RULE SET FOR ROOT CAUSE DIAGNOSTICS

A reduced rule set for identifying a root cause of an aberration in an industrial process is generated from a complete rule base. The rule base includes plurality of rules for the industrial process, and each rule comprises a condition of at least one process signal of the industrial process and a fault which corresponds to the condition of at least one process signal. Available process signals are identified. Rules are selectively removed from the rule base to produce the reduced rule set.