Output Design

Computer output is the most important and direct source of information to the user. Efficient, intelligible output design should improve the system's relationships with the user and help in decision-making. A major form of output is a hard copy from the printer. Printouts should be designed around the output requirements of the user. The output devices to consider depend on factors such as compatibility of the device with the system, response time requirements, expected print quality, and number of copies needed. The following media devices are available for providing computerbased output:

   1. MICR readers.

   2. Line, matrix, and daisy wheel printers.

   3. Computer output l.licrofilm (COM).

   4. CRT screen display.

   5. Graph plotters.

   6. Audio response.

In addition to deciding on the output device, the systems analyst must consider the print format and the editing for the final printout. Editing ranges from suppressing unwanted zeros to merging selected records to produce new figures. In either case, the task of output preparation is critical, requiring skill and ability to align user requirements with the capabilities of the system in operation.

The standards for printed output suggest the following:

   1. Give each output a specific name or title.

   2. Provide a sample of the output layout, including areas where printing may appear and the location of each field.

   3. State whether each output field is to include significant zeros, spaces between fields, and alphabetic or any other data.

   4. Specify the procedure for proving the accuracy of output data.

In online applications, information is displayed on the screen. The layout sheet for displayed output is similar to the layout chart used for designing input. Areas for displaying the information are blocked out, leaving the rest of the screen blank or for system status information. Allowing the user to review sample screens can be extremely important because the user is the ultimate judge of the quality of the output and, in turn, the success (or failure) of the system. For example, the following shows editing output for a student birth date:

DISPlAY: DATE OF BIRTH (mm/dd/yy) 23/19/80 

RESPONSE: MONTH EXCEEDS 12

SUGGESTS A RETRY: DATE OF BIRTH (mm/dd/yy)