Method, apparatus and computer program product for constructing a diagnostic network model

A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for constructing a diagnostic network model in a more efficient and timely manner and with improved consistency. A structured electronic representation of a document is automatically reviewed to identify the symptoms experienced by the complex system, the plurality of components of the complex system and the causal relationships between a failure of the respective components and the occurrence of the various symptoms. Respective probabilities can be associated with the causal relationships between the symptoms and the failure of the various components. A network model, such as a Bayesian network model, may then be automatically constructed to represent the symptoms, the components, the causal relationships between failure of the components and exhibition of the symptoms, and the probabilities of the respective causal relationships.