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Unit 1: Introduction to Information System Development

In the case study, the designer used the software product (word processing) that they knew Notes
best. While any designer does that; most professional systems designers have had a reasonably
wide set of training and experiences. This designer was comfortable with word processing and
little else. Thus, they didn’t explore all the options available. A simple change to using a
database package, like Microsoft Access, could have produced a much more useful system; one
in which the teachers use one standard “form” for input of all relevant information and then
produce the necessary reports. However, if the designer has had no experience with a database
package then they have no way of knowing the option exists.
As noted before, the resulting system suffered from a number of other deficiencies. There
was no method of error handling; there were no procedures for backups and failure; in
fact, there were no procedures at all; the system provided no attempt at data consistency.
We are entering a new software crisis. The original crisis was concerned with the
development, by professionals, of reliable and robust software in a cost-effective manner.
The new crisis does not deal with cost, since the investment in a computer system is
minimal. Rather the crisis is with the production of reliable, robust software systems by
anyone. More and more software, like the example case study, is being created by
individuals whose only credentials are an interest in technology.
Questions
1. Computer Science (CS) and Computer Information Systems (CIS) programs have
responded to the problem in a number of ways. Comment.
2. What are the advantages of resulting system over previous manual system?

Source: http://www.micsymposium.org/mics_2005/papers/paper114.pdf

1.8 Summary

 The number of phases in the information system development may vary from methodology
to methodology. Each phase gives an output that becomes input of next phase.
 Each stage of this development process is highly interrelated and interdependent on each
other. The system developer has to perform many activities to accomplish each stage.
 A Systems analyst is a computer specialist who translates business problems and
requirements into information systems and acts as liaison between IS (Information Systems)
department and rest of the organization.
 System analysis and design refers to the process of examining a business situation with
the intent of improving it through better procedures and methods.
 Systems analysis is a management technique which helps us in designing a new system or
improving an existing system.
 MIS system is designed to serve the functions of planning, controlling and decision-
making at the management level of an organization.
 A Decision Support System (DSS) is an information system designed to help users reach a
decision when a decision-making situation arises.
 A Transaction Processing System (TPS) is an information system that captures and processes
data generated during an organization’s day-to-day transactions.

 Systems development is, basically, a problem-solving action. A problem in an application
domain is malformed by the systems development procedure into a solution in the
computer’s implementation field.
 Implementation means to introduce the designed system into practice or in use.

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