One of the first items we focused on was the purpose of the book. Early on we agreed the book needed to be much more than a memoir. As we met and talked about the project, a real direction emerged. We decided to explore all sides of the HR function at Control Data; how it started, how it was organized, the initiatives it began, and how the initiatives turned out (good, bad, or in-between). We began to think of the project as a text book that would accurately describe the history of Control Data’s Human Resource function.
So with that purpose in mind, our next question was who would be interested in it? We identified three main audiences:
- Business Colleges
- HR Professionals
- Anyone interested in Control Data history
The shape of the book took form. The first chapter would be the starting point that would document the history of Control Data, giving the rest of the information a context. The next chapter made the next logical step of exploring how Control Data structured the HR function in the company, how the HR function expanded, and how its role with employee relations developed. The middle chapters would then examine the various internal initiatives and business ventures pursued by the HR function – Employee Advisory Resource (EAR), Prison Industries, Business Advisors, and so on. The last chapter would then document what happened to some of these business initiatives after Control Data split apart into various child organizations.
So with the purpose set and the outline laid out, the research and writing could begin!