Definition#

Indication rules basically initiate the presentation of certain, subsequent questions or questionnaires to the user depending on previously provided answers. Indications also can be defined dependent on an already derived solution. In general, indicated questionnaires/questions are added at the end of the current dialog-agenda (the current, still-to-pose questionnaires/questions). However, there also exist instant indication rules in KnowWE, which present the indicated questionnaires/questions instantly after the current question.

Syntax - Basic indication rules#

Indication of one questionnaire/question#

IF someQuestion = answerValue
THEN specialQuestions

In this example, the questionnaire specialQuestions is added at the end of the dialog-agenda if the question someQuestion has been answered with answerValue.

Indication of multiple questionnaires/questions#

IF diag = diagState
THEN questionnaire1; questionnaire2

The above example shows that multiple questionnaires/questions for a gradual indication are simply separated by semicolons. It also presents the solution-dependent indication: if the diagnosis diag has the diagnosis state diagState (see Doc DiagnosisRule for a listing of scoring and diagnosis states) the questionnaires questionnaire1 and questionnaire2 are gradually indicated.
Indicating multiple questionnaires or questions in one rule at once also works with all the other indication types.

Checking for answers#

IF KNOWN[quest]
THEN specialQuestion

If a question/questionnaire should be indicated independet of the concrete answer value but depending just on that any answer value was provided, the KNOWN keyword is to be used. The example shows how to check, whether question quest has already been answered. The question that has to be checked must be placed within square brackets.

Syntax - Other indication types#

Instant indication#

If an indicated question/questionnaire is to be presented instantly after the current question, so-called instant indication rules have to be used.

IF question = yes
THEN INSTANT [questionInstant]

In the following example questionInstant is presented instantly after the current question, if the question question is answered with yes. Regarding start questionnaires, however, instant indications don't intervene the order there. Start questionnaires are always presented first.

Repeated indication#

IF question = yes
THEN ALWAYS[question]

Adding the ALWAYS[...] will result in the the indication of question no matter whether it has been already answered or not. That way, questions can be repeatedly presented in the interview (as long as the respective condition, in this case question = yes, holds true).

Contra indication#

IF question = yes
THEN NOT[question]

Adding the NOT[...] will prevent the questions from being indicated until the condition question = yes no longer holds true.