Computerizing Large Systems: Lessons from an Application

Abstract

Large volume data systems, such as the tabulation of university examination results, often conceal innumerable exceptions and complexities, accumulated over the years. Handled manually with flexibility and ease and along with the large volume of routine, they can wreck poorly conceived computer applications. Abhimanyu Singh narrates such an application, namely, computerizing the tabulation of examination results of the University of Rajasthan in 1982. Instead of cutting the delays in the announcement of results, computerization added to the delays and complicated it with many errors. Abhimanyu Singh analyses that experience and provides the highlights of the steps taken from 1983 onwards to remedy the situation and make a success of the application. He contrasts the approaches taken towards computerization in 1982 and from 1983 to 1985 to arrive at useful lessons for computerizing large data systems.