Developing user procedures
End users (remote terminal operators) are the people who use the terminals connected to IMS. End-user procedures should focus on the needs of end users, not on IMS operation.
It is important that your end-user procedures be good ones, because the success of your online system depends largely on its acceptance by your end users.
The procedures should be prepared as an integral part of the application-development process. The layout and organization of the procedures should support the business function. Procedures differ for different types of applications. Procedures for a bank teller, for example, should cover more than just the entry of an IMS transaction. Procedures for a data-entry clerk, however, may consist largely of instructions for entering transactions.
End-user procedures are generally
packaged in a guide. You can develop the guide yourself, or it might
be appropriate for individual application-development teams to develop
the guide. In the latter case, you should consider preparing boiler
plate
material to distribute to the application-development teams
for basic procedures that are always included in end-user guides.
Do not forget to update the boiler plate information whenever you
make major modifications to the online IMS system.
For example, if you convert from using non-VTAM to using VTAM®, you probably need to change terminal logon
procedures.
In general, your procedures need to familiarize end users with how to:
- Operate their terminal
- Establish a connection to IMS
- Communicate with IMS
- Disconnect from IMS
- Respond to error conditions