"We're working hard on improving the process of soft ware development," Zage says, explaining that the work includes examining design blueprints. "In the case of
new software, we look for the likely location of errors in [computer soft ware] coding not yet developed," he says. "For existing systems, we can determine the integrity of the current design."

Forty-one Ball State graduate students have assisted in such design and metrics-related research. In an additional project, Smith and Paul Buis, associate professor of computer sciences, have spent the last several years creating a tool to determine the usability of software interfaces—what a customer sees on his or her computer screen. The project, originally sponsored by Baker Hill, a company that integrates technology into the banking industry, and now supported by Motorola, will ultimately provide customers with more user-friendly software and Web pages.

New projects are introduced at biannual national conferences sponsored by SERC. During the November 2005 conference at Ball State, Bryan O'Connor, chief safety and mission assurance officer for NASA, provided testimonial to SERC's  accomplishments when he spoke about the importance of the center's software  reliability testing for NASA missions. SERC's reputation has attracted notice from universities from around the country who want to help conduct research for major industries.

"We see new universities contacting us to participate in SERC, including Penn State,
the University of Texas at Austin, Ohio University, and the University of Illinois at
Chicago," Zage says, adding that the venture between institutions and industry produces a win-win situation.

"Universities benefit from SERC because researchers have access to real data and
software," he says. "Moreover, our research faculty have access to some of the best
technical people working in the industry as they collaborate on projects."

With SERC affiliation reaching as far as the University of Limerick in Ireland, the NSF will fund a global software project to determine how to overcome language barriers, use tools, and identify standards for processing technical trouble reports. Teams of graduate computer science students in Ireland and the United States are currently investigating the issue, adding to the already long list of technological advances.

The future is bright for Ball State's software research center. Zage attributes its solid foundation for the center's growth and says the proof is in the longevity of the partnerships. "Some of the center's industrial affiliates have been members of SERC  since the beginning," Zage says. "So you know they are getting a good return on  their investment."

Photos for this feature are courtesy of Wayne Zage

There is a growing tendency for employees to spend more time in the work environment due to the demanding nature of their jobs. Computer use is commonplace, increasing the temptation to search sites for personal use. The accessible nature of Web sites contributes to longer periods of cyber slacking.

"Because it is interactive, the Internet has a tendency to engage participants," Sharma says, adding that it is easy to become distracted by personal interests and then to be led from site to site on what may have started as a simple search for information.

An increasing number of public and private sector organizations have instituted policies prohibiting nonwork-related Web activities. Many also use monitoring soft ware solutions to curb visits to unsuitable sites. Some have gone so far as firing employees for violating policy.

Sharma acknowledges that establishing policies related to Internet use enables companies to legitimately monitor for productivity and safekeeping of highly sensitive business material. But he cautions that strict enforcement can have backlashes.

"[Internet-restrictive policies] should not be strictly followed because it creates anxiety in employees' minds and can create suspicious behavior," Sharma says, suggesting that a rise in stress also leads to deterioration of loyalty of employers for their workplace.

Sharma suggests that another way to eliminate non-work related Internet activities may be for employers to offer employees an online connection at home as a perk.  Having a high-speed connection at home may provide a deterrent for workplace usage.

Revising benchmarks of productivity is yet another method that may reduce incidents of cyber slacking. A study co-authored by Sharma and former Ball State colleague Jatinda N.D. Gupta and published in the Journal of Computer Science Systems in 2004 suggests that many organizations are not up-to-speed in addressing productivity issues. Companies "still use the same old methods for appraising the performance of employees for promotion and growth," the study says, and that "provides ample opportunity of free time for Internet abuse."

Exploring the Internet for personal reasons while on the job has become a major issue that is costing U.S. companies, according to some estimates, billions of dollars in lost productivity. Yet, as much as the Internet provides a distraction from daily tasks in the workplace, the Web also is a means through which people can work more efficiently.

Continual advances in technology demand that companies focus on employee and employer relationships and how to best balance and maintain the integrity of the work environment through such changes. Reaching a common understanding will  become a strong element in ensuring an effective level of productivity while granting employee autonomy.