Building on success-lessons learned (expert systems)

The author examines a case study of a beginning expert systems program at a large regional life insurance company, a program that began with excellent success, but has not been able to follow up on that success. Through examination of this case, the author points out lessons that can be learned from this experience, and suggests means of preventing this type of failure in other beginning-expert-systems programs. The first lesson learned is that there must be strong and consistent messages to management that the major benefits of the technology will be missed if the primary purpose of an expert-systems program is seen as short-term cost reduction. Secondly, there must be strong and consistent messages to management that education of middle managers is essential to the success of the program. Third for long-term success of the technology, there must be a plan for the development of critical mass in the organization. In many organizations, the best way to achieve critical mass is through the utilization of the experts themselves as end-user developers.<>