For my first job, I worked in computer operations for local government. Even at that early stage, I was looking for ways to improve systems and reduce unnecessary manual work.
Back then, mainframe computers were the size of a small bus, printers were the size of a car, and much of the work involved physically moving around the computer room loading printer paper and 2,400-foot magnetic tapes. If you have seen the original Mission: Impossible television series or an earlier James Bond film, you will recognise the banks of reel-to-reel tape machines used to hold data – they are louder than you may think when in operation but a thing of beauty to behold.
The challenge: repeated trips across the computer room
One recurring task involved printing large batches of documents via a dot-matrix printer onto fanfold paper with a pre-printed design. The paper had to be positioned precisely so that the printed text appeared in the pre-printed boxes.
The process required an operator to load the forms into the printer, return to the system console, enter a series of commands to produce a dummy test print, then go back to the printer to review or adjust the alignment. If the test print was correct, the text inside the boxes, the operator would return to the console again and issue the command for batch of documents to be printed.
If the test print was misaligned, the operator had to readjust the printer, return to the console, reset the test print, check it again, and only then start the main print run.
The computer room was massive, and the printer was at the other end of the room. In practice, the test print was usually aligned correctly first time, so the repeated journeys were often unnecessary.
My role: introducing a practical improvement
I wrote a script to streamline the process.
When run, the script issued the initial test print, displayed a 60-second countdown on screen, and then automatically started the full print batch.
If the test print was misaligned—which was rare—the operator could return to the console, cancel the countdown, readjust the printer, re-start my script which would reset the print process, and try again.
This removed the need for multiple trips across the computer room while still retaining the important alignment check before a large print run began.
Keeping delivery practical
The improvement did not remove the operator’s judgement or the need to verify the test print. It simply reduced the unnecessary movement and waiting involved when the print was already correctly aligned.
It was one of a dozen innovations I introduced during my first job. Initially, colleagues were a little concerned that someone new to the role was streamlining established work. However, after seeing the scripts in use for a couple of weeks, the rest of the team began using the programmes I had created to optimise tasks and reduce the time spent on them.
I used to joke that if I could code a script to save time, that gave me more time to code even more scripts—and create more time-saving improvements.
The outcome: improvements adopted by the team
The scripts became part of the team’s normal working practice and helped reduce the time and effort involved in recurring operational tasks.
I still have copies of those computer programmes, archived onto a 2,400-foot magnetic tape when I left. They are of no practical use now, but they remain a nostalgic reminder of my first workplace innovations.
What this means for smaller businesses
Although this involved mainframes, large printers and reel-to-reel tapes, the underlying principle is still relevant today.
Repetitive processes often include steps that can be simplified, better sequenced or automated without losing necessary checks. The practical questions are the same: what happens repeatedly, what must be verified before proceeding, and where could a small change save time and effort?
Through VitaAssist Consulting, I bring that same practical, hands-on approach to operational improvement—helping businesses identify repetitive work, streamline processes and make everyday operations easier for the people carrying them out.