Office Automation

Content
• Classification of Office Activities
• Trends in Technology
• Aim of using IT Tools in Offices
• Concept of Office Automation
• Present Scenario
• Need for re-engineering of processes
• Concept of Work flow
• Groupware Technology Tools: An Overview
Classification of Office Activities
• Documents preparation
• Data Management ( Structured /
Unstructured)
• Scheduling / Planning of activities
• Presentation
• Dissemination of Information
• Communication / Correspondence
Trends in Technology
• Hardware
– Reduced Size, Less cost, More capabilities
• Software
– More capable, User friendly, More towards real
world environment
• Networking
– Faster Communication Media, Concept for
LAN/WAN/MAN / Web Technology
… cont.
Trends in Technology
• Linking of conventional tools

Telephone, Fax, Photocopier can be easily

linked with Information Technology tools
( Computers & Communication) to
automate office functions.
Objective of using IT Tools in Office

• Improvement in quality of output

• Improved Productivity / efficiency
• Optimal Utilization of Resources
• Reduction in time taken in execution of activities
• Better Information sharing / Transparency
• Better way of delivery of information to user at a
place convenient to him / her
• Reduction in the dependency on human beings
• Look for simplification of procedures
• Better customer support etc…….
 Desktops

Mainframes
Cost

Investments

Increase in
Productivity

Time
Why is it so?
• Lack of understanding of concept of Office
Automation
• Lack of knowledge about Technology
• Lack of Coordination
• Resistance to Change
• Lack of willingness to adopt new tools
How to deal with crisis?

We should understand that :

• Information management is a business process, as
today’s user expects quality product and satisfaction
• Organisations need to change way of working to take
full advantage of technology
• Work culture needs to change to shift focus on
process instead of a task
What is Office Automation
( Today’s concept)?
• Adoption of IT Tools for enhancing
productivity and reduction of manual labour

• It is associated with paperless office

Is it enough ?
Technology Vs. Business
• Question arises
Should Technology change business or
Business needs should change technology?

• By providing IT tools at desk tops, should

we not redistribute responsibilities by
providing more powers of decision making
down the line?
Need for re-engineering of processes
• To take full advantage of technology, there is a
need for re-engineering of processes
• Key to successful re-engineering process is
integration of people, processes, data, strategy,
and technology
• Objective of re-engineering should be to reach
Total Quality Management
• IT Tools are so powerful, that dream of TQM can
be definitely fulfilled, if timely actions are taken
Re-engineering Process

• To take full advantage of Technology, processes

need to be re-engineered
• Key to successful re-engineering is integration of
people, processes, data, strategy and technology
• Objective of re-engineering should be to reach
TQM
( Simplification of procedures, minimize process
delays, improve quality of output, minimize cost of
operations)
Objective of Office Automation ( Redefined)

• To improve customer relation by bringing

transparency in systems
• To achieve better management control
• To simplify operations and minimise
computational errors
• To improve quality of output in terms of
presentation and reduction in processing
time
Workgroup

• A workgroup is a group of people

working towards the same goal.
Concept of Workflow in Office Automation

Information management / Business

processes can be divided into sets of inter
related tasks, which need to be done in
prescribed order incorporating information
from various resources.

So one has to look for work flow

automation using IT tools
Workgroup … contd.

• The members of the workgroup may

be locally placed, e.g., people working
in a section/ department or they may
be placed at different far off
locations.
WorkFlow
A Workflow is anything that makes knowledge or
information sharing / distribution more efficiently and
it also helps in coordination of various activities to
achieve a predefined goal .

Intermediary
Information Output
Data Flow

Input from Data

Input from Bank
some other
source
The 3 C’s in a Work flow
• Collaboration
– Sharing the information
• Communication
– Exchange of ideas
– Consultancy
• Coordination
– Monitoring the workflow
– Ensuring the Quality of Output
What’s the key to the solution?
Technology Drivers
• Hardware Devices
– Communication Devices
– Processors
• New Groupware S/W
• Web Technology
Thank
You….