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Agency workers who interact with large distributed information systems encounter an array of problems almost daily. To overcome workers' difficulties, many large operations provide a variety of support tools and services including training, written manuals, and special consultative mechanisms.A leading consultative mechanism to have emerged over the last 10 years is the "help desk." Among the key functions of these desks are the provision of real time technical assistance and the initiation of corrective action and change from within the system.The range of functions of specific desks depends on administrative choice and the availability of resources, including staff expertise.The Wisconsin Department of Health and Social Services currently operates three help desks. These desks handle thousands of user problems and other issues each month. In a study of the help desk Nachman Sharon, PhD, is Senior Lecturer, University of Haifa, School of Social Work, Mt. Carmel, Haifa 31905 Israel. At the time of writing this article the author was Systems Analyst, Division of Community Services, State of Wisconsin, Madison, WI. Dr. Sharon has taught and published extensively in the areas of macro practice and his current research foci are information technologies, career patterns, and elder abuse and neglect.

Social Work administrators currently must respond to very diverse audiences in representing their agencies and programs. While skills in public relations, reporting, and community relations are viewed as essential, professional social work literature provides only limited conceptualizations and practice models. The authors propose a new definition of representation in social work agencies and suggest functional areas within which organized activities can be developed. The paper also includes: 1) a discussion of how several special issues such as the perception of welfare as stigma and agency interdependency affect the implementation of representational strategies; 2) a planning model that will assist administrators in strengthening the representation of their agencies' programs.