The benefits of prototyping as a basis for system design include better specifications, earlier discovery of omissions and extensions, and the likelihood of salvaging much of the effort expended on the prototype. Risks and methods of prototyping during rapid systems development are also noted. (Author/MLW)

The planning assumptions on which Oberlin College's computer support staff encouraged incorporation of microcomputer use on campus are outlined and discussed, including computers as a higher education resource, networks, institutional planning considerations, encouraging staff and faculty participation, and computer staff support efforts. (MSE)

The annotated list of 30 recommended books for information managers on college campuses covers leadership, technology, management, information technology trends, quality of services, societal trends, and planning. Publication dates range from 1950 to 1990 with most published in the 1980s. (Author/DB)

A much misunderstood aspect of managing information technology is its economics. Rate of technological advancement is accelerating, demand is intensifying, standards and architectures are changing daily, prices are falling, but total costs are growing. Understanding the economics of information technology is a necessary first step in developing…

The key to making optimal use of time, energy, and institutional resources in college and university technology planning is to understand important differences between long-term socioeconomic planning and short-term operational planning. A ten-step procedure that focuses on process rather than product, and allows ready reallocation of resources as…

The process and experiences associated with strategic planning in a recently decentralized administrative information systems environment are described. Background information on why Virginia Commonwealth University decentralized the authority, responsibility, and accountability for the delivery of administrative information services to major…

Telephone system acquisition by institutions of higher education is discussed. Some important areas of investigation are described and more comprehensive explorations of telephone systems are encouraged. Management of telephone systems and changing the telephone system are discussed. (Author/MLW)

A seven-year long-range information systems plan at the University of Miami outlined 44 applications, most of which were to be installed in a database environment via prototyping with fourth-generation tools. The challenges that confront information systems managers are described. (Author/MLW)

At Indiana University the demand for word processing, the burden on the university's text processors, and the variety of commercial equipment demanded detailed, systematic technical and social planning. In the process of studying available equipment and software, the university's Office Systems Groups developed tools for evaluating the technology.…

In February 1980, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Lukes Medical Center in Chicago appointed a task force to study word processing/office automation and to make recommendations for acquisition, implementation, and administration. The group's working approach, findings, and conclusions are discussed. (Author/MLW)

Many small, private colleges lack the resources to develop a planning, management and evaluation (PME) system and the result is planning becomes a neglected function. An in-depth study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for the Detroit Institute of Technology is described. (MLW)

The concept of reengineering is examined as it applies to colleges and universities, with emphasis upon information technology units. Covered are the purposes, principles, and process of reengineering; organizational change; leadership; reengineering the information technology unit; and critical success factors for reengineering higher education.…

As part of a long-range information systems planning effort, an assessment of the impact of technology on the organization was developed. Trends are identified and the anticipated impact on the University of Miami is discussed. (Author/MLW)

The experience of a small liberal arts college in trying to develop a usable and understandable planning, management, and evaluation (PME) system is described. PME tasks in small colleges center upon selecting starting points, demonstrating how different procedures can facilitate operations and decision making, and educating people. (Author/MLW)

A methodology for developing a strategic, long-range organizational information architecture is described. The development of a plan to identify key categories of information to enhance decision making and operational productivity is detailed. Figures and tables detail the methodology's application at the University of Minnesota. (DB)