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).
Ian Perry 44222: ISD: Review & Assignment 1 Requirements Slide 3
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
Ian Perry 44222: ISD: Review & Assignment 1 Requirements Slide 4
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.
Ian Perry 44222: ISD: Review & Assignment 1 Requirements Slide 5
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.
Ian Perry 44222: ISD: Review & Assignment 1 Requirements Slide 6
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.
Ian Perry 44222: ISD: Review & Assignment 1 Requirements Slide 7
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.
Ian Perry 44222: ISD: Review & Assignment 1 Requirements Slide 8
What is an Information System?
trainingattitudes
job
decisions
organisation
people technology
hierarchyfunctionsprocedurescontrols
software
hardwarenetwork
applications
Ian Perry 44222: ISD: Review & Assignment 1 Requirements Slide 9
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
Ian Perry 44222: ISD: Review & Assignment 1 Requirements Slide 10
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
Ian Perry 44222: ISD: Review & Assignment 1 Requirements Slide 11
‘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?
Ian Perry 44222: ISD: Review & Assignment 1 Requirements Slide 12
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.
Ian Perry 44222: ISD: Review & Assignment 1 Requirements Slide 13
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.
Ian Perry 44222: ISD: Review & Assignment 1 Requirements Slide 14
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!
Ian Perry 44222: ISD: Review & Assignment 1 Requirements Slide 15
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.
Ian Perry 44222: ISD: Review & Assignment 1 Requirements Slide 16
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.
Ian Perry 44222: ISD: Review & Assignment 1 Requirements Slide 17
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.
Ian Perry 44222: ISD: Review & Assignment 1 Requirements Slide 18
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!
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