Abstract: A system and method of determining an answer in an expert system having an inference engine and a knowledge database includes transmitting a query or sub-queries to a plurality of sub-expert systems, each comprising an associated inference engine and an associated knowledge database; receiving a sub-answer from each sub-expert system which has been inferred by the inference engine based upon knowledge in the knowledge database; transmitting the sub-answers to the expert system using the inference engine thereof to infer an answer to the query based upon knowledge in the knowledge database and the sub-answers received from the sub-expert systems; and transmitting the answer. A system for managing data includes a computer interface with a database arrangement that stores domain-related information, and which communicates with an inference engine that infers query results based upon the domain-related information and partial answers obtained from knowledge databases.