What you MUST know before a database system

development

New Denver airport• Twice the size of Manhattan, NY• 10 times wider than London airport• Big enough to land three jets simultaneously-in

bad weather– 3 parallel North-South runways, 2 parallel East-West

runways, and room for a total of 12 runways.• Baggage Logistics information system

– One of kind…– Expensive: $1.7 billion (original price in early 1990s) – Very large size….– The most advanced and sophisticated automated

baggage handling system

Scale of the system• 21 miles of steel track

– Tearing like intelligent coal-mine cars• 4,000 independent "telecars" route and deliver

luggage between the counters, gates and claim areas of 20 different airlines.

• Size of the system– 100 computers are networked to one another and to

5,000 electric eyes– 400 radio receivers– 56 bar-code scanners orchestrates the safe and timely

arrival of every valise and ski bag.

Result

• Scheduled to open Oct 1993• Delayed 16 months because of system glitches…

one of the database problem:– DB problem: incorrect data (incorrect system program)– Garbage in, Garbage out

• Original price: $1.7 billion• Final cost: more than $ 5 billion

Importance of Database in Logistics and Supply Chain Mgmt.

• Federal Express and UPS

• Wal-Mart

• War in middle east

System OwnersSystem owners – an information system’s sponsor and executive advocate, usually responsible for funding the project of developing, operating, and maintaining the information system.

– Top Management (CEO, CFO, CIO…)Primary Concerns - how much will the system cost? - how much value or what benefits will the system return to the business?

System Users

System users – a “customer” who will use or is affected by a system on a

regular basis • Primary concern: get the job done

using the system– Internal users

• Clerical and service workers, technical and professional staff, supervisors, middle managers, and executive managers

– External users• Internet EC consumers, suppliers, partners…

System Designers and System Builders

System designer – a technical specialist who translates system users’ business requirements and constraints into technical solution.

– DBAs, Network architects, web designers, security experts…System builders – a technical specialist who constructs information systems and components based on the design specifications generated by the system designers.

– Programmers (applications, systems, and DB), network administrators, web masters..

Systems Analysts

Systems analyst – a specialist who studies the problems and needs of an organization to determine how people, data, processes, and information technology can best accomplish improvements for the business.

Roles:− Bridge (facilitator: next slide) between

management and technical specialist− Understand both business and computing− Initiate change within an organization− Ultimately, a problem solver

The Systems Analyst as a Facilitator

Where Do Systems Analysts Work?

Skills Needed by the Systems Analyst• Good interpersonal communication skills

– Business writing class– Technical business skill class

• Good interpersonal relation skills• Flexibility and adaptability• Working knowledge of (existing and emerging) IT• Computer programming experience and expertise• General business problem-solving skills• Character and ethics