This chapter provides an introduction to the development of material property databases. The value of material property databases is discussed. Key concepts that are used throughout the manual are introduced. The standards organizations involved in materials property databases are discussed. This manual focuses on the use of standards developed by or in cooperation with ASTM Committee E-49 on the Computerization of Material and Chemical Property Data. ASTM Committee E-49 is at the forefront in developing standards in this area. The final section of this chapter introduces the steps involved in the design of a materials property database. The steps highlight the use of the ASTM E-49 standards and the other chapters in the manual.