Expert systems: from database to knowledge base

Abstract Information systems are currently in transition to knowledge-based architectures. Concern with corporate data standards and fourth-generation languages in the 1970s is now being replaced by an awareness of the need for a corporate language standard (i.e. grammar and conceptual dictionary) appropriate to interactive knowledge-based systems. In this paper, attention is drawn to the Development Centre concept, based on interactive knowledge-based systems (IKBS), for MIS design and end-user computing. Reference is made to knowledge elicitation through discourse understanding. A role is defined for intermediate notations such as conceptual graphs to facilitate new specification paradigms for systems analysts and knowledge engineers.