UpDate - Vol. 14, No. 24, Page 5
March 16, 1995
TechTalk
A users group that's more than Super Natural

     Once a month, individuals from offices all over campus gather to
talk about how they use the powers of Super Natural.
     These participants in the Super Natural Users Group share how
they use powerful computer technologies on campus to be more
productive and efficient in their jobs.
     "When we first began meeting, we discussed topics related only to
Super Natural," said Herb Turner, institutional research and planning,
who was one of the originators of the group. Turner said he felt an
informal forum that focused on how administrative personnel could use
computers more effectively would benefit the University community.
     The group initially supported only personnel who used Super
Natural, but, as technology on campus has expanded, its agenda also
has broadened to include a comprehensive range of computing topics.
"Now, we discuss topics related to the Student Information System, MVS
and other platforms, personal computing and emerging technologies,"
Turner said.
     "Just getting the huge amounts of information out there isn't the
whole story. You have to know how to use it," according to member
Allan Fanjoy, international programs and special sessions.
     That's the driving force behind the evolution of the
group-members sharing how they've used technology to solve problems or
make elements of their jobs easier.
     "The group has broadened my perspective about the tools that are
available, and I have an awareness and a greater understanding of the
interesting things that others are doing," Turner explained.
     Van Adams, Management Information Services, acts as a liaison
between the group and Information Technologies. "I see the group as an
excellent opportunity for users to learn from users," Adams said. "In
some instances, users may know more about particular systems because
they use them every day," he added.
     "I find the information I learn at the meetings to be extremely
valuable," Marsha Lockard, financial services, said.
     Lockard said she frequently takes what she learns and relays it
to co-workers in her office. "There's always something at each meeting
that pertains to me. It's definitely an hour well spent," she said.
     The group welcomes new participants. The next meeting, which will
discuss using the "Entire Connection" on MVS to download data for use
in Microsoft Excel, will be held from 2-3 p.m., Wednesday, March 22,
in 120 Smith Hall.
     If you would like to attend, send e-mail to
Herbert.Turner@mvs.udel.edu.