The microcomputer user services specialist an evolving role

ABSTRACT

The microcomputer user services specialist is a role which has emerged because campus computer centers needed to meet the changing needs of their users. Historically, campus computer centers supported mainframe users with staff consultants who were programmers and computer generalists. Now they support new microcomputer users with a consulting staff of computing generalists and microcomputer specialists. Microcomputer user services specialists aid campus users in five areas-programming assistance, educational services, purchasing advice, testing and development of micro-related products, and the installation and maintenance of hardware and software. Two challenges which computing centers face in creating this role are finding new funding sources for microcomputer staff salaries and operations, and deciding which hardware and software will be supported by the specialists. Specific examples of the role and how current trends affect it are provided in a discussion of the function of the microcomputer user services specialists at Duke University. The role will continue to evolve as new computers arrive on the campuses and new user support services are required.

As microcomputers begin to proliferate on college campuses, traditional university computer centers are becoming hard-pressed to meet the new demands placed on them. Computer centers, which have prided themselves for many years on the level of support they have provided to their mainframe users, are finding themselves baffled by the unique support needs of the growing community of microcomputer users. To meet these needs, a number of university computer centers have begun to hire and train members of their consulting staff to serve as a new support resource-the microcomputer user services specialist.

Index Terms

• Human-centered computing

  • Human computer interaction (HCI)

• Social and professional topics

  • Professional topics

    • Management of computing and information systems