Information centers exist to provide information from machine-readable data bases to users in industry, universities and other organizations. The computer Search Center of the IIT Research Institute was designed with a number of variables and uncertainties before it. In this paper, the author discusses how the Center was designed to enable it to accommodate the many variables it would face in providing different services to diverse users. The system design is discussed in terms of the unpredictable future and in terms of the users to be served. User aids that were developed (search manual, truncation guide, frequency lists, KLIC index and bigram frequency list), and communication with the user are discussed. The reasons for using a selective dissemination of information service (SDI) are presented. (Author/SJ)