User expectations

Overview | Traditional | Modern | Comparison
Data processing

Overview

Different users of data processing systems have different expectations about their computer systems. It is worth some initial research into your users current system before implementing a change in their existing system.

Traditional

In the early days of computing, users had to accept certain limitations on their ideal system, due to;

Development time delay
Requirements of batch processing
Lack of skilled personnel
Access time for I-O media
Cost of the hardware.

Modern

Much of this is no longer valid and the watchword is now 'make the system fit the user', rather than the converse. This means that;

Interaction between the user and the system directly is more common - eg a terminal on the manager's desk so that they can get the latest sales figures, and the orders being entered by the salesman, via a modem, while still in the customer's shop.

All of this requires;

Much better presentation, in the USER'S language
Systems are extremely robust,
Able to discard or ignore inappropriate input.

For this reason many systems now in use offer menus which have the advantage of giving information and decreasing the likelihood of error at the same time.

Further requirements are that the system be flexible - and put together in such a way that eg, extra reports can be requested, with the software written perhaps by the end-user. This has led to the development of higher level languages, and the use of common packages for some types of system. As a result, standard methods of holding and handling data are becoming vital both within and between systems.

Today's systems analyst can no longer be the ivory tower expert - they have to know not only their own job, but also have a pretty good grasp of the end-user's and all its ramifications, so that the system can be built to be extended. The corollary to this is that they must be prepared to hand part of the job over to the user as purchasable software becomes more and more sophisticated.

The implications of this are that the users must become more sophisticated.

Comparison : Mainframe, Mini with Micro (PC)

Comparing a Traditional Main-frame (and Mini-) computer, system with a Modern Personal Computer based system;

MAINFRAME / MINI

Data Backed up by computer staff
Specific jobs such as, Operators, Data Administrators.
High security due to multiple users
Printer may be away from the terminal
Extensive vendor support (for a fee!)
Customised software
Software generally not portable to other brands
Dumb terminals attached to a central processing computer

MICRO-Computer

Data must be managed by the user
High Speed
User is Operator and Data Administrator
Deal with many vendors (for various hardware components, and various software products)
Printer attached
Limited vendor support
Software purchased "off-the-shelf"

It should be noted here however that as Microcomputers become connected in a Distributed Processing network, (such as a Local Area Network (LAN) or the Internet), many of the typically Main-frame and Mini- properties need to be practiced, such as Backing up shared data.