The manager as a computer user

Many people who are not computer experts are now making direct use of computer systems in the everyday performance of their duties. The manager is an example of a 'naive' computer user and he is currently the target of many systems which seek to improve his decision making performance by the provision of better and more up-to-date information. A questionnaire survey has been made of many different types of 'naive' computer user and this paper reports the results of interviews with managers who are computer users. Managers were questioned on the form of man-computer interaction they employed, the benefits they derived and the problems they encountered. The forms of interaction range from the regular receipt of standard printouts to the use of a teletype or visual display unit for data interrogation or to simulate the consequences of possible decisions. The results show that the standard outputs often make little contribution to the manager's work because they cannot respond to changes in the manager's information needs. The more complex forms of interaction are more flexible and can make a much greater contribution. However, the complexity of the interaction can be a major obstacle to effective use of the system by a busy manager and advanced systems are often under utilised.