PrefaceIt is widely acknowledged that information technology will revolutionise organisational life.And yet if you look at most organisations you will find that the pace of change is slow and thereis not much sign of a revolution. In many organisations expensive equipment seems to bemaking very little contribution to the goals of the enterprise. It seems that researchers andsuppliers are always in the midst of exciting new technological breakthroughs whilst potentialuser organisations are still trying to assimilate yesterday’s technology. The pace oftechnological development poses the end user with the perpetual headache of trying to decidewhat is worth using and how to use it