CCT 355: E-Business Technologies Class 5: Creating IS solutions for organizations Oct. 15, 2007

1. CCT 355: E-Business TechnologiesClass 5: Creating IS solutions for organizationsOct. 15, 2007

2. Administrivia • Today - some bits of Ch. 5, more on Ch. 6 (Appendix E bumped for later, as are RBMS/DTD/UML/IDE bits in Ch. 6) • Test includes all ideas covered in lecture notes; read text with notes in mind • 5 multiple choice, 2-3 short answers, longer answer/essay, 2 hours • I won’t be here - bring ID as a result

3. A note on organizational networks • Client-server model - n-tier, with many clients and servers • Middleware often required to make links between client/server capabilities • Area networks around different geographic and functional roles - e.g., Intranets and Extranets • Not all IS networks are Internet-based (but increasingly are becoming so - why?)

4. The value of databases • Four faults of file-based data storage: redundancy (“silos”), application dependence, accessibility and file management • Move to relational database systems where data and their relations are represented independent of client software/hardware • Leads to more powerful and secure shared data sources when done right (although it’s more complicated to do right…)

5. Databases and Knowledge • Knowledge hardest to represent in databases (e.g., tacit vs. explicit information) • Information can be used to support business intelligence, feed into decision support systems

6. Five stages of BI • Data sourcing • Data analysis • Situational awareness • Risk assessment • Decision support • Model-based DSS can be very powerful and useful in building knowledge

7. Integration • E.g., Transaction systems - multiple inputs, established processes, multiple outputs (including changing databases for future inputs) • Data and workflow management a key concern (and often the major point of failure in IS - garbage in, garbage out) • Good integration = good design

8. “Big Four” Questions • Is there a need for an IS? • Is the project feasible? • Build or buy? • In-house/outsourced?

9. Is there a need? • You can pretty much integrate IS into virtually any process - but should you? • Questions to ask include impact on value chain, benefits and drawbacks of new vs. existing system, human and capital resource requirements, etc. • Examples of when IS might not be useful?

10. Feasibility • Technical - Is what we’d like to do even possible? • Financial - Does project have positive ROI? How measured? • Multiple variables (many intangible) come into play (which is why many ROI estimates are off…)

11. Build or Buy? • Buying/Leasing: quicker implementation, established networks of support • Building: customizable solutions, potential competitive advantage • Often some mix comes into play - e.g., complex ERP systems are bought but modified to context

12. In-House vs. Outsourced • In-house: internal control over process, responsibilities fit within organizational structure, but can be expensive to attract and manage IS talent • Outsourced: use of external talent as required, can be cheaper; but loss of control and responsibility - strong contracts and communication required

13. SDLC “Waterfall” Model • Concept • Inception • Elaboration • Construction • Transition • Production • Retirement

14. In practice… • Waterfall model common (also the basis of systems engineering) but also complex, assumes information, resource- and management- intensive • Agile development, evolutionary models, extreme programming - collapses design stages for rapid application development - systems integration issues might result

15. Project Management Fundamentals • Integration • Risk • Time • Cost • HR • Procurement • Quality • Scope • Communications

16. Good project managers… • Have working (not necessarily expert!) knowledge of technical requirements and feasibility • Have a reasonable sense of project scope (time and cost) • Have communication skills with stakeholders and HR (e.g., saying “no” effectively, motivating and training employees) • Are ethically responsible to clients and employees equally

17. Notes on time management • Gantt charts note progress on subtasks • PERT - critical path analysis to identify bottlenecks • Too many steps = confusion; too few, guarantees that some critical subtaks will fall through the cracks • Ideal vs. actual time - often best to take best case scenario and multiply by 2 or 3

18. Types on risk management • Feature creep • Requirement overload • Cutting quality • Overly optimistic goals/schedule • “Silver bullet” • Weak personnel/training • Friction with customers

19. Responses • High/low impact and probability determination • Transfer - passing the buck • Deferral - adjusting schedules to meet new realities • Reduction - reduce impact/consequences of inevitable risk • Acceptance - tolerate and cope • Avoidance - using alternative methods to eliminate possibility (creates new risks though…)

20. Next week(s) • Oct. 22 - test • Oct. 29 - Read Tech Guide D and Ch. 6 components on DTD, UML, IDEs - be prepared to ask questions of how they’re implemented in practice