Through a description of an imitation career, the author introduces the complexities involved in programming a man-machine system which facilitates individualized career development. The interaction of man and machine is programmed, in the imitation career, because the individual descriptions of events in career chronologies, vitae and organizations are programmed for comparison with the computer's public descriptions of them. The imitation career is specified as an instrumentality in career development into which the author has integrated most of the important work on vocational development. The author indicates that more research will provide machines which: (1) can develop careers for individuals in the simulation sense of "imitation;" (2) will develop careers with individuals in the instrumentality sense of "imitation;" and (3) develop careers for themselves in the artificial intelligence sense of "imitation." He concludes, however, that in actuality machines don't develop an individual's career, but only help individuals understand their career development. (TL)