ALTERNATIVES IN EVALUATION OF COMPUTER SYSTEMS

This essay is a commentary on the formal conduct of computer evaluation studies. Two contrasting viewpoints are discussed - that of a computer specialist and that of a non-specialist concerned with system acquisition. The opinion expressed is that any evaluation task normally has unique aspects which demand the attention and creative efforts of a computer specialist. For the specialist, a prescribed evaluation form and an associated scoring procedure, as frequently used in acquisition activities, do not constitute a satisfactory methodology for a technical evaluation. They are useful for planning, or as a means of documentation if suitably modified and extended during the evaluation effort.