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Using word processing screens
Using word processing screens F.
JONES
The opinions expressed about the use of screens are often controversial but very rarely researched. The author offers a variety of views expressed and attempts to put them in perspective against the background of his experiences with screen based word processors.
It sounds like one of the tnore unsavory diseases but looks like the most enjoyed pastime. What is it? A visual display unit (VDU) which resembles a television screen (see Fig. 1) with an umbilical link to a keyboard. It comes as almost a shock that the use of the device could arise such passions with trade unions issuing a document entitled "watch out for VDU's like this, they are a health hazard !' Manufacturers on the other hand have equally immotive and passionate introductions for screens "as easy as reading and w r i t i n g ' J and "puts tomorrows office together "3 . Evidence is scarce but what is available would appear to discount the major critics of screens for direct harmful medical reasonsJ Why then are there so many critics who would like to delay or prevent the introduction of screen based systems? The critics seem to fall into two categories those with a vested interest in the numbers of staff employed and research teams who wish to establish facts. The former are the most influential and vocal. Screens are suddenly a topic because combined with other devices they have helped reduce the number of people employed in many areas. Trade unions have a vested interest in maintaining the number o f their members employed because their fees are their income. (They also have a long history o f negotiating for better working conditions.) It is not insignificant howerver, in the early use of screens with no job loss, no learned work or research projects were demanded by trade unions in the U.K. My belief is that suitable screens used correctly do not have detrimental medical effects on staff, but present psychological and organizational problems. 5 My experience is based on a word processing installation installed at the City of Bradford Metropolitan Council 6 in early 1977. INSTALLATION
DETAILS
The installation consists of an AES/Wordplex 7 shared logic system shared by two buildings - Jacobs Well and City Hall, serving the authors belonging to the directorate o f development services. The configuration, understood to be the largest of its kind in Europe, employs nineteen people, sixteen of whom use screens to input or control work. Digital displays are also used by the word processing managers to control the audio input o f work and its transcription. A schematic of the configuration representing the layout of the two processing centres is shown in Fig. 2. Both layouts conform to an operational configuration of paper movement similar to a U turn, an example of which may be seen in Fig. 3 and the technical specification of the equipment may be obtained from Table 1. A typical The author is a management services officer with the City of Bradford Metropolitan Council.
DISPLAYS. OCTOBER 1979
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Fig. 1 A close-up of the Wordplex screen operational sequence for written input would conform to the following general pattern. The author completes typing an input form and sends it to the W P centre via a messenger. The word processing trainee collects the input from the in pigeon hole, time stamps incoming input forms and places the incoming typing in the managers in tray. The word processing manager divides input forms into batches according to paper type, allocates a document number and a batch of work to an operator according to her daily work programme. The operator types the document, sends it for printing accord. ing to the form type and places the draft in the out tray. The trainee collects the input forms from the out trays and places them in the appropriate paper type pending tray, before the assistant manager instructs him or her in loading of appropriate paper for the printers. When the printer has been loaded for the next batch o f documents by the trainee, the assistant manager allocates the appropriate paper type to print automatically. The trainee then unloads the printed documents from the printer, trims the continuous stationery on burster, collates the trimmed documents with the input forms from pending trays, time stamps outgoing typing and places the typing in the appropriate out pigeon hole.
Argument
against specialization
Many observers concluded that though the changes once made would achieve their objective, the resulting effects in staff morale would dissipate the savings. Organizational theorists like Hertzberg and Maslow argue that one of the
0141--9382/79/030149-05 S02.00 © IPC Business Press Limited
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Table 1 Technical specification of equipment One central processing unit 64K high speed semiconducter memory (using 4K RAM technology) Dual processors interleave memory cycles In-line hardware diagnostics 4.8 megabytes per second direct memory access facilities interleave memory cycles with processors Processor accesses up to 64 1/0 channels Multiplexer permits 32 full duplex asynchronous communication channels to be operated at 9.6K band The central processing unit (CPU) has two processors and two direct memory access (DMA) channels. One processor is used for 1/0 work functions, the other is used for editing and file manipulations. The CPU provides: A means for the two processors to send squential messages to each other via the inter-process& module through a FIFO. (First in/first out devices). 16 384 to 65 536 bytes of addressable memory Memory cycle time of 550 nanoseconds Transfer of up to 4 800 bytes per second through DMA to/from memory Power Weight Maximum Size
150
240 VAC, 50 Hz 181 Kg (400 lbs) Floor loading 8.8 Kg cm -2 (125 psi) 86.36cm x 121.9cm x 45.7cm (HxWxD)
Sixteen visual display units ( k~UJ Window s i z e Page size Matrix Colour Brightness Intelligence Power Weight Size
30.5cm diagonal 24 lines by 80 characters 83 lines by ] 28 characters 7 x 9 by 128 characters Green on grey Variable Twelve VDUs of 8K and four VDUs of 32K 240V AC 50 Hz 121 Kg 47cm x 47.2cm x 31.5cm (HxWxD)
Keyboards {one per VDU) Separate from screen, connected via a sell coiling cable Audable confirmation of key depression Querty keyboard with separate pads and strips of functional keys Key switches
Solid state hall effect type MTBF 1 000 000 hours MTBF 20 000 000 000 operations High impact, flame retardent ABS plastic
Keyboard enclosure Key depression interval 0.4 ms Total number of keys 83 Keyboard control keys 4 Cursor control keys 7 Software assigned keys 2 Editing keys 25 Shiftlock indication LED Delay before repeat 0.6 seconds
DISPLAYS. OCTOBER 1979
Slow repeat rate 15 characters per second Fast repeat rate 30 characters per second Flexible cable length 1.55m 11 Kg Weight Supplied by VDU Power 8.4cm x 47cm x 20.3cm (HxWxD) Size
bTve printers 45 cps bi-directional Printing speed Printing method Daisy wheel and servo hammer 96 character ASCII daisy wheel, Print wheel interchangeable, plastic Bottom feed continuous stationery, Paper handling sprocket held 38.1cm Width Cartridge Ribbon Horizontal forms positioning, vertical Controls forms positioning, forms thickness, ribbon advance 17.8cm x 59.7cm x 36.8cm (HxWxD) Size
Two storage module disk drives Capacity Basic unit Start time Stop time Access time
80 megabyte Single spindle drives using five high disk packs, CDC - 9 8 7 7 or equivalent 22 seconds 90 seconds 10 ms (1 cylinder movement) I 0 ms (average movement) 55 ms (822 cylinder movement)
Pack rotation 16.7 ms ~, 3600 rpm period Average rotation 8.35 ms ~' 3600 rpm latency Cylinder per disk 822 pack Tracks per 5 data tracks cylinder 1 servo track Tracks per pack 4110 data tacks Track capacity 20 160 bytes/10 080 words Cylinder capacity 100 800 bytes/50 400 words 82.4 megabytes/41.4 megawords Pack acpacity Dala transfer 3600 rpm • 1.209 megabyte sec 1 rate 9.67 megabits sec q Recording Modified frequency modulation method Size 86.4cm x 48.3cm x 86.4cm (HxWxD)
prime motivations in completing the task is job satisfaction. Woodward and others say that job satisfaction is essentially derived from the completion of a job from its start to its end. Observers therefore conclude that the application of word processing to a secretarial job, sub divides a complete job. The typing and clerical operations being allocated to two quite separate people, even separate structures. The effects of the specialization would therefore mean a drop in morale with the potential by-products of high labour turnover, high error rate, poor productivity and dissatisfaction with the job.
Basic c o r r e s p o n d e n c e s e q u e n c e The flaw with the argument concerning overt specialization of typists is that the observer has assumed the role carried out by secretarial services is a complete job, when in fact it is only a portion of a job. If one examines the basic correspondence sequence below one will see that there are six distinct parts. Only the fourth and fifth parts are normally completed by the typist, ie typing of the letter and checking that it corresponds with the authors composition. 1 Correspondent initiates a response 2 Author decides on reply 3 Author composes reply (letter) 4 Typist types reply (letter) 5 Author/supervisor checks reply (letter) 6 Letter answers correspondent The skills which enable a typist to justify her existence are the receipt of the text (ie shorthand, audio) and the quick and accurate keying-in of the text on her keyboard. The second and third parts of the correspondence sequence are unconnected with the secretary's skilIs and relate solely to the author, although standard letters or documents allow these to be eliminated by a standard response. It may be concluded, that in order to complete numbers two to five in the correspondence sequence, the author must also be the typist. It is, therefore, a pre-requisite of the function of a typist to participate in only a portion of the complete correspondence sequence. So, any increased job satisfaction will only be derived from the typist identifying with her specialist role.
Disk pack characteristics Usable surfaces Diameter Coating
6 (5 data, 1 servo) 35.6 cm Magnetic oxide
Four dual flexibh' disk drives The flexible disk drive (FDD) assembly contains a microprocessor controller capable of buffering and reading or writing one 128 byte sector with a single command. A single command will permit a seek to any track. Track to track access time 10 ms size 25.4cm x 50.8cm x 33cm
Organizational implications of introducing word processing Prior to the introduction of the screen based system, the typists were grouped together in four typing pools, three in Jacobs Well and one in City Hall. There was generally no specialization and typists were called upon to do a number of miscellaneous tasks such as photocopying, reception work, collating, etc. Typists were located geographically near to some authors and although they regarded themselves as working exclusively for these authors, in theory the typing pools were supposed to distribute the work evenly. An organizational structure is shown in Fig 4. The problems associated with a large reduction in staff and specialization of certain functions of text production required the structure to be fundamentally changed. The
DISPLAYS. OCTOBER 1979
151
"1 need to fill out a fortn'. 'What's on the form?" 'My name and variables for architects instructions (A.I.s).' 'But you used to write much more information previously." 'Yes, but we had A.l.s in four colours.' 'But now they are in six colours which you chose." 'Yes, but now they are on NCR paper.' 'But we chose NCR paper so that you need only sign tile top copy.' 'Yes, but 1 use an expensive fountain pen which must not be pressed heavily on the paper.' 'Can't you use the biro supplied'?" 'No, 1 like my pen.' 'ttow did you sign your A.l.s before word processing'?' 'Individually, with a fountain pen.' 'Is that not what you are doing now?" "Yes. But word processing is still time consuming arguing about the changes.'
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Fig. 5 1978 organizational structure. Total staff 22. Two receptionists were allocated to the divisions they served
organizational structure implemented is shown in Fig. 5. The significant changes were: non-typing work was allocated to an administrative support section; each building had only one geographic location for typists; work was even more specialized through a further sub division o f the typing process, and management services provided technical support. The attraction of specialization was to optimize tile use of the equipment and we therefore adopted the 'U turn' shared logic system of word processing. The design of applcations and stationery were implemented and maintained by management services personnel. Essentially, instructions for completion of applications (typing jobs) appear on various input forms, some o f the information being pre-printed, and some being written on by the authors. Effects of change The effects of any change may be seen from a number o f perspectives. Management will compare results o f the change against measured results. While staff will be more subjective and relay thoughts that are concerned with the method o f implementation and its effect on them rather than any measurable fact. An awkward author who was always expressing discontent with word processing was once visited. The encounter went something like this. '1 don't like word processing it's time consuming.' 'Why?'
152
It is not surprising perhaps that this author resents the changes that were made by word processing. He was one of a small select band of principal officers who had their own 'go-let'. You know the type of 'office wife' who goes for his coffee and shopping, who incidentally happens to type as well. A systematic standardized service will remove these unofficial services and these authors will crib. An extract from a survey undertaken independently by the administrative officers can be seen in Table 2. So although you may well get a vocal resistance from an influential few, generally authors prefer automated screen based word processing procedures. Perhaps the people most affected by the changes are the pre vious typists. Many of the articles I have read about the supposed feelings o f this group have left me wondering whether they are about the same group o f people. An article entitled "production line in the offices' about the Bradford centre. s t a t e d ] "for a start the work became much more boring• Instead of shorthand typists the women became little more than machine minders,' and 'no doubt it won't be long before the grading for word processors is lowered.-' 'The word processing operators sit in a sealed anti-static room and no one else is allowed in. The work comes in through a special glass box and the machines run continously. They get a ten minute break in the morning and afternoon and the rest of the time are tied to the machines.' 1 asked Ann Wilson. the Nalgo representative, if any of tile staff had been contacted by the author. "None of the members o f either unit have been contacted by the author and tire substance o f the allegations are totally untrue. We initially attempted to contact the author and editor but were unsuccessful in making oral contact to tackle the content o f the article. We consider our job much more complex than a shorthand typists. Management have not
Table 2 Authors survey
75.3~. of authors thought the system operated as well or better than previously 69.4% of authors thought the quality of work was as good or better than previous 51.6% of authors thought the turn-round time was as good or better than previously
DISPLAYS. OCTOBER 1979
Table 3 Attitude survey Within which environment would you prefer to work?
Word processing centre 12
Previous typing pool 2
Another job
Which type of equipment would you prefer to operate'?
Wordplex 7
Electric typewriter Nil
Manual typewriter Nil
Which type of post do you find more challenging and interesting?
Word Copy, processing audio or operator shorthand typist 13 Nil
14
Nil
Secretary
Nil
14 staff returned survey forms. One person did not answer the last question Table 4 Year
No of staff
Output in ESITs
Error rate
1975 1978 1979
44 24 22
84 794 97 850 114 393
1:59 1:367 1:367
ESITs Equivalentsquareinchesoftype asimplified t e c h n i q u e t o measure automated word processing output. Turnround of work (hours) Category of work
1975 (before]
Corrections and amendments 4 Letters and memoranda 14 Labels 37 Forms 14 Reports 37
DISPLAYS. OCTOBER 1979
1978 (after) 3.27 7.59 9.19 11.79 18.43
compensated us to the degree we would like though they have endorsed our view by upgrading the posts in the unit. We are unaware of the special conditions for providing work in glass boxes and have one hour for lunch and two twenty minute breaks each day.' 'l have carried out jointly, with Frank Jones, an attitude survey (Table 3) which I believe more fairly reflects the operators' views.' Management will perceive the effects of change by comparing a series of measurable facts. Staff attitude to change may be measured by improvements in productivity, consisting of reductions in staff, increases in workload, turnround times and error rates. As can be seen by a comparison of these factors in Table 4 all indicate improvements. Obviously these will only be worthwhile if there is a net saving. In this case the net saving was approximately £58/ 59 000 in 1978 which has and will rise annually with each increase in pay. The other measureable indicator mus! be labour turnover. During the years prior to screen based word processing the labour turnover was 35%, but since that date it has reduced dramatically to 0% in 1977/78 and 5% in 1978/79. These comments and data comparisons refute the supposed research information contained in the article.
References 1 'Watch out for VDUs like this, they are a health hazard' Public Service vol 53, 2 (l:ebruary 1979) 1 2 'Word processing as easy as reading and writing with the CP T 8000' CPT corporation (1978) 3 'Vydec puts tomorrow's office together' Vydee inc (1977) 4 Jones, F.N. 'Health hazards of screens rejected' Computer Commun (October 1979) 5 Jones, F.N. ~Authorities should look to word processing' Electronics Weekly 975 (June 1979)6 6 Jones, F.N. 'How word processing could help councils to beat cuts crisis' Computer Weekly 668 tAugust 1979) 18 7 Dalles, E., Downing, H. 'Production line in the office' Womens Voice (1978)
153
TO: Marilyn Fitchett, IPC Science and Technology Press Ltd., PO Box 63, Westbury House, Bury Street, Guildford, Surrey GU2 5AW, England. Telephone: (0483) 31261 Telex: 859556 Scitec G Please send me further details on OPTICS AND LASER TECHNOLOGY Name Organization and Address
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I
DISPLAYS. OCTOBER 1979
JONES
The opinions expressed about the use of screens are often controversial but very rarely researched. The author offers a variety of views expressed and attempts to put them in perspective against the background of his experiences with screen based word processors.
It sounds like one of the tnore unsavory diseases but looks like the most enjoyed pastime. What is it? A visual display unit (VDU) which resembles a television screen (see Fig. 1) with an umbilical link to a keyboard. It comes as almost a shock that the use of the device could arise such passions with trade unions issuing a document entitled "watch out for VDU's like this, they are a health hazard !' Manufacturers on the other hand have equally immotive and passionate introductions for screens "as easy as reading and w r i t i n g ' J and "puts tomorrows office together "3 . Evidence is scarce but what is available would appear to discount the major critics of screens for direct harmful medical reasonsJ Why then are there so many critics who would like to delay or prevent the introduction of screen based systems? The critics seem to fall into two categories those with a vested interest in the numbers of staff employed and research teams who wish to establish facts. The former are the most influential and vocal. Screens are suddenly a topic because combined with other devices they have helped reduce the number of people employed in many areas. Trade unions have a vested interest in maintaining the number o f their members employed because their fees are their income. (They also have a long history o f negotiating for better working conditions.) It is not insignificant howerver, in the early use of screens with no job loss, no learned work or research projects were demanded by trade unions in the U.K. My belief is that suitable screens used correctly do not have detrimental medical effects on staff, but present psychological and organizational problems. 5 My experience is based on a word processing installation installed at the City of Bradford Metropolitan Council 6 in early 1977. INSTALLATION
DETAILS
The installation consists of an AES/Wordplex 7 shared logic system shared by two buildings - Jacobs Well and City Hall, serving the authors belonging to the directorate o f development services. The configuration, understood to be the largest of its kind in Europe, employs nineteen people, sixteen of whom use screens to input or control work. Digital displays are also used by the word processing managers to control the audio input o f work and its transcription. A schematic of the configuration representing the layout of the two processing centres is shown in Fig. 2. Both layouts conform to an operational configuration of paper movement similar to a U turn, an example of which may be seen in Fig. 3 and the technical specification of the equipment may be obtained from Table 1. A typical The author is a management services officer with the City of Bradford Metropolitan Council.
DISPLAYS. OCTOBER 1979
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Fig. 1 A close-up of the Wordplex screen operational sequence for written input would conform to the following general pattern. The author completes typing an input form and sends it to the W P centre via a messenger. The word processing trainee collects the input from the in pigeon hole, time stamps incoming input forms and places the incoming typing in the managers in tray. The word processing manager divides input forms into batches according to paper type, allocates a document number and a batch of work to an operator according to her daily work programme. The operator types the document, sends it for printing accord. ing to the form type and places the draft in the out tray. The trainee collects the input forms from the out trays and places them in the appropriate paper type pending tray, before the assistant manager instructs him or her in loading of appropriate paper for the printers. When the printer has been loaded for the next batch o f documents by the trainee, the assistant manager allocates the appropriate paper type to print automatically. The trainee then unloads the printed documents from the printer, trims the continuous stationery on burster, collates the trimmed documents with the input forms from pending trays, time stamps outgoing typing and places the typing in the appropriate out pigeon hole.
Argument
against specialization
Many observers concluded that though the changes once made would achieve their objective, the resulting effects in staff morale would dissipate the savings. Organizational theorists like Hertzberg and Maslow argue that one of the
0141--9382/79/030149-05 S02.00 © IPC Business Press Limited
149
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Fig. 2 Directorate of development services, City of Bradford Metropolitan Council schematic of layout of the word processing centres
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Table 1 Technical specification of equipment One central processing unit 64K high speed semiconducter memory (using 4K RAM technology) Dual processors interleave memory cycles In-line hardware diagnostics 4.8 megabytes per second direct memory access facilities interleave memory cycles with processors Processor accesses up to 64 1/0 channels Multiplexer permits 32 full duplex asynchronous communication channels to be operated at 9.6K band The central processing unit (CPU) has two processors and two direct memory access (DMA) channels. One processor is used for 1/0 work functions, the other is used for editing and file manipulations. The CPU provides: A means for the two processors to send squential messages to each other via the inter-process& module through a FIFO. (First in/first out devices). 16 384 to 65 536 bytes of addressable memory Memory cycle time of 550 nanoseconds Transfer of up to 4 800 bytes per second through DMA to/from memory Power Weight Maximum Size
150
240 VAC, 50 Hz 181 Kg (400 lbs) Floor loading 8.8 Kg cm -2 (125 psi) 86.36cm x 121.9cm x 45.7cm (HxWxD)
Sixteen visual display units ( k~UJ Window s i z e Page size Matrix Colour Brightness Intelligence Power Weight Size
30.5cm diagonal 24 lines by 80 characters 83 lines by ] 28 characters 7 x 9 by 128 characters Green on grey Variable Twelve VDUs of 8K and four VDUs of 32K 240V AC 50 Hz 121 Kg 47cm x 47.2cm x 31.5cm (HxWxD)
Keyboards {one per VDU) Separate from screen, connected via a sell coiling cable Audable confirmation of key depression Querty keyboard with separate pads and strips of functional keys Key switches
Solid state hall effect type MTBF 1 000 000 hours MTBF 20 000 000 000 operations High impact, flame retardent ABS plastic
Keyboard enclosure Key depression interval 0.4 ms Total number of keys 83 Keyboard control keys 4 Cursor control keys 7 Software assigned keys 2 Editing keys 25 Shiftlock indication LED Delay before repeat 0.6 seconds
DISPLAYS. OCTOBER 1979
Slow repeat rate 15 characters per second Fast repeat rate 30 characters per second Flexible cable length 1.55m 11 Kg Weight Supplied by VDU Power 8.4cm x 47cm x 20.3cm (HxWxD) Size
bTve printers 45 cps bi-directional Printing speed Printing method Daisy wheel and servo hammer 96 character ASCII daisy wheel, Print wheel interchangeable, plastic Bottom feed continuous stationery, Paper handling sprocket held 38.1cm Width Cartridge Ribbon Horizontal forms positioning, vertical Controls forms positioning, forms thickness, ribbon advance 17.8cm x 59.7cm x 36.8cm (HxWxD) Size
Two storage module disk drives Capacity Basic unit Start time Stop time Access time
80 megabyte Single spindle drives using five high disk packs, CDC - 9 8 7 7 or equivalent 22 seconds 90 seconds 10 ms (1 cylinder movement) I 0 ms (average movement) 55 ms (822 cylinder movement)
Pack rotation 16.7 ms ~, 3600 rpm period Average rotation 8.35 ms ~' 3600 rpm latency Cylinder per disk 822 pack Tracks per 5 data tracks cylinder 1 servo track Tracks per pack 4110 data tacks Track capacity 20 160 bytes/10 080 words Cylinder capacity 100 800 bytes/50 400 words 82.4 megabytes/41.4 megawords Pack acpacity Dala transfer 3600 rpm • 1.209 megabyte sec 1 rate 9.67 megabits sec q Recording Modified frequency modulation method Size 86.4cm x 48.3cm x 86.4cm (HxWxD)
prime motivations in completing the task is job satisfaction. Woodward and others say that job satisfaction is essentially derived from the completion of a job from its start to its end. Observers therefore conclude that the application of word processing to a secretarial job, sub divides a complete job. The typing and clerical operations being allocated to two quite separate people, even separate structures. The effects of the specialization would therefore mean a drop in morale with the potential by-products of high labour turnover, high error rate, poor productivity and dissatisfaction with the job.
Basic c o r r e s p o n d e n c e s e q u e n c e The flaw with the argument concerning overt specialization of typists is that the observer has assumed the role carried out by secretarial services is a complete job, when in fact it is only a portion of a job. If one examines the basic correspondence sequence below one will see that there are six distinct parts. Only the fourth and fifth parts are normally completed by the typist, ie typing of the letter and checking that it corresponds with the authors composition. 1 Correspondent initiates a response 2 Author decides on reply 3 Author composes reply (letter) 4 Typist types reply (letter) 5 Author/supervisor checks reply (letter) 6 Letter answers correspondent The skills which enable a typist to justify her existence are the receipt of the text (ie shorthand, audio) and the quick and accurate keying-in of the text on her keyboard. The second and third parts of the correspondence sequence are unconnected with the secretary's skilIs and relate solely to the author, although standard letters or documents allow these to be eliminated by a standard response. It may be concluded, that in order to complete numbers two to five in the correspondence sequence, the author must also be the typist. It is, therefore, a pre-requisite of the function of a typist to participate in only a portion of the complete correspondence sequence. So, any increased job satisfaction will only be derived from the typist identifying with her specialist role.
Disk pack characteristics Usable surfaces Diameter Coating
6 (5 data, 1 servo) 35.6 cm Magnetic oxide
Four dual flexibh' disk drives The flexible disk drive (FDD) assembly contains a microprocessor controller capable of buffering and reading or writing one 128 byte sector with a single command. A single command will permit a seek to any track. Track to track access time 10 ms size 25.4cm x 50.8cm x 33cm
Organizational implications of introducing word processing Prior to the introduction of the screen based system, the typists were grouped together in four typing pools, three in Jacobs Well and one in City Hall. There was generally no specialization and typists were called upon to do a number of miscellaneous tasks such as photocopying, reception work, collating, etc. Typists were located geographically near to some authors and although they regarded themselves as working exclusively for these authors, in theory the typing pools were supposed to distribute the work evenly. An organizational structure is shown in Fig 4. The problems associated with a large reduction in staff and specialization of certain functions of text production required the structure to be fundamentally changed. The
DISPLAYS. OCTOBER 1979
151
"1 need to fill out a fortn'. 'What's on the form?" 'My name and variables for architects instructions (A.I.s).' 'But you used to write much more information previously." 'Yes, but we had A.l.s in four colours.' 'But now they are in six colours which you chose." 'Yes, but now they are on NCR paper.' 'But we chose NCR paper so that you need only sign tile top copy.' 'Yes, but 1 use an expensive fountain pen which must not be pressed heavily on the paper.' 'Can't you use the biro supplied'?" 'No, 1 like my pen.' 'ttow did you sign your A.l.s before word processing'?' 'Individually, with a fountain pen.' 'Is that not what you are doing now?" "Yes. But word processing is still time consuming arguing about the changes.'
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Fig. 5 1978 organizational structure. Total staff 22. Two receptionists were allocated to the divisions they served
organizational structure implemented is shown in Fig. 5. The significant changes were: non-typing work was allocated to an administrative support section; each building had only one geographic location for typists; work was even more specialized through a further sub division o f the typing process, and management services provided technical support. The attraction of specialization was to optimize tile use of the equipment and we therefore adopted the 'U turn' shared logic system of word processing. The design of applcations and stationery were implemented and maintained by management services personnel. Essentially, instructions for completion of applications (typing jobs) appear on various input forms, some o f the information being pre-printed, and some being written on by the authors. Effects of change The effects of any change may be seen from a number o f perspectives. Management will compare results o f the change against measured results. While staff will be more subjective and relay thoughts that are concerned with the method o f implementation and its effect on them rather than any measurable fact. An awkward author who was always expressing discontent with word processing was once visited. The encounter went something like this. '1 don't like word processing it's time consuming.' 'Why?'
152
It is not surprising perhaps that this author resents the changes that were made by word processing. He was one of a small select band of principal officers who had their own 'go-let'. You know the type of 'office wife' who goes for his coffee and shopping, who incidentally happens to type as well. A systematic standardized service will remove these unofficial services and these authors will crib. An extract from a survey undertaken independently by the administrative officers can be seen in Table 2. So although you may well get a vocal resistance from an influential few, generally authors prefer automated screen based word processing procedures. Perhaps the people most affected by the changes are the pre vious typists. Many of the articles I have read about the supposed feelings o f this group have left me wondering whether they are about the same group o f people. An article entitled "production line in the offices' about the Bradford centre. s t a t e d ] "for a start the work became much more boring• Instead of shorthand typists the women became little more than machine minders,' and 'no doubt it won't be long before the grading for word processors is lowered.-' 'The word processing operators sit in a sealed anti-static room and no one else is allowed in. The work comes in through a special glass box and the machines run continously. They get a ten minute break in the morning and afternoon and the rest of the time are tied to the machines.' 1 asked Ann Wilson. the Nalgo representative, if any of tile staff had been contacted by the author. "None of the members o f either unit have been contacted by the author and tire substance o f the allegations are totally untrue. We initially attempted to contact the author and editor but were unsuccessful in making oral contact to tackle the content o f the article. We consider our job much more complex than a shorthand typists. Management have not
Table 2 Authors survey
75.3~. of authors thought the system operated as well or better than previously 69.4% of authors thought the quality of work was as good or better than previous 51.6% of authors thought the turn-round time was as good or better than previously
DISPLAYS. OCTOBER 1979
Table 3 Attitude survey Within which environment would you prefer to work?
Word processing centre 12
Previous typing pool 2
Another job
Which type of equipment would you prefer to operate'?
Wordplex 7
Electric typewriter Nil
Manual typewriter Nil
Which type of post do you find more challenging and interesting?
Word Copy, processing audio or operator shorthand typist 13 Nil
14
Nil
Secretary
Nil
14 staff returned survey forms. One person did not answer the last question Table 4 Year
No of staff
Output in ESITs
Error rate
1975 1978 1979
44 24 22
84 794 97 850 114 393
1:59 1:367 1:367
ESITs Equivalentsquareinchesoftype asimplified t e c h n i q u e t o measure automated word processing output. Turnround of work (hours) Category of work
1975 (before]
Corrections and amendments 4 Letters and memoranda 14 Labels 37 Forms 14 Reports 37
DISPLAYS. OCTOBER 1979
1978 (after) 3.27 7.59 9.19 11.79 18.43
compensated us to the degree we would like though they have endorsed our view by upgrading the posts in the unit. We are unaware of the special conditions for providing work in glass boxes and have one hour for lunch and two twenty minute breaks each day.' 'l have carried out jointly, with Frank Jones, an attitude survey (Table 3) which I believe more fairly reflects the operators' views.' Management will perceive the effects of change by comparing a series of measurable facts. Staff attitude to change may be measured by improvements in productivity, consisting of reductions in staff, increases in workload, turnround times and error rates. As can be seen by a comparison of these factors in Table 4 all indicate improvements. Obviously these will only be worthwhile if there is a net saving. In this case the net saving was approximately £58/ 59 000 in 1978 which has and will rise annually with each increase in pay. The other measureable indicator mus! be labour turnover. During the years prior to screen based word processing the labour turnover was 35%, but since that date it has reduced dramatically to 0% in 1977/78 and 5% in 1978/79. These comments and data comparisons refute the supposed research information contained in the article.
References 1 'Watch out for VDUs like this, they are a health hazard' Public Service vol 53, 2 (l:ebruary 1979) 1 2 'Word processing as easy as reading and writing with the CP T 8000' CPT corporation (1978) 3 'Vydec puts tomorrow's office together' Vydee inc (1977) 4 Jones, F.N. 'Health hazards of screens rejected' Computer Commun (October 1979) 5 Jones, F.N. ~Authorities should look to word processing' Electronics Weekly 975 (June 1979)6 6 Jones, F.N. 'How word processing could help councils to beat cuts crisis' Computer Weekly 668 tAugust 1979) 18 7 Dalles, E., Downing, H. 'Production line in the office' Womens Voice (1978)
153
TO: Marilyn Fitchett, IPC Science and Technology Press Ltd., PO Box 63, Westbury House, Bury Street, Guildford, Surrey GU2 5AW, England. Telephone: (0483) 31261 Telex: 859556 Scitec G Please send me further details on OPTICS AND LASER TECHNOLOGY Name Organization and Address
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I
DISPLAYS. OCTOBER 1979