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IMS1805 Systems Analysis

IMS1805 Systems Analysis. Topic 1(d): Analysis, Information Systems and Information Technology. Recap of last lecture. IS is a very broad and loosely-defined field of study – good and bad aspects to this!

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IMS1805 Systems Analysis

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  1. IMS1805Systems Analysis Topic 1(d): Analysis, Information Systems and Information Technology

  2. Recap of last lecture • IS is a very broad and loosely-defined field of study – good and bad aspects to this! • The analysis of an information system may focus on many different aspects/components of that system • Selection of the appropriate basis for analysis is an important first step in analysis • SHOULD be driven by the needs of the problem, NOT your personal biases/ preferences!

  3. Influences on Information Systems Information theory (Info Science) Organisation theory (Management) Human behaviour (Sociology) Information Systems Organisation processes (Business) Human cognition (Psychology) Systems theory (engineering) Technology theory (Comp Science)

  4. Agenda • Aim: To examine the influence of information technology on analysis in IS • The nature of IT in IS; its elements • Influence of IT on IS analysis • (Note: dropping down still further to a 500 ft view)

  5. 1. Information technology in IS • Technology is an element of any IS • Digital technology is a key feature of most IS and of all significant modern organisational IS • Note that IT is NOT the ONLY factor; its predominance in analysis is due to its universality, not its inherent importance • (should we make you do analysis/development of systems without technology components?)

  6. IT as an element of IS • Systems integrate technology with other system elements (people, procedures, etc) • Digital technology enables us to automate five basic information/data-related tasks: • input • processing • storage • output (display) • communication • Generalist digital technology (computers) cover all five of these tasks; specialist technology may now focus on only one or two

  7. Data input capabilities of IT • Devices: • Keyboard/mouse • Scanners (bar code readers, etc) • Character recognition devices • Voice recognition? • ? • Capabilities and limitations? • Speed • Standardisation • Validation/checking • Flexibility

  8. Data storage capabilities of IT • Devices: • Disks/Tape • CD/DVD • Files/databases • ? • Capabilities and limitations? • Efficiency • Cost • Flexibility • Copyability • Security

  9. Data processing capabilities of IT • Devices: • Processor chips • RAM • Programming languages/packages • ? • Capabilities and limitations? • Speed/repeatability • Reliability • Flexibility • Usability

  10. Data output (display) capabilities of IT • Devices: • Monitors • Printers/plotters • Speakers/projectors • ? • Capabilities and limitations? • Efficiency • Standardisation • Interface • Cost

  11. Data communication capabilities of IT • Devices: • Transmission media – cables/microwave/etc • Black boxes – modems, routers, hubs, etc • Protocols – TCP/IP, HTTP, etc • ? • Capabilities and limitations? • Speed • Cost • Flexibility • Accessibility • Security

  12. 3. Influence of IT on analysis in IS • Technology as the least sensible element of a system • Technology as the hardest element to implement in a system • Technology as the least adaptable element of a system • Technology as ‘the weakest link’ in a system • Need to focus analytical effort on technology-related aspects of systems

  13. Evolving role of digital IT on analysis in IS • Pre-computing (up to 1950s) • Early computing (1950s) • Structured analysis (“Birth” of IS?!) (1960s) • Relational database (1970s) • Personal computing (1980s) • Object-oriented computing (1990s) • Internet/web-based computing (late 1990s/2000+)

  14. Some reasons for changing perspectives/ approaches in IS Analysis • Changing technologies (from functional programming to database to O-O programming to web-based IT, etc) • Changing types of information problem (from transaction processing to management support to enterprise systems, etc) • Changing views of what is important (from efficiency to effectiveness to innovation to adaptability, etc) • These things will all continue to change

  15. 4. Summary • Digital technology is a key feature of virtually every modern IS • Analysis of technological aspects of the system is essential • Much of the work of a systems analyst in IS will be driven by technology considerations • This DOES NOT mean that other forms of analysis are not equally important or more important in a given system

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