The invention provides a system and method for analyzing an anomalous condition. The method includes providing sensor output from at least one sensor used to measure information pertaining to the status of a process, receiving the output from the at least one sensor, and extracting at least one representative value that is characteristic of a pattern expressed in the output. Data is retrieved from a knowledge base, the data including a plurality of representative values. The knowledge base also includes information which maps the representative values to associated anomalous conditions. The method further includes analyzing the representative value output from the extracting step with respect to the data stored in the knowledge base, and generating a diagnostic result which diagnoses an anomalous condition in the process. The method then uses the diagnostic result to effect corrective action to the process by adjusting at least one actuator.