System Requirement Analysis Clearinghouse for Occupational Safety and Health Information (COSHI). National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Cincinnati, Ohio.
Abstract
Problems facing the Clearinghouse for Occupational Safety and Health Information (COSHI), NIOSH, Cincinnati, Ohio were examined and possible alternatives presented. At the time of the study, the systems used for text editing and limited data entry had reached their limits. While communications and multiplexing equipment was adequate there was no way to efficiently use high speed lines to the Parklawn Computer Center at Rockville,MD. Literature searches through vendor data bases often meant repeated entering of the same search information using different command languages. Some data entry was accomplished through cards, necessitating outside contracting, difficult data verification and editing processes, and high error rates. The costs of the existing system were high and were soon to increase substantially due to charging capabilities at Parklawn Computer Center. Staff hiring limits made efficient use of the present trained staff a priority. It is recommended that COSHI acquire a system adapted to its highly technical requirements. The existing Wang system could be upgraded to a more capable Wang System such as the 2200 MVP, or a minicomputer based basic system could be acquired through Wang or another vendor. Either option would make use of some of the available equipment with little or no adaptation.
