Information Processes & Technology (IPT)

1. Information Processes & Technology (IPT)

2. IPT - Topics • Information Systems in Context • Information Processes • Social and Ethical Issues • Traditional Stages in Developing a System • Complexity of Systems • Rules of People Involved in Systems Development • Collecting • Organising • Transmitting and Receiving • Displaying

3. IPT – Wiki Online

4. IPT – Wiki Online CONT... • Web Address - http://informationpt11.wikispaces.com/ • No need to sign in (guest will do) • Exercises & PowerPoint slides will be uploaded in “Classroom Notes” folder in a week-by-week bases

5. What is a Wiki? • Wiki is a piece of server software that allows users to freely create and edit Web page content using any Web browser. • Wiki is unusual among group communication mechanisms in that it allows the organization of contributions to be edited in addition to the content itself. • Wiki supports hyperlinks and has a simple text syntax for creating new pages and crosslink's between internal pages on the fly.

6. Examples Of Wiki Sites • Wikipedia – Encyclopaedic • Scholarpedia – Encyclopaedic • Everything2 – Personal Essays • LyricWiki – Music Lyrics • SWiK – Open Source Software • GeoNames – Places Online • Intellipedia – Government Intelligence • Wikispecies – Science Biology

7. Information System • Information systems are systems which provide information to users. The term "information system" would normally refer to a computer based system using a DBMS. • A DBMS is a program which creates and manages a database. • A database is the file that is then created by a DBMS. • Database Management System (DBMS) is a software that enables a database to be created, edited and maintained as well as to be stored and searched to extract information

8. Information System CONT... • Main Components of Information System • Lower box the information system affects and is affected by the information processes • The Information System is surrounded by a particular environment

9. Components Of Information System • Environment – Everything that is influenced by the Information System • Purpose – For what need & whom is the information system designed • Information Systems – Users, individuals, IDPO, computerised & non-computerised • Information Processes – Computerised such as access the internet & non-computerised such as listening to the news • Participants – People who carry out information processes with the information system • Date/Information – Raw materials of information going in & coming out as processed data I/O • Information Technology – Hardware & software used by the information processes

10. Example of a System • Braking system of a car • The Purpose is to slow the car down • Braking system requires resources or components such as brake pads, break disks, brake pedal • Components work together to process/make the car slow down • The Environment is everything that is influenced by the system

11. Diagrammatic Representation of a System Environment – The Car, Including all its various sub-system System – The Braking System Purpose – To slow down the car Processes – Pressing brake pedal, fluid moving to callipers, friction between pads and disk, wheel slowing down, etc Resources – Brake pedal, master cylinder, callipers, brake pads and disks, wheels tyres, etc

12. Example of a Information System in Context (ISC)

13. Pool Filtration System • A backyard swimming pool contains a filtration system that includes a timer, a pump, a filter, various pipes and electrical connections and a skimmer box. These components work together to keep the pool water clean and healthy. Fig 2.2 shows many of these components, together with the flow of water. Figure 2.2

14. Pool Filtration System Exercise

15. What is Information Processes? • Information Processes are computer and non-computer based activities that are carried out using the resource or tools of the information system • These activities coordinate and direct the system’s resources to complete the required task and achieve the system’s purpose • Information Processes use participants, data and information technologies to achieve the system’s purpose • Information processes are not necessarily performed by computer-based technologies

16. Information Processes Diagram Processing Collecting Organising INFORMATION PROCESSES Manipulation Data Displaying Analysing Transmitting and Receiving Storing and Retrieving

17. Information Processes - Manipulating Data • Collected – By Deciding what, where and how data will be gathered • Organised – By arranging, representing and formatting data so that it can be used by the information system • Analysed – Interpreting and transforming data into a useful form so that it can be easily processed, such as (Charts and graphs) • Stored and Retrieved – Data is sorted before, during and after processing in temporary memory and then in permanent memory so that it can be retrieved later

18. Information Processes - Manipulating Data CONT... • Processed – The manipulation of data into information, only when data is modified, updated, sorted, or categorised • Transmitted and Received – Transfer of information from one computer to another, both computers must agree on how data will be transferred during the ‘handshake’ stage • Displayed – The information is presented on the screen as a software copy, printed as a hard copy or heard through speakers

19. Take A Guess! • Is an Address Book an example of “Information System”?

20. Example of an Address Book • We collect names, addresses and phone numbers of our friends, relatives and other acquaintances • We decide on the format we will use in our address book • We recognise the first letter of the surname to enable us to correctly store the data • We locate the correct page in the address book and write in the new contacts details • We locate the correct page and then scan to the required contact’s name and read their details • When a contact moves house or changes their phone number we find their name and edit the changed details • We skim through our address book and prepare a list of individuals to be invited to a party • We use the phone numbers or addresses to contact individuals

21. Address Book Exercise