44222: Information Systems Development

44222: Information Systems Development

Review & Assignment 1 Requirements

Ian Perry Room: C41C

Extension: 7287E-mail: [email protected]

http://itsy.co.uk/ac/0809/Sem1/44222_ISD/

Ian Perry 44222: ISD: Review & Assignment 1 Requirements Slide 2

Assessment Method

Two assignments, based upon a common case study scenario: for Ass 1 (40%) you will work as individuals. for Ass 2 (60%) you will work in small teams.

You are required to analyse the organisation described by the case study, in order to: ‘discover’ problems and ‘identify’

information requirements (Ass 1). then document a prototype for a computer-

based information system, that promises to ‘deliver’ the information requirements and hence ‘solve’ the problems (Ass 2).


Assignment Deadlines

Assignment 1 (40% of Module Marks) Title = Problem Statement Deadline = Wed, 05 Nov, 2008

Assignment 2 (60% of Module Marks) Title = Prototype Documentation Deadline = Wed, 17 Dec, 2008


The HCHE Case Study

High Class Home Electrical (HCHE), the organisation for whom you work, is described by an on-line Case Study, at the following Web-address

http://itsy.co.uk/ac/hche/ A Brief History

Established in the mid 1950's. Successful electrical wholesale business throughout the

60's and 70's. Moved to a computer related inventory in mid 80's. Began experiencing severe business problems in the

mid to late 90's. Called in 'giddens, stanworth + hope' (gs+h), a firm of

management consultants, in 2006.


HCHE – gs+h & You

gs+h produce an annual review of HCHE, which; looks back on the previous year, highlights problems, suggests possible action to combat problems.

You are Management Trainees who have recently joined HCHE and have been assigned to assist the General Manager. Help your new manager identify (and

combat) the problems highlighted by the latest gs+h review.


HCHE – is Complex

The Case Study is intentionally complex, and often seems contradictory. I hope you have ALL read the Case Study very

carefully, in order to to work out what IS, and what IS NOT important.

Make sure that you always remain focused on the task at hand, i.e.: to aid the management decision-making of

the ‘Main Business’ of the HCHE organisation, by the development of a ‘viable’ Information

System, based solely upon data maintained by the Current Operational Systems.


HCHE - Example Outputs

The Information System you devise: MUST make use of data maintained by the

Current Operational Systems of the ‘Main Business’ of HCHE.

You haven’t got direct access to these operational systems, but: you should ‘know’ the structure of the data

files that are maintained by the operational systems (by reading the Case Study carefully).

and should have looked at example outputs from some of the operational systems.


What is an Information System?

trainingattitudes

job

decisions

organisation

people technology

hierarchyfunctionsprocedurescontrols

software

hardwarenetwork

applications


A Model of Management

Decision Structure

Unstructured

Semi-structured

Structured

Information Characteristics

Ad HocUnscheduledSummarisedInfrequent

Forward LookingExternalWide Scope

Narrow FocusInternalHistorical

FrequentDetailedScheduledPre-specified

StrategicLong-Term

TacticalShort-Term

OperationalDay-to-Day


Information for Decision Making

StrategicLong-Term

TacticalShort-Term

OperationalDay-to-Day

Operational Data Processing Systems

Information!

Information!

Information?

Data

Information?

Data

Information?

Data

Information!

Data


‘HCHE’ Problems?

Are they; ‘simply’ because of ‘poor’ Operational

Data Processing Systems? Or, are they;

about ‘poor’ Information provision in support of Management Decision-making?

Or, are they; a bit of both?


A ‘good’ Problem Statement?

Needs to demonstrate; a clear understanding of the current

information system, and its problems. i.e. provide a good 'picture' of:

the structure of the ‘HCHE’ organisation, the important sub-systems, and the interactions between these sub-systems.

the people, and management decision-making processes within, and between, these sub-systems.


Helping ‘HCHE’?

From the 'picture' you build of ‘HCHE’ you should be able to decide if each of the ‘problems’ identified are due to: poor Operational Systems?

Not much you can do about these ‘problems’. poor Management Information Systems?

You should be able to ‘solve’ these problems. or, a bit of both?

You may be able to offer ‘partial’ support/solutions.

You will then be able to document a ‘viable’ solution.


The Problem Statement

Purpose To document problems & information

requirements in terms of what they are. DO NOT describe how these information

requirements will be delivered; that is what is expected for Ass 2.

Audience Managers who work for the ‘Main

Business’ of HCHE. This is DEFINITELY NOT a technical document!


Presentation, Structure & Language (20 Marks)

Document should be in a loose report format, e.g.:

Introduction, Body, Conclusion. and be between 5 and 8 pages (maximum) long.

It should provide a brief description of the organisation, its problems and functional & information requirements in a clear, consistent, complete and yet concise way.

The Managers who work for the ‘Main Business’ of HCHE MUST be able to understand the report since they need to confirm that it accurately defines their problems, and promises viable solutions.


Understanding ofProblems (60 Marks)

The Document should provide a clear statement of the problems faced by the management of the ‘main business’ HCHE, i.e.;

translate both the HCHE Case Study and the most recent gs+h review (i.e. the “MIS Review”) into a valid set of information requirements.

The Document MUST, therefore; demonstrate a clear understanding of specific

problem areas (i.e. those relevant to the managers who are the audience for this report),

AND and explain the role that management information

could play in alleviating these problems, i.e.; match problems to decisions and hence identify information requirements.


Realism (20 Marks)

Your analysis of the problems, and functional & information requirements should demonstrate business realism.

Your document MUST, therefore, be realistic about what the Management of ‘HCHE’; should do, can do, & want to do.

Remember; Any ‘solutions’ you propose (i.e. in terms of Information

Requirements) MUST be ‘viable’ (i.e. the necessary data MUST be stored in the files maintained by the Current Operational Systems).

However; You can assume that the “slight modification” to the

Current Operational Systems (i.e. as suggested by gs+h in their review titled “The Partial Payment ‘Problem’”) will be made by the staff of the IT Department.


This Week’s Workshop

This Workshop will be all about how you might Document the ‘Problem’.

If you haven’t, as yet, started to produce your ‘Problem Statement’, then shame on you!

There will be NO Lecture session Next Week, however, there will be;

an Assignment 1 Support Workshop.

The Assignment 1 Deadline is: Wednesday, the 5th of November.

So, get on with it, and; Good Luck!

44222: Information Systems Development

Documents

Transcript of 44222: Information Systems Development