PRODUCING THE INFORMATION-SYSTEMS PRODUCT - CAN IS LEARN FROM MANUFACTURING

American Family Life Assurance Corporation (AFLAC), Inc. relies on inf ormation systems for customer service and product innovation. The Info rmation Systems Division (ISD) has sought to improve their production of critical information system products by changing the organization o f their work groups. Over the past decade, the ISD has tried three dif ferent organizations, having the most success with an innovative new o rganization which resembles cellular manufacturing. The concept of man ufacturing layouts is applied to the organization of information syste ms groups and, specifically, to AFLAC's experience over the past decad e.