A NEW APPROACH TO OFFICE AUTOMATION - TOP DOWN
by Bennett Landsman

PURPOSE
*******

OFFICE AUTOMATION APPROACH
==========================

This article describes what I believe to be a rational approach in
implementing an Office Information System considering what is available
today. It also states what is backwards about the usual approach to
implementing such systems. The article defines a top down approach to OIS
implementation that makes the involement of executives in messaging and
conferencing a natural part of the process. It concludes with a projected
scenario for implementation of these technologies within New Jersey State
Government.

WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO DO?
=========================

Traditional office automation or office information systems stress putting
workstations geared primarily towards word processing on secretarial
desks. Look at your office expenses in terms of salary. Then ask why are
we trying to increase the effectiveness of normally the lowest paid class
of employee first?

PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE
========================

I contend we have all taken the path of least resistance. Most of us had
either dedicated word processing equipments normally grouped together in
what used to be a typing pool (we simply called it a word processing
center). When the software primarily geared towards word processing on
shared logic systems became available we all saw it as an easy migration
path to distributed word processing. Messaging and document transfer were
nice features that were thrown in on some systems for no additional cost.
Most end users didn't use them.

DOING IT BACKWARDS
==================

I contend that we should attack increasing office effectiveness through a
combination of traditional cost benefit analysis and plain common sense.
Based on that criteria we should look at ways to increase the
effectiveness of the top executives first, then the professionals who work
for them and finally the secretaries and executive assistants.

TOP DOWN APPROACH
*****************

RATIONALE
=========

Implementing a top-down approach to Office Automation, electronic mail or
conferencing has several advantages. The people who are the first users
are the influential people in the organization. They also approve the
expenditures and provide an incentive for others in the organization to
become motivated users.

A principal disadvantage is that it is a high risk strategy. If it works,
you're a hero. If it fails, everyone knows it. The failure cannot be
contained. When you go to top management with an unproven system make sure
that everyone realizes they're part of an experiment. That's what we did
with a controlled release AT&T OIS product.

SIDE BENEFITS
=============

A side benefit of a top-down approach is that it is an easy way to expose
your top management to electronic messaging with their peers. As top
management become more comfortable with it, you can expand the system to
cover the next level down in management and add more people to the
electronic network. We now have second level management asking us when
can they get on the network. It's become a status symbol as well as
genuine desire for second level managers to become part of our office
network. They will soon be put on via their personal computers.

TIE-IN TO COMPUTER MEDIATED COMMUNICATION
=========================================

Acclimating top management of an organization to electronic messaging
makes an evolution to conferencing a natural progression. In their minds
you simply expand the concept of messaging to include a permanent
distribution list and a "permanent" message repository . When you add
retrieval capabilities to the message database they become hooked on the
medium.

KEY FACTORS
***********

HOW IS SYSTEM TO BE DRIVEN
==========================

My contention is that you have to determine before you put in an Office
Automation system how the system is to be driven or prioritized. I
characterize Office Automation systems as either


being executive top down driven, secretarial word processing driven,
personal computer driven or data processing driven. We have many personal
computers users who want to use an OIS for messaging and calendaring, but
prefer (at this point in time) to do their word processing,
spreadsheeting, graphics and database activities on their PC's. They will
be hooked into the system with OIS and terminal emulation software running
on their personal computers.

Although most installations eventually have to accomodate all of the four
types of "driven" orientations, you should be clear about the relative
priority order. Our AT&T installation was top down followed by secretarial
and then personal computer driven. Data processing activities on the OIS
have the lowest priority.

A WORKSTATION FOR EVERY USER
============================

Every Office Automation system you consider should have workstations for
all types of users. A telephone type executive workstation, a workstation
oriented towards word processing, the capability of using an existing
personal computer as part of the Office Information System network and a
workstation that was suitable for data processing development should be
available for any OIS you are considering. These need not be separate
workstations. For example, the telephone terminal(i.e.,executive
workstation) has proven invaluable in getting top executives to accept an
Office Automation system especially those who wanted no parts of a
personal computer in their office.

DEFINE APPLICATION WHERE POSSIBLE
=================================

Messaging has really taken hold among our top executives. The top man's
executive assistant told me that she will not even walk 100 feet to
someone's office until she checks his calendar on the system to see if
he's free. Our statistics bear out the fact that messaging followed by
calendaring and viewing others calendar's is the top activity among the
executives using our office system.

You can install an Office Automation system on the basis of an argument
for increased productivity. However your management will not have a gut
feeling for the advantages until they experience the system themselves.
When you can propose a solution to a problem and simply use the system to
alleviate the problem you will find it easier to establish an Office
System beachhead.

FUTURES
*******

OFFICE INFORMATION SYSTEM MESSAGING X.400
=========================================

I believe that the bulk of messaging and conferencing within New Jersey
State Governmental agencies will take place within each agency. Individual
Office Information Systems will eventually handle the vast majority of
messaging activities. The key is systems from different vendors
communicating messages through use of the X.400 protocols. When that
happens, generalized messaging systems like MCI, Source, Dialcom, etc.
will be like the long distance phone services providing interconnects
between the local central offices.

OFFICE INFORMATION SYSTEM CONFERENCING
======================================

Another trend I see is the inclusion of electronic conferencing functions
within localized Office Information Systems. This will evolve to embrace
generalized conferencing systems like EIES 2, Participate,etc. acting as
interconnects for users of the individual Office Information System
conferencing and messaging functions. A centralized conferencing system
will also be needed to allow people who do not have access to a local
Office Information System conferencing function to participate in
conferencing.

DISTRIBUTED LEVELS OF CMC
=========================

These distributed levels of electronic conferencing will only be come
possible when directory (probably close) and conferencing standards
(further away)are not only promulgated but implemented. X.400 messaging
standard systems may be widespread within two years, but conferencing may
be three to five years out in a practical sense.

----- Author's note: Bennett Landsman is an Assistant Director for Office
Systems for the Office of Telecommunications and Information Systems for
the State Government of New Jersey. He is the primary State contact on the
EIES 2 project. He also runs two large microcomputer user groups. One is
the State Microcomputer government Users Group (SMUG) and the other is the
Philadephia Area IBM PC group.