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Task Management
Graphics and Tables not included
Task 1
There is no standard definition of an Information System Requirement. A requirement is a
property that is essential for an IT system to perform its functions.
Requirements vary in intent and in the kinds of properties they represent. They can be
functions, constraints, or other properties that must be provided, met, or satisfied so needs
are filled for the system intended users (Roger Abbott 1986).
Information Systems have to do many different things; perform calculations, edit and store
data, produce reports, support business process, enforce rules, etc.
The following plan identifies possible IS requirement for Sports-Qits:
Goal:
Information resource for management, staff, vendors and customers; with the potential to
evolve into a full-fledged *ƒ²*ƒ"€š?on-line business system
Approach:
Develop business scenarios, derive system specifications and outline architecture based on
business decisions and information needed for different kinds of problem scenarios
Model information seeking and strategic behaviour
Develop, implement, and test a information aid that takes into account different training
and usability requirements, computing environments, requirements for synchronization
and integrity of information
Levels of computational system hierarchy:
Central web site and server at the highest level for coordination and management of the
system
Company and vendor databases and any other information providers
Individual workstations at the lowest level
Key characteristics:
Central web site with links to product-related information and transparent gateway to both
internal and external data (re)sources such as databases
Regular updates with consistency checking, indexing, and discovery of interesting
relationships between new and existing information
Data system built in stages, by identifying the content and organising the databases
Interfaces (via web browsers at distributed client sites) for input of customer information
on-line via form-based dialogs and user agents with direct manipulation interfaces
Implementation or guidelines for the use of algorithms, design theories, and
methodologies, via examples and cases
Table 1 shows information relevant for business, which is often needed from different
perspectives. A substantial component of developing a business support system via the
constructive approach will involve technology integration. However, before investigating
the technologies relevant for implementing the information system, it is useful to identify
the information essential for such a system. (Govindaraj and Pejtersen, 1995, p 3579-3583)
It is important that the computational system be able to organise and present the
information from any of the perspectives depending on the context. For the purpose of
developing the requirements for the information system, information can be characterized
roughly into four perspectives: sources, categories, product, and marketing, sales &
service. These categories are not necessarily complete, nor are they mutually exclusive.
The information system is intended to be a computer aid to assist in countering business
competition and implementation on a national scale. The primary goal of the system is to
be a comprehensive information resource for management, staff and customers. After
implementing and evaluating the system in actual business conditions, it can evolve into an
*ƒ²*ƒ"€š?on-line business and may extend later into an active assistant, or associate that
performs some of the customer-friendly business tasks such as cataloguing, product
availability, price variables, etc.
The system must be capable of handling information from multiple sources and different
categories, and present it to business personnel. Table 1 lists the key features of the needed
information from different perspectives.
Table 1: Information Perspectives
Tasks Perspectives
Individual Workstations (Clients) Management, staff, customers
*ƒ¿*…¡*ƒ‚§ Different levels of access and security
*ƒ¿*…¡*ƒ‚§ Form-based, MIME, images
*ƒ¿*…¡*ƒ‚§ Limited role as data servers
Coordinator (Virtual Server) *ƒ² ¢ database development, software integration, system
maintenance
Input/Output processing
Forms and user input handling
Dynamic web pages
Data storage and maintenance
Text conversion
SQL and DBMS
Database maintenance
Information Organisation and Retrieval
Indexing
Web searches
Retrieval tools
Algorithms and Models
Analytical tool and software
Simulation and visualisation
Central Server and Mirror Research issues:
Interface design
Protocols for interaction, semantics of information and knowledge organisation,
Algorithms and models for information retrieval
External Databases *ƒ² ¢
Vendors List is incomplete. As the system evolves, changes, additions and deletions are to
be expected.
The information requirements are summarized in Table 2. The emphasis is on the content
and nature of relevant information and not on the details of implementation in software.
The computational system itself may be implemented in a client-server mode, with
distributed functionality.
Table 2: Information Requirement
Information Sources Types/Categories of Information
*ƒ¿*…¡*ƒ‚§ Internal
Administration and Finance
Marketing
Personnel
Archive
*ƒ¿*…¡*ƒ‚§ External
Customers
Catalogues
Vendors
Information may be available in various forms and modalities, including print publications,
computer files and the world wide web.
" Product and material properties
" Product usage information, data sheets, etc.
" Procedures for operation and maintenance
" Financial data
" Personnel records
It is important to include the development of the proper means for integrating and
presenting the information tailored to the context.
Product (also content) Marketing, sales and service
*ƒ¿*…¡*ƒ‚§ Product specifications and material properties
*ƒ¿*…¡*ƒ‚§ Stock availability
*ƒ¿*…¡*ƒ‚§ Packing and Shipment
*ƒ¿*…¡*ƒ‚§ Usage and customer assistance
*ƒ¿*…¡*ƒ‚§ Applications, need, serviceability, competition and opportunities
*ƒ¿*…¡*ƒ‚§ Functions by expertise and job specialities
*ƒ¿*…¡*ƒ‚§ Demand forecasting
*ƒ¿*…¡*ƒ‚§ Market assessment, tracking and forecasting
The following list sums up the requirement constraints placed on the information system
by the business impact in general, or the beneficiaries in particular:
The conceptual and technical problems which constrain information systems are
acquisition, classification, storage, search and retrieval of information.
Non-technical constraints are most visible through the triad of time, money and scope
(usability).
Following aspects provide the *ƒ²*ƒ"€š?environment of this discussion:
User definition: Since the information system discussed is primarily a central database
accessed through a client-server architecture offering information obtained primarily from
the customers, staff and vendors, the user is the most important aspect of this information
system.
Technical factors
Accessibility: Users must be able to control who has access to their opinions on articles of
information. Some users may only be willing to contribute information anonymously,
while others will want to put their names on their opinions.
Low Overhead: The resources required to transport and store filtering information should
be a fraction of the resources required by the information stream (the business) as a whole.
This is difficult as more people provide filtering information than the number of people
who provide the base information stream (large customer-base and individual requirement
vs. limited product catalogue).
Minimum Hassle: Since the goal is to create a system that users will actually incorporate
into their existing business operations, the software has to be designed for ease of
integration. This is difficult given the lack of IT skills but can be overcome with proper
training and mentoring.
Job redundancy/Role change: Staff concerns about losing jobs due to Information System
implementation or having to change the work roles and handle new responsibilities are
genuine and expected. Training, orientation and assistance in relating to change for the
sake of business continuity and progress are essential and need to be implemented and the
system should be consistent with these.
Non-technical factors
Time: Design and implementation of the system should be on schedule and simultaneously
rolled out to coincide with user orientation and training. Information about improvement to
the evolving system should be dissemination to all users and changes that concern specific
users should be brought to their notice before implementation.
Money: The system has to look like it will be useful to users, the price has to look
attractive compared to other ways of obtaining the information, and methods of payment
have to be reasonable. Costs and expertise needed to provide data need to be as low as
possible. Also, the costs have to reasonably be predictable. These costs include both
development and support costs. Elapsed development time, available expertise and
incremental cost to support a user request are all to be considered.
Even within a single organization, the user contact desk, computer operators, development
programmers, maintenance programmers, user interface designers, and market analysts can
have very different views on the desirability of a feature.
Beyond the end user, the data provider may be the most important piece of the puzzle.
Without data, the best information system is useless, and with the right data, a determined
patron will force even a bad system to work.
Usability: The system has to be pleasant to use, the right data has to be behind the system
and the price has to cheap enough to encourage use, normally free. It has to run on a
hardware/software system easily available. The end user can range from a prospective
customer to the finance controller.
Task 2
Soft Systems Methodology (SSM), developed in England by academics at the University
of Lancaster Systems Department, is an approach to organisational process modelling and
is used both for general problem solving and in the management of change. The core of
SSM is a comparison between the world as it is, and some models of the world as it might
be. This comparison leads to a better understanding of the world ("research"), and some
ideas for improvement ("action").
The 7-stages of SSM:
Examination of the problem situation
Analysis of the ingredients (using a rich picture method)
Coming to a root definition of significant facets of the system of interest
Conceptualisation and modelling
Comparison of concept/ideal to actual
Definition and selection of options
Design of action programme
Implementation
Project Plan for Sports-Qits using SSM 7-stage description:
Stage 1: The problem situation unstructured
Problems at Sports-Qits:
"¾ Ordering *ƒ²*ƒ"€š Wrong and late orders
" Goods arriving damaged
" No on-line order facility available
" No on-line product list available
" Sales literature contained inaccurate information
" Unable to get information outside office hours
Stage 2: The problem situation expressed
Customers normally pay by cheque; these are consistently late, and many customers pay
up to six months late!
Perceived reaction to proposed IS implementation:
" IT system could be very expensive
