Expert Systems Explained

Expert systems are frequently mentioned in business circles these days. They have the potential to assist greatly in the dissemination of scarce or complex expertise. But although they can be immensely valuable if properly understood, developed and used, they can also be a waste of resources. Aimed at managers who feel the need to know more about expert systems, but who are ot themselves computing specialists, what an expert system is and is not is explained. The types of application for which it is suitable, and who is most likely to find the time, trouble and expense of creating one that is most worthwhile is discussed. Different types of expert system are explained, and the means and merits of prototyping are outlined. In order to have a successful expert system, certain essentials are required: a subject area which can be suitably defined; an expert who can provide the knowledge; users who know what they want and how they want to use it; a knowledge engineer who can translate the expertise into facts and rules for the system. A short but useful glossary of technical terms which may be encountered in the world of expert systems is included.