. In large scale planning the first phase involves reconnaissance and prefeasibility studies. At the individual level, it may involve consultation with a specialist.