A MODEL FOR CHARACTERIZING OFFICE PROCEDURES

Abstract

In order to effectively design an automated office system, it is necessary to understand the nature of office procedures and interactions. In the design of any office system, characterization and formalization of the information flow through the office are important factors in the attainment of effective system design. A model has been developed by defining office components and their representation in terms of system objects, attributes and relations. The model is based on a set of rules specified in a manner that supports analysis of system completeness and consistency. The model representation has been combined into an office specification system which consists of a specification language and analysis software. Using the system presented, information flow through an office can be characterized and formalized. The system provides the capability of categorizing data into one of a number of data types and of tracking data as it travels through an office. These capabilities provide information necessary to eliminate redundant data, indicate incomplete data, and specify useless data. Through the use of analyzer reports and analysis software, system completeness and consistency are determined.