UNIT 6: Information SYSTEM

– Data are facts that are recorded and stored.

– Information is processed data used in decision making.
– A System is a set of two or more interrelated components interacting to achieve a goal.

– Information Systems
● Set of interrelated components
● Collect, process, store, and distribute information
● Support decision making, coordination, and control
● May also help analyze problems, visualize complex subjects and create new products

– Components
● Hardware – tangible aspect of a computer system
● Software – programs and other operating information used by a computer (systems,
application, enterprise, horizontal system, vertical systems, legacy systems)
● Data - is the raw material that an information system transforms into useful information
● Processes - describes the tasks and business functions that users, managers, and IT staff
members perform to achieve specific results. Processes are the building blocks of an
information system because they represent actual day-to-day business operations.
● People - those who have an interest in an information system are called stakeholders.
Stakeholders include the management group responsible for the system, the users
(sometimes called end users) inside and outside the company who will interact with the
system, and IT staff members, such as systems analysts, programmers, and network
administrators who develop and support the system.

Who develops IS?

● Traditionally, a company either developed its own information systems, called in-house
applications, or purchased systems called software packages from outside vendors.
● Today, the choice is much more complex. Options include Internet-based application
services, outsourcing, custom solutions from IT consultants, and enterprise-wide software

Systems Analysis and Design

– is a step-by-step process for developing high-quality information systems.
– Systems Analyst plans, develops, and maintains information systems.

Business Information System

● Brick-and-mortar - refers to a traditional street-side business that offers products and
services to its customers face-to-face in an office or store that the business owns or rents.
● Click-and-mortar - Click and mortar is a type of business model that has both online and
offline operations, which typically include a website and a physical store.
● Click - Click-only companies are those companies who have a website/online presence
without a physical store. They sell their products through their website only.

Internet-based commerce is called e-commerce (electronic commerce) or I-commerce (Internet

commerce). The E-commerce includes two main sectors:

B2C (business-to-consumer)
● Using the Internet, consumers can go online to purchase an enormous variety of products
and services. This new shopping environment allows customers to do research, compare
prices and features, check availability, arrange delivery, and choose payment methods in a
single convenient session.

B2B (business-to-business).
● Business-to-business (B2B), also called B-to-B, is a form of transaction between businesses,
such as one involving a manufacturer and wholesaler, or a wholesaler and a retailer.
– Top managers, use office productivity systems.
– Operational users often require decision support systems.

Examples of Information Systems according to support provided

● Inventory Control (TPS)
● Reservations (TPS, MIS)
● Customer Order Processing / Point-of-Sale (TPS)
● Warranty Claim Processing (TPS)
● Records Management (MIS)
● Enrollment System (TPS)
● Attendance Monitoring (MIS)
● Payroll (TPS)
● Queuing (TPS)
 Top managers - Strategic plans
Middle Managers - provide direction, necessary resources, and performance feedback to
supervisors and team leaders
Knowledge workers - professional staff members such as systems analysts, programmers,
accountants, researchers, etc.
Supervisors and Team Leaders - Oversee operational employees and carry out day-to-day
functions
Operational Employees - users who rely on TP systems to enter and receive data they need to
perform their jobs.

UNIT 7: SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE

The aim of an SDLC methodology is to give IT Project Managers the tools they need to assure the
effective deployment of systems that meet the University's strategic and business goals.
System Analyst
● investigates, analyzes, designs, develops, installs, evaluates, and maintains a company’s information
systems.
● works as a member of an IT department team on large projects

● Smaller companies often use consultants to perform the work

System development
- is the process of defining, designing, testing and implementing a software application.
- includes a number of different phases, such as feasibility analysis requirements analysis,
software design, software coding, testing and debugging, installation and maintenance.
Systems Development Life Cycle
Systems Planning – the initial stage in the systems development life cycle (SDLC). It is the fundamental
process of understanding why an information system should be built and determine how the project
team will go about building it. It describes how IT projects get started, how systems analysts evaluate
proposed projects, the feasibility of a project, and the reasoning behind the proposed system
development.
Systems Analysis –the second phase where analysts do analysis activities when creating a new system or
improving an old system. If an information system is built properly, it will give the expected benefits to
the company. To achieve this goal, system analysts define what the information system requires by
performing the analysis activities.
Requirement Modeling - 1st task in systems analysis, identifies requirements for new system.
▪ Inputs refer to necessary data that enters the system, either manually or in an
automated manner.
▪ Processes refer to system characteristics such as speed, volume, capacity, availability,
and reliability.
▪ Outputs refer to electronic or printed information produced by the system.
▪ Performance refers to the logical rules that are applied to transform the data into
meaningful information.
▪ Security refers to hardware, software, and procedural controls that safeguard and
protect the system and its data from internal or external threats.

Other process: process modeling, object modeling, consideration of development strategies.

Flowchart
● Business flowchart shows the steps that make up a business process, along with who's

responsible for each step.

● They are useful for analyzing current processes, planning improvements, and crystallizing

communication between process participants

Types of Flowchart:
● Document

▪ Illustrates the flow of documents and information between areas of responsibility within an
organization.
▪ A document flowchart is particularly useful in analyzing the adequacy of control procedures.
● System

▪ System flowcharts depict the relationship among the input, processing, and output of an AIS
● Program

▪ A program flowchart describes the specific logic to perform a process shown on a systems flowchart

System Requirements
In the context of software development and system design, requirements are statements that
describe what the system should do or possess to meet the needs of its users and stakeholders.
It is categorized into two types: functional requirements and non-functional requirements.
Functional requirements for a website - define what the system should achieve in terms of features and
capabilities,
● Allow users to register and log in to their accounts.

● Provide a search functionality to find products or information.

● Enable users to add items to a shopping cart and proceed to checkout.

● Allow administrators to manage user accounts and product listings.

● Display real-time stock availability for products.

Non-functional Requirements: the attributes and qualities that describe how the system should
perform, rather than what it should do. These requirements focus on aspects related to system behavior,
performance, security, and user experience. Non- functional requirements answer the question, "How
well does the system perform?"
Non-functional requirements for a website:
● Performance: The website should load within 3 seconds to provide a good user experience.

● Scalability: The system should handle an increasing number of users without significant performance
degradation.
● Security: User passwords should be securely hashed and stored to prevent unauthorized access.
● Usability: The website's interface should be intuitive and easy to navigate for users of all experience
levels.
● Reliability: The system should have at least 99.9% uptime, with minimal downtime for maintenance.

Systems Design –the third of five phases in the systems development life cycle (SDLC). Now you are
ready to begin the physical design of the system that will meet the specifications described in the system
requirements document. Systems design tasks include output and user interface design, data design, and
system architecture.
System Design Guidelines: must understand the logical design of the system before beginning the
physical design of any one component
● Data design

● User interface

● Architecture

● System design specification

System Design Objectives is to build a system that is effective, reliable, and maintainable
● A system is effective if it meets all user needs and business requirements

● A system is reliable if it adequately handles errors

● A system is maintainable if it is well designed, flexible, and developed with future

modifications in mind
System Design Considerations
● User Considerations

- Anticipate future needs of the users, the system, and the organization – hard-coded
- Provide flexibility
- Parameter, default
- Carefully consider any point where users receive output from, or provide input to, the system
● Data Considerations

- Data should be entered into the system where and when it occurs because delays cause data
errors
- Data should be verified when it is entered, to catch errors immediately
- Automated methods of data entry should be used whenever possible
- Audit trail
- Every instance of entry and change to data should be logged
- Data should be entered into a system only once
- Data duplication should be avoided
● Design Trade-Offs

- Most design trade-off decisions that you will face come down to the basic conflict of quality
versus cost
- Avoid decisions that achieve short-term savings but might mean higher costs later

Prototyping
The method by which a prototype is developed. It involves a repetitive sequence of analysis, design,
modeling, and testing. It is a common technique that can be used to design anything from a new home
to a computer network.
● System prototyping - produces a full-featured, working model of the information system.

Because the model is “on track” for implementation, it is especially important to obtain
user feedback, and to be sure that the prototype meets all requirements of users and
management.
● Design prototyping or Throwaway prototyping – method of development that employs

technical mechanisms for reducing risk in a project, when the project needs are vaguely
and poorly laid out. The end product of design prototyping is a user-approved model that
documents and benchmarks the features of the finished system.
● Prototyping benefits

- Users and systems developers can avoid misunderstandings

- Managers can evaluate a working model more effectively than a paper specification
● Consider potential problems

- The rapid pace of development can create quality problems

- In very complex systems, the prototype becomes unwieldy and difficult to manage

Prototyping Tools – systems analysts can use powerful tools to develop prototypes
● CASE tools - Computer-aided systems engineering (CASE), also called computer-aided

software engineering, is a technique that uses powerful software, called CASE tool, to help
systems analysts develop and maintain information systems.
● Application generators -A tool that supports the rapid development of computer programs

by translating a logical model directly into code. Also called a code generator.
● Report generators - a computer program whose purpose is to take data from a source such

as a database, XML stream or a spreadsheet, and use it to produce a document in a format

which satisfies a particular human readership
● Screen generators - or form painter, is an interactive tool that helps you design a custom

interface, create screens forms, and handle data entry format and procedures.
Limitations of Prototypes
● A prototype is a functioning system, but it is less efficient than a fully developed system

● Systems developers can upgrade the prototype into the final information system by adding

the necessary capability. Otherwise, the prototype is discarded

User Interface
Describes how users interact with a computer system, and consists of all the hardware, software,
screens, menus, functions, output, and features that affect two-way communications between the user
and the computer.
Graphical User Interface - uses visual objects and techniques that allow users to communicate
effectively with the system.
Usability – user satisfaction, support for business functions, and system effectiveness
● Process-control systems – allow users to send commands to the system

● User-centered systems – how users communicate with the information system, and how

the system supports the firm’s business operations

User interface requires the understanding of human-computer interactions and user-centered design
principles.
Human-Computer Interaction describes the relationship between computers and people who use
them to perform their jobs.
Seven Habits of Successful Interface Designers:
1. Understand the Business
The interface designer must understand the underlying business functions and how the
system supports individual, departmental, and enterprise goals. The overall objective is to
design an interface that helps users to perform their jobs.
2. Maximize Graphical Effectiveness
Studies show that people learn better visually. The immense popularity of Apple’s iOS and
Microsoft Windows is largely the result of their GUIs that are easy to learn and use. A well-
designed interface can help users learn a new system rapidly and be more productive.
3. Think Like a User
The designer must learn to think like a user and see the system through a user’s eyes. The
interface should use terms and metaphors that are familiar to users. Users are likely to have
real-world experience with many other machines and devices that provide feedback, such as
automobiles, ATMs, and microwave ovens. Based on that experience, users will expect useful,
understandable feedback from a computer system.
4. Use Models and Prototypes
From a user’s viewpoint, the interface is the most critical part of the system design because
it is where he or she interacts with the system — perhaps for many hours each day. It is
essential to construct models and prototypes for user approval. An interface designer should
obtain as much feedback as possible, as early as possible.
5. Focus on Usability
The user interface should include all tasks, commands, and communications between
users and the information system. The opening screen should show the main option. Each
screen option leads to another screen, with more options.
6. Invite Feedback
Even after the system is operational, it is important to monitor system usage and solicit
user suggestions. The analyst can determine if system features are being used as intended by
observing and surveying users.
7. Document Everything
All screen designs should be documented for later use by programmers.

Systems Implementation – This phase begins once the client has tested and approved the system.
The system is installed at this phase to support the specified business functions. The performance
of the system is compared to the performance targets defined during the planning phase.

Systems Maintenance – System maintenance is a continuous operation that includes eliminating

program and design flaws, updating documentation and test data, and updating user support.
UNIT 8: COMPUTER ETIQUETTE
General Guidelines for Computer Etiquette
1. When communicating with people online, remember how you want to be treated, that’s
probably how others want to be treated too, with respect.
2. Always be aware that you are talking to a person, not a device. Be courteous.
3. Adhere to the same standards of behavior online that you follow in real life.
4. Know where you stand. Netiquette varies from domain to domain. What is acceptable in a
chat room may not be appropriate in a professional forum so “lurk before you leap”.
5. Respect other people’s time and bandwidth.
6. Spelling and grammar count! Always check, recheck your posts and keep your language
appropriate.
7. Keep under control the posts or content that invoke rage, sadness, humiliation, self-doubt,
and others.
8. Respect other people’s privacy. Ask consent for everything! From posts sharing, to
citations, to using of materials and more.
9. Help out those people who are new to the technology.
10. Read, and research before asking. Try not to waste other people’s time.
11. Some emotions and meanings do not transmit very well in an email or a post. However, do
not use all caps if you want to communicate strong emotion. All caps will make you look
like you’re shouting. Don’t overuse smileys and emoticons because they make you look
unprofessional. Constructing your sentences carefully and editing what you write before
hitting send is often enough.

Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics

1. Thou shalt not use a computer to harm other people
2. Thou shalt not interfere with other people’s computer work
3. Thou shalt not snoop around in other people’s computer files
4. Thou shalt not use a computer to steal
5. Thou shalt not use a computer to bear false witness
6. Thou shalt not copy or use proprietary software for which you have not paid
7. Thou shalt not use other people’s computer resources without authorization or proper compensation
8. Thou shalt not appropriate other people’s intellectual output
9. Thou shalt think about the social consequences of the program you are writing or the system you are
designing
10. Thou shalt always use a computer in ways that ensure consideration and respect for your
fellow humans