The engineer has been a pioneer in the use of information systems: the referencing of information in handbooks, the communication of information via blueprints, the specification of information for manufacturing, etc. The effect of the computerized information processing system is examined in the light of the expanding use of computers in the engineering environment, both technical and managerial.
Because these systems are designed for engineers, who will use them for technical problem solving or data management control functions, the engineer must be aware of the characteristics and limitations of these systems. This paper, therefore, deals with the categorization of systems, methods of specification, tools for implementation, and their use. It looks at the historical development of information processing systems, and the factors that drive their implementation; finally, it attempts to postulate the future trends of large-scale systems.