This paper presents framework specifications for an instructional systems development (ISD) expert system. The goal of the proposed ISD expert system is to improve the means by which educators design, produce, and evaluate the instructional development process. In the past several decades, research and theory development in the fields of instructional technology and cognitive science has advanced the knowledge base for instructional design theory such that learning and thinking can be significantly improved by direct instructional intervention. Unfortunately, these advancements have increased the complexity of employing instructional design theory, making instructional development both costly and time consuming. It is proposed that through the application of expert system methods, it is now possible to develop an intelligent computer-based ISD expert system that will enable educators to employ instructional design theory for curricular and instructional development. Presented in this paper is a framework for the development of an ISD expert system that will assist both experienced and inexperienced instructional developers in applying advanced instructional design theory. Diagrams of three generations of the proposed model are appended. (38 references) (Author/BBM)