Abstract
Expert systems are one of the first and most successful areas to emerge from the field of artificial intelligence. The paper is written from the viewpoint of someone who has recently attempted their first expert system application. It is intended as an introduction to expert systems for those who know little or nothing about this new technology but would like to consider it for use in their own area of interest.
The paper describes what an expert system is and briefly examines possible relationships between expert systems and databases. A number of steps are required when embarking on the development of an expert system for the first time. These are described, including the suitability of an application for expert system treatment and the selection of an expert system shell (program). Using an expert system developed by the author as an example, the acquisition of knowledge is outlined together with the building and testing of a system ready for use.