Information Management: Organization, Management, and Control of Computer Processing

By computer book standards this text, first published in 1992, is ancient. Indeed, some of the information and methods are outdated to the point of being quaint; however, parts of this book are not only relevant today, but the information imparted is hard to find elsewhere. Reasons why parts of this book are still valid and important today include:- Part Two, Control of Processing, contains highly useful techniques. In the chapter on quality control the discussion of how quality control relates to data collection, preparation and processing - and the controls - are invaluable. The techniques for validation are as useful to operational support staff as they are to QA staff, and are rarely discussed in current literature. The entire chapter devoted to performance evaluation and auditing is another part of this book that is applicable to modern, web-enabled systems. Applying the approach and techniques to contemporary systems would significantly improve reliability, availability and support objectives.- Part 3, Management of Processing, is filled with useful techniques for scheduling batch processes (highly important in modern environments that employ data warehouses and data marts), system maintenance, and budgeting. In addition, the chapter on managing resistance to change contains insightful information and advice in that thorny area.There are gems scattered in other sections of this book that will provide you with ideas that have stood the test of time. I found useful information in the chapters on computer personnel and oversight of computing. While some of the material does not work in a modern environment, these chapters are interlaced with material that does. If you're involved in reorganizing IT you'll find good ideas. Another chapter that is out of date, but has some useful information, is Chapter 8, Privacy and Security. The methods are outdated, but the concepts are still valid and clearly presented.Overall, this book contains a lot of information that is either erroneous by today's standards (the use of Halon, for example), but a wealth of techniques that are quickly becoming a lost art. It's worth purchasing and mining for the gems.