Page 12 - DCAP205_DCAP409_ANALYSIS_AND_DESIGN_OF_INFORMATION_SYSTEMS

Analysis & Design of Information Systems

Notes Define the Problem: With their dynamic nature, the problems must reside in an organization.
What really or usually lacks is their proper definition and priority to solve them. Therefore, the
first step in Management Information System design is to know the problem in detail. This is
achieved by a continuous and iterative process of:
1. Stating the information need
2. Asking questions about that need
3. Suggesting the interpretations of that need

4. Detailing the original statement
5. Reviewing the more detailed statement of need with management.
This process will be repeated until we really understand the information needs and problems to
be solved.
Set System Objectives: Like other functional areas, the manager should set objectives in terms of
design of information system. Various organizations aiming for information of the records or
the processing of the dates, over look the main objective of the information system, i.e., proper
management of the information resources.
Although it is a difficult task to set objectives, because most of the organizations set their
objectives very vaguely like “improve efficiency;” meet the production schedule” and so on. In
order to achieve the objectives successfully they should be specific.
Information system objectives must ultimately be stated in terms of the objectives of the department,
group, or in terms of the functions the information system is to perform. Information system
objectives should be expressed in terms of what managers can do after their information needs
have been full-filled. After setting the objectives, system designer should state them by using
descriptive statement, or flowchart, or data flow diagrams and so on, to convert the objectives for
the manager which they want to accomplish from the emerging information System.
The objective should be expressed not quantitatively rather qualitatively so that, alternative
information system design in particular, and system performance in general can be measured,
for information system’s effectiveness and efficiency. To conclude, the information system
objectives should be aligned with the overall objectives of the organization.
Establish System Constraints: Constraints mean problems, boundaries or restriction that enable
the designer to stipulate the condition under which objective may be attained and to consider
the limitation that restricts the design.
Determine Information Need: A clear statement of information need is fundamental and necessary
for a good system design. If the manager does not convey his or her information needs, a good
design will not be prepared. The type of information needs depends on two factors – one is
personal managerial attributes of the individual manager and the organizations environment
in which the decisions are made.
Determine Information Sources: Determination of information need and to determine the
information source i.e., from where to collect the information are overlapping.
For designing a new system, the existing system needs to be analyzed. There are two approaches.
One is in favor of this and other says there is no need of analysing the existing system. But
sooner or later in a system design, the analysis of existing system becomes a necessary
requirement. So the source of information is such which fits in the overall integrative sources of
information and techniques of analysis.

There are two techniques for analysis and synthesis for discovering the information source, one
is input/output analysis using decision table and other is multi dimensional flow using flow
chart. So it is the next design step to prepare a list that matches needs and sources.

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