SIM Competition Paper: Word Processing in a Major Corporation: Policies, Plans, and Management

At Indiana University in the late 1970's, the demand for word processing, the burden on the University's text processors, and a variety of commercial equipment demanded coordination. In 1978 a task force studied and made recommendations on the future of word processing throughout the corporation. As a result of these efforts, the Office of Information and Computer Services (OICS) assumed leadership and developed a small consulting team to assist users in choosing and installing word processing systems. By 180 the consultants' workload and the existence of perceived needs for $1.8 million in word processing products demanded a more systematic and encompassing strategy. Therefore, OICS formed a temporary group, the Office Systems Group, to devise objectives, policies, and implementation strategies for the 180's. This team needed to elarn what questions to ask and how to find answers. Furthermore, because modern office technologies will not work unless people accept them, the group had to deal with the social dynamics of office units. The group did a technical study of available products and developed a self-study method to determine office needs. Today the University's policies and strategy foster compatible systems, enable adequate maintenance, and promote staff mobility. The products chosen meet the needs of all users ᾢ teachers, students, clerical staff, professional staff, and administrators.