?What Are Information Systems

صفحه 1:
What Are Information Systems? Based on Chapter 1 of Bennett, McRobb and Farmer: Object Oriented Systems Analysis and Design Using UML, (3" Edition), McGraw Hill, 2005. © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2005 

صفحه 2:
In This Lecture You Will Learn: ™ How to define an Information System (IS) ™ Some examples and types of IS = How to apply basic concepts of systems theory to IS = How IS are related to organizations 16 June 2005 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2005 

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McGregor On-Line Retail Site @ A typical modern IS with: - Online catalogue display and shopping cart ~ Back-office systems store stock details, orders, payment transactions, and more - Communications link to credit-card processing centre ~ Robot warehouse control system ~ Delivery scheduling 16 June 2005 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2005 

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Elements of an |S @ Every IS has: - A human activity that needs information - Some stored data - An input method for entering data - Some process that turns the data into information - An output method for representing information 16 June 2005 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2005 4 

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The Role of the Computer ™ Computers carry out tasks also done by people and by other technologies ~ Storage: signalman’s memory / hard disk - Display: Battle of Britain map / PC screen - Calculation: mental arithmetic / program - Communication: telephone line / LAN = Typical advantages of computers: - high speed, low cost, reliability 16 June 2005 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2005 

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System Transformation = All useful systems transform their inputs into useful outputs ™ For IS, both inputs and outputs are typically information § This transformation is the whole reason for building and operating the system 16 June 2005 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2005 

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Transformation Example ™ McGregor’s Delivery Scheduling System may have inputs: - Information about orders, available stock, customer addresses, vehicle capacities... m ...And may have outputs: - Which orders to load on each vehicle, what route the vehicle should follow... ™ How does this benefit McGregor? 16 June 2005 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2005 

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Characteristics of Systems @ IS are like any other kind of system ™ Every system has: - Inputs and outputs - A purpose (related to transformation) - A boundary and an environment - Subsystems and interfaces - Control using feedback and feed- forward - Some emergent property 16 June 2005 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2005 

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Are Systems Real? Maybe, maybe not! #9 Systems thinking is useful because it helps to analyse and understand problems = What matters is the understanding you achieve @ You can choose to see anything as a system, whether or not it really is one 16 June 2005 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2005 

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Systems and the Real World 16 June 2005 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2005 10 

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11 Types of IS ™ Information Systems are used to support people’s activities - Store and retrieve information - Carry out calculations - Aid communication - Control and schedule work - Other support ... ? 16 June 2005 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2005 

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Types of IS (cont'd) ™ Operational Systems assist or control business operations - An Accounting System replaces costly and error-prone human clerks ™ Management Support Systems help managers to decide or to communicate - A Delivery Scheduling System helps decide how to load and route the delivery trucks 16 June 2005 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2005 12 

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Types of IS (cont'd) ™ Real-time Control Systems typically operate physical equipment, often in safety-critical settings - Some cars have an Engine Management System to control fuel supply and ignition 16 June 2005 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2005 13 

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How Do IS Relate to the Human Activity System? ™ We can view an organization as a system, perhaps with many subsystems @ Ideally, each subsystem helps the overall system fulfil its purpose @ IS are also subsystems and should help to meet goals of people in the organization 16 June 2005 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2005 

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Strategy and Planning for IS Informs and enables Drives and sets goals @usiness Grateqy Where IS can help What must be done 4ifrwatios Gstews Orateqy Hardware capabilities Systemrequirements Reckaplogy Qrateqy 16 June 2005 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2005 15 

صفحه 16:
Summary In this lecture you have learned about: = What an IS is = Some examples and types of |S ™ Some basic concepts of systems theory and how to apply them to IS = How IS are related to organizations 16 June 2005 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2005 16 

صفحه 17:
References ۲ Bennett, McRobb and Farmer (2005) ®™ Checkland and Scholes (1990) (For full bibliographic details, see Bennett, McRobb and Farmer) 16 June 2005 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2005 17 

What Are Information Systems? Based on Chapter 1 of Bennett, McRobb and Farmer: Object Oriented Systems Analysis and Design Using UML, (3rd Edition), McGraw Hill, 2005. 03/12/2001 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2005 1 In This Lecture You Will Learn:     How to define an Information System (IS) Some examples and types of IS How to apply basic concepts of systems theory to IS How IS are related to organizations 16 June 2005 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2005 2 McGregor On-Line Retail Site  A typical modern IS with: – Online catalogue display and shopping cart – Back-office systems store stock details, orders, payment transactions, and more – Communications link to credit-card processing centre – Robot warehouse control system – Delivery scheduling 16 June 2005 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2005 3 Elements of an IS  Every IS has: – – – – A human activity that needs information Some stored data An input method for entering data Some process that turns the data into information – An output method for representing information 16 June 2005 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2005 4 The Role of the Computer  Computers carry out tasks also done by people and by other technologies – – – –  Storage: signalman’s memory / hard disk Display: Battle of Britain map / PC screen Calculation: mental arithmetic / program Communication: telephone line / LAN Typical advantages of computers: – high speed, low cost, reliability 16 June 2005 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2005 5 System Transformation    All useful systems transform their inputs into useful outputs For IS, both inputs and outputs are typically information This transformation is the whole reason for building and operating the system 16 June 2005 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2005 6 Transformation Example  McGregor’s Delivery Scheduling System may have inputs: – Information about orders, available stock, customer addresses, vehicle capacities…  …And may have outputs: – Which orders to load on each vehicle, what route the vehicle should follow…  How does this benefit McGregor? 16 June 2005 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2005 7 Characteristics of Systems   IS are like any other kind of system Every system has: – Inputs and outputs – A purpose (related to transformation) – A boundary and an environment – Subsystems and interfaces – Control using feedback and feedforward – Some emergent property 16 June 2005 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2005 8 Are Systems Real? Maybe, maybe not!  Systems thinking is useful because it helps to analyse and understand problems  What matters is the understanding you achieve  You can choose to see anything as a system, whether or not it really is one 16 June 2005 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2005 9 Systems and the Real World A s y s t e m t h a t h e l p s t o u n d e r s t a n d t h e r e a l w o r l d s i t u a t i o n M a k e s c o m p a r i s o n s T h i n k s a b o u t 16 June 2005 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2005 A r e a l w o r l d s i t u a t i o n o r p r o b l e m 10 Types of IS  Information Systems are used to support people’s activities – – – – – Store and retrieve information Carry out calculations Aid communication Control and schedule work Other support … ? 16 June 2005 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2005 11 Types of IS (cont’d)  Operational Systems assist or control business operations – An Accounting System replaces costly and error-prone human clerks  Management Support Systems help managers to decide or to communicate – A Delivery Scheduling System helps decide how to load and route the delivery trucks 16 June 2005 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2005 12 Types of IS (cont’d)  Real-time Control Systems typically operate physical equipment, often in safety-critical settings – Some cars have an Engine Management System to control fuel supply and ignition 16 June 2005 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2005 13 How Do IS Relate to the Human Activity System?    We can view an organization as a system, perhaps with many subsystems Ideally, each subsystem helps the overall system fulfil its purpose IS are also subsystems and should help to meet goals of people in the organization 16 June 2005 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2005 14 Strategy and Planning for IS Informs and enables Busi ness St ra t eg y Where IS can help Drives and sets goals What must be done Informa t i on Syst ems St rat eg y Hardware capabilities Systemrequirements Informa t i on Technol og y St rat eg y 16 June 2005 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2005 15 Summary In this lecture you have learned about:  What an IS is  Some examples and types of IS  Some basic concepts of systems theory and how to apply them to IS  How IS are related to organizations 16 June 2005 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2005 16 References   Bennett, McRobb and Farmer (2005) Checkland and Scholes (1990) (For full bibliographic details, see Bennett, McRobb and Farmer) 16 June 2005 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2005 17