 Computer
Systems Design and Services
 Industry
Overview
All
organizations today rely on computer and information technology to
conduct business and operate more efficiently. Often, however, these
institutions do not have the internal resources to effectively implement
new technologies or satisfy their changing needs. When faced with these
limitations, organizations turn to the computer systems design and
related services industry to meet their specialized needs on a contract
or customer basis.
 Services provided by
this industry include custom computer programming services; computer
systems design services; computer facilities management services,
including computer systems or data processing facilities support
services for clients; and other computer-related services such as
disaster recovery services and software installation. Computer training
contractors, however, are included in the Career Guide statement on
educational services, and establishments that manufacture computer
equipment are included in the Career Guide statement on computer and
electronic product manufacturing. Establishments primarily engaged in
providing computer data processing services at their own facility for
others are classified in the data processing, hosting, and related
services industry.
Custom programming
establishments write, modify, test, and support software to meet the
needs of a particular customer. These service firms may be hired to code
large programs or to install a software package on a user's system and
customize it to the user's specific needs. Programming service firms
also may update or reengineer existing systems. Systems design services
firms plan and design computer systems that integrate computer hardware,
software, and communications technologies. The hardware and software
components of the system may be provided by the design firm as part of
integrated services or may be provided by third parties or vendors.
These firms often install the system and train and support its users.
 Computer
facilities management services usually are offered at the customer's
site. Establishments offering these services provide onsite management
and operation of clients' computer systems and facilities, as well as
facilities support services.
Electronic business
(e-business) is any process that a business organization conducts over a
computer-mediated network. Electronic commerce (e-commerce) is that part
of e-business that involves the buying and selling of goods and services
online. With the growth of the Internet and the expansion of e-commerce,
some service firms specialize in developing and maintaining sites on the
World Wide Web for client companies. Others create and maintain
corporate intranets or self-contained internal networks linking multiple
users within an organization by means of Internet or, more recently,
wireless technology. These firms design sophisticated computer networks,
assist with upgrades or conversions, custom design special programming
features for clients, and engage in continual maintenance. They help
clients select the right hardware and software products for a particular
project, and then develop, install, and implement the system, as well as
train the client's users. Service firms also offer consulting services
for any stages of development throughout the entire process, from design
and content development to administration and maintenance of site
security.
 The
widespread use of the Internet and intranets also has resulted in an
increased focus on security. The robust growth of e-commerce highlights
this concern, as firms seek to attract as many potential customers as
possible to their Web sites. Security threats range from damaging
computer viruses to online credit card fraud. Services contracted out to
security consulting firms include analyzing vulnerability, managing
firewalls, and providing protection against intrusion and software
"viruses." Information technology (IT) security involves computer
security, making software and networks safe; and homeland security,
keeping track of people and information. The need for more secure
Internet and intranet sites to ensure protection for individuals'
personal information and to allow companies and banks to protect their
funds and infrastructure has created a new demand for cyberspace
security professionals.
Working
Environment
 Most
workers in this industry work in clean, quiet offices. Those in
facilities management and maintenance may work in computer operations
centers. Given the technology available today, however, more work can be
done from remote locations using modems, fax machines, e-mail, and
especially the Internet. For example, systems analysts may work from
home, with their computers linked directly to computers at a financial
services firm. Although they often relocate to a customer's place of
business while working on a project, programmers and consultants may
actually perform work from locations offsite.
Only about 6 percent
of the workers in computer systems design and related services firms
work part time, compared with 16 percent of workers throughout all
industries. Many workers in this industry work more than the standard
40-hour workweek -- about 1 in 5 work 50 or more hours a week. For many
professionals and technical specialists, evening or weekend work is
common to meet deadlines or solve problems. Professionals working for
large establishments may have less freedom in planning their schedule
than do consultants for very small firms, whose work may be more varied.
Employment
 In
2004, there were about 1.1 million wage and salary jobs, and an
additional 132,000 self-employed and unpaid family workers. Most
self-employed workers are independent consultants.
While the industry has
both large and small firms, the average establishment in computer
systems design and related services is relatively small; about 78
percent of establishments employed fewer than 5 workers in 2004. The
majority of jobs, however, are found in establishments that employ 20 or
more workers. Many small establishments in the industry are startup
firms that hope to capitalize on a market niche.
Compared with the rest
of the economy, there are significantly fewer workers 45 years of age
and older; this industry's workforce remains younger than most, with
large proportions of workers in the 25-to-44 age range. This reflects
the industry's explosive growth in employment over the last two decades.
The huge increase in employment afforded thousands of opportunities to
younger workers possessing the newest technological skills.
Degree
Paths into this Industry
 Providing
a wide array of information services to clients requires a diverse and
well-educated workforce. The majority of workers in the computer systems
design and related services industry are professional and related
workers -- overwhelmingly computer specialists such as computer systems
analysts, computer software engineers, and computer programmers. This
occupational group accounts for 60 percent of the jobs in the industry,
reflecting the emphasis on high-level technical skills and creativity.
By 2014, the share of professional and related occupations is expected
to be even greater, while the share of office and administrative support
jobs, currently accounting for 14 percent of industry employment, is
projected to fall.
 Programmers
write, test, and maintain the detailed instructions, called programs or
software, that computers must follow to perform their functions. These
specialized programs tell the computer what to do -- for example, which
information to identify and access, how to process it, and what
equipment to use. Custom programmers write these commands by breaking
down each step into a logical series, converting specifications into a
language that the computer understands. While some still work with
traditional programming languages, such as COBOL, most programmers today
use object-oriented programming languages, such as C++ and Java,
computer-aided software engineering (CASE) tools, and artificial
intelligence shells, which are increasingly used to create and maintain
programs. These languages and tools allow portions of code to be reused
in programs that require similar routines. Many programmers also
customize a package to clients' specific needs or create better
packages.
Computer engineers
design, develop, test, and evaluate computer hardware and related
equipment, software programs, and systems. Although programmers write
and support programs in new languages, much of the design and
development now is the responsibility of software engineers or software
developers. (See the Career Guide statement on software publishers.)
Software engineers in the systems design and related services industry
must possess strong programming skills, but are more concerned with
developing algorithms and analyzing and solving programming problems for
specific network systems than with actually writing code. Computer
systems software engineers primarily write, modify, test, and develop
software to meet the needs of a particular customer. They develop
software systems for control and automation in manufacturing, business,
and other areas.
 Professionals
involved in analyzing and solving problems include systems analysts, who
study business, scientific, or engineering data-processing problems and
design new flows of information. Systems analysts tie together
hardware and software to give an organization the maximum benefit from
its investment in machines, personnel, and business processes. To do
this, these workers may design entirely new systems or add a single new
software application to harness more of the computer's power. They use
data modeling, structured analysis, information engineering, and other
methods. Systems analysts prepare charts for programmers to follow for
proper coding and also perform cost-benefit analyses to help management
to evaluate the system. These analysts also ensure that the system
performs to its specifications by testing it thoroughly.
Database
administrators determine ways to organize and store data and work with
database management systems software. They set up computer databases and
test and coordinate changes to them.
Computer and
information scientists work as theorists, researchers, or inventors.
They apply a higher level of theoretical expertise and innovation and
develop solutions to complex problems relating to computer hardware and
software. Computer and information scientists with advanced backgrounds
in security may be employed as cyberspace security specialists in
disaster recovery situations or in custom security software
installation.
Other computer
specialists include a wide range of related professionals who specialize
in operation, analysis, education, application, or design for a
particular piece of the system. Many are involved in the design,
testing, and evaluation of network systems, such as local area networks
(LANs), wide area networks (WANs), Internet, and other data
communications systems. Specialty occupations reflect an emphasis on
client-server applications and end-user support; however, occupational
titles shift rapidly to reflect new developments in technology.
Industry
Forecast
 The
computer systems design and related services industry grew dramatically
throughout the 1990s, as employment more than doubled. And despite
recent job losses in certain sectors, this remains one of the 25 fastest
growing industries in the Nation. Wage-and-salary employment is expected
to grow 40 percent by the year 2014, compared with only 14 percent
growth projected for the entire economy. Given the rate at which the
computer systems design and related services industry is expected to
grow and the increasing complexity of technology, job opportunities will
be favorable for most workers. The best opportunities will be in
professional and related occupations, reflecting their growth and the
continuing demand for higher level skills to keep up with changes in
technology. However, employment growth will not be as robust as it was
during the last decade due to increasing productivity and offshore
outsourcing of some job functions to lower wage foreign countries.
 An
increasing reliance on information technology, combined with falling
prices of computers and related hardware, means that individuals and
organizations will continue to turn to computer systems design and
related services firms to maximize the return on their investments in
equipment and to fulfill their growing computing needs. Such needs
include the expansion of e-commerce, a growing reliance on the Internet,
faster and more efficient internal and external communication, and the
implementation of new technologies and applications. With increasing
global competition and rising costs, organizations must be able to
obtain and manage the latest information in order to make business
decisions. At the same time, the computer systems design and related
services industry has experienced an increase in the contracting out of
some of the more routine services abroad, where labor costs are lower,
as companies strive to remain competitive. For example, firms have been
able to cut costs by shifting more support services operations abroad to
countries with highly educated workers who have strong technical skills.
However, the trend toward contracting out work will adversely affect
employment of only certain types of workers, such as programmers and
computer support specialists, because integrating and designing systems
needs to be done onsite.
Within the computer
systems design and related services industry, projected growth varies by
sector. The demand for networking and the need to integrate new
hardware, software, and communications technologies will drive the
demand for consulting and integration. A need for more customized
applications development and for support and services to assist users
will drive demand for applications development and facilities support
services. And, as more individuals and organizations conduct business
electronically, the importance of maintaining system and network
security will increase. Recent events have made society more conscious
of the vulnerability of technology and the Internet. The increasing need
for security related to information technology will expand employment
opportunities for individuals involved in cyberspace security services
such as disaster recovery services, custom security programming, and
security software installation services.
This increased need
for security will help to create more jobs in the computer systems
design and related services industry. Security specialists will be
employed more often to make judgments on a system's vulnerability.
Custom programmers and designers will be asked to help develop new
antivirus software, programs, and procedures as preemptive measures to
keep "hackers" out and systems virus free. Therefore, employment of
security analysts and of consultants with security experience and
expertise should rise rapidly.
 New
growth areas will continue to arise as the result of rapidly evolving
technologies and business forces. The expansion of the Internet, the
proliferation of Web sites, and "mobile" technology such as wireless
Internet have created a demand for a wide variety of new products and
services, including online services, network design services, and a
range of specialized consulting services. For example, the expansion of
the wireless Internet, known as WiFi, brings a new aspect of mobility to
information technology. As individuals and businesses rely more on more
compact, hand-held computers and wireless Internet connections, it will
be necessary to integrate the current computer systems with this more
mobile, new technology. The expansion of this technology in the next 10
years will lead to an increased need for "mobility consultants" or
service firms that can help companies to design and integrate computer
systems so that they will be compatible with one another.
The ways in which the
Internet is used are constantly changing, along with the products,
services, and personnel required to support new applications. Expanding
e-commerce changed the way in which companies transact business,
enabling markets to expand and an increasing array of services to be
provided to customers.
Related
Degree Fields
Professional
Associations/Resources
Note: Some resources in this section are provided by the US Department
of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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