C1	Observations

These observations were made over time and maybe helpful to users in avoiding potential problems.

• The user should be one of the first people to arrive at the venue. The computer and printer should be set up 1 hour before the first event. For an user with basic typing skills it will take about 10-15 minutes to enter a full team declaration. Remember that for the program to run successfully all the team declarations should be entered before the first event start.
• Entering the team declarations will be the most demanding task for the user. It will be made more difficult by everybody else around talking loudly as they arrive in the officials box. If entering information becomes difficult kick the noisy people out. If concentration fades take a break or let someone else have a go.
• Officials boxes are cold places even on boiling hot days. Make sure you bring warm clothing.
• Typing itself will be made easier if the correct posture is adopted. Unfortunately furniture at venues is not ideal for typing. As a good rule is to have the keyboard just above hip height so that when sat normally your forearms should be level or tilt slightly down and away. This will prevent your fingers getting cold because blood will flow easier downward than up. The top of the VDU should be at eye level, creating a slight downward view.
• The practice of posting results immediately after being printed is strongly advised. This keeps athletes and team managers up to date with the current match position without them having to come and hassle you. It can also give feedback from athletes or team managers should an incorrect name have been entered or A and B-strings been crossed. In higher profile meetings the announcing of event results after being printed and then being posted is probably more appropriate. These two step however may mean that track events are interrupted due to the continual announcements. A rule of thumb is only announce all result/start lists if the meeting is a single match or double match with one string.
• Team managers have a tendency to enter any age group etc. indication as they work down the sheet and not repeat the indication even though an athlete may be repeated. It is the choice of the user whether or not to ask for clarification, copy the team sheet exactly or to use common sense and enter the indication anyway.
• If you can get the team managers to submit declarations on the day in the file created by the associated team manager program, You will find that the entire task becomes very easy allowing you to watch many events.
• Entering a field series is more time consuming than entering just the final result. The suggestion is to only use this feature at high profile meetings where there is 8 or less teams of one gender and age group. Remember the more age groups the more work. Indeed there may not be sufficient time to enter all series for all events without causing a delay in production of final results. If you do use this feature, setting the draw order will help fluency in entering performances because the athlete menu will be ordered the same as the filed card. Here too peace and quiet will help speedy and accurate entry. An assistant reading the series aloud may also help. A ruler may assist you to follow a line on the result card itself.
• The user should be prepared for a burst of activity centred around entering relay team names shortly before the events are due.
• The final results are printed as fast as the printer can print or as fast a photocopier can copy the first set of printed results. In the case of dot-matrix and ink-jet printers these will probably be slower than a photocopier. For Laser printers there is likely to be little difference.
• The user is also one of the last to leave, 30-45 minutes after the last event. This situation arises because the user is the person in charge of printing results and must make sure all teams, press etc have copies of the final results, hence the user leaves after just about everybody else. The user should be prepared for a long day. Obviously with experience this time will reduce.
• Some computers may interfere when in close proximity, 1-2 metres, to the public address or walkie talkie systems used at venues. Move the computer further away from the P.A. and or use a different mains sockets if this becomes a major problem.

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