Concept of Information Systems

CHAPTER ONE

What is a SYSTEM?

• A system is a group of interrelated components working together toward a common goal by accepting inputs and producing outputs in an organized transformation process.

S1S2

S3S4

Systems structure

Subsystems

Systems Boundary

Environment

Systems Input Output

Abstract Concept of a Systems

INPUT OUTPUTPROCESS

FEEDBACK

Characteristics of a system

i.Organization The structure or order of built of component

or subsystem.ii. Interaction Procedures in which the components interact.iii.InterdependenceRelation among components

Characteristics of a system

iv.Environment Every thing external to a system that interacts

with a system.v. PurposeThe purpose of the system or the overall goal of

the system.vi. BoundarySystem must establish the limits to separate it

from other systems.

Characteristics of a system

vii. Constraint A limit to what a system can accomplish. viii. InputWhatever a system takes from its environment

in order to fulfill its purpose. ix. Output Whatever a system returns to its

environment in order to fulfill its purpose.

What is an Information Systems?

• An information system can be any organized combination of people, hardware, software, communications network, and data resources that collects, transforms, and disseminates information in an organization

Information Systems Activities• Input of Data– Manual input by key, scanning, sound, image,…

• Processing of Data into Information– Calculate, sort, find, report, disseminate……

• Output of Information Products– Report, display, suggestion, ……

• Storage of Data Resource– Database, data file, maintenance, …..

What is Systems Analysis and Design

• In business, systems analysis and design refers to the process of examining a business situation with the intent of improving it through better procedures and methods. It can also be outlined as follows: – A method used by companies to create and

maintain systems that perform basic business functions

What is Systems Analysis and Design

– Main goal is to improve employee efficiency by applying software solutions to key business tasks

– A structured approach must be used in order to ensure success

– To summarize, analysis specifies what the system should do. Design states how to accomplish the objective

Systems AnalystSystems Analyst

• A title given to a person who studies the problems and needs of an organization looking for improvement opportunities:

– increasing revenue/profit– decreasing costs– improving quality of service

• Systems Analysis is a proven method to help business utilize information to its fullest

Role of the Systems Analyst

• The responsibilities of analysts, as well as their titles, vary among organizations. Listed below are the most common sets of responsibilities assigned to systems analysts. (Other titles given to analysts are given in parentheses.)

Role of the Systems Analyst

• The responsibilities of analysts, as well as their titles, vary among organizations. Listed below are the most common sets of responsibilities assigned to systems analysts. (Other titles given to analysts are given in parentheses.)

Role of the Systems Analyst

• 1. Systems analysis only. The analysts' sole responsibility is conducting systems studies to learn relevant facts about a business activity. The emphasis is on gathering information and determining requirements. Analysts are not responsible for systems design. (Information Analysts).

Role of the Systems Analyst • 2. Systems Analysis and Design. Analysts

carry out complete systems studies but have added responsibility for designing the new system.

• 3. Systems analysis, design and programming. Analysts conduct the systems investigation; develop design specifications and program software to implement the design. (Programmer analysis)

Role of the Systems Analyst

• None of these roles are superior to the other. Organizations often dictate the nature of analysts work.

• In smaller firms, analysts take on more roles than in larger firms, which hire people to specialize only in, for example, systems design.

Skills of a Successful Systems Analyst

• 1. Analytical skills – Understanding of organizations (organizational

knowledge) – Problem identification – Problem analyzing and solving – System thinking – Ability to see organizations and information

systems as systems – Understand data flow diagrams

2. Technical skills • Programming languages • Operating systems • Database and file management systems • Data communication standards • Web development languages and tools • Constant re-education is necessary as

technology changes rapidly, this can be through trade publications, browse websites, conferences and trade shows, attend classes etc.

3. Interpersonal skills

• Mastery of interpersonal skills is paramount to success as a Systems Analyst. Four types of skills are important, these include:

-Working alone and with a team - Facilitating groups and Managing

expectations - Communication skills

4. Managerial skills

• Ability to manage projects, resources, risk and change

Types of Information System

• There are 4 Levels of Information System

1.Operational-level Systems

• Transaction-Processing Systems (TPS)– Basic business systems– Perform daily routine transactions necessary for

business functions– At the operational level, tasks, resources and

goals are predefined and highly structured

2.Knowledge-level Systems

• Office Automation Systems (OAS)– Targeted at meeting the knowledge needs of data

workers within the organisation– Primarily involved in information use,

manipulation or dissemination.– Typical OAS handle and manage documents,

scheduling and communication.

• Knowledge Work Systems (KWS)– Targeted at meeting the knowledge needs of

knowledge workers within the organisation– In general, knowledge workers hold degree-

level professional qualifications (e.g. engineers, scientists, lawyers), their jobs consist primarily in creating new information and knowledge

– KWS, such as scientific or engineering design workstations, promote the creation of new knowledge, and its dissemination and integration throughout the organisation.

3. Management-level Systems• Management Information Systems (MIS)– MIS provide managers with reports and, in

some cases, on-line access to the organisations current performance and historical records

– Typically these systems focus entirely on internal events, providing the information for short-term planning and decision making.

– MIS summarise and report on the basic operations of the organisation, dependent on the underlying TPS for their data.

• Decision-Support Systems (DSS)– As MIS, these serve the needs of the

management level of the organisation– Focus on helping managers make decisions

that are semi-structured, unique, or rapidly changing, and not easily specified in advance

– Use internal information from TPS and MIS, but also information from external sources

– Greater analytical power than other systems, incorporate modelling tools, aggregation and analysis tools, and support what-if scenarios

– Must provide user-friendly, interactive tools

4. Strategic-level Systems• Executive Support/Information Systems

(ESS/EIS)– Serve the strategic level of the organisation– These systems filter, compress, and track

critical data, emphasising the reduction of time and effort required to obtain information useful to executive management

– ESS/EIS employ advanced graphics software to provide highly visual and easy-to-use representations of complex information and current trends, but they tend not to provide analytical models

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