Managing delivery of expert systems

The technology of expert systems and the tools which support it are now sufficient for an immense number of cost-effective, commercially viable systems to be put in place. The management skills involved in the delivery of such systems are not similarly advanced, and are often fragmentary and, in many cases, poor. The paper discusses various management techniques, mostly based on conventional software systems development or common sense. It is suggested that the successful uptake of mainstream expert systems technology depends more on discipline and proper management than on the implementation of leading-edge technology. There is currently a lack of rigour and professional discipline in expert systems management