ABSTRACT
It is quite common in books and articles on data processing to find charts of recommended organisational structures for the data processing function, and examples of such charts can, of course, be very helpful to anyone setting up a computer department for the first time. The first temptation springs from the assumption that if an organisation chart requires, say, a chief programmer with authority over a number of junior programmers, then a chief programmer must be appointed forthwith. The second major temptation to be avoided is that of looking on an organisational structure as being immutable once agreed. From the basic list of functions it will be possible to prepare a reporting structure which reflects the need of the organisation. It is sometimes suitable for the functions of systems analysis and programming to be carried out by the same people, known as programmer/analysts or analyst/programmers. Reporting structures within data processing departments are not susceptible to stereotyped organisation charts.
