Page 268 - DMGT505_MANAGEMENT_INFORMATION_SYSTEM

Unit 14: Alternative System Building Approaches

Notes
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Case Study Office Automation System

BC Company processes more than 5,000 customer-orders a month, drawing on a
combined inventory of over 500 office products stock at the Co’s warehouse.
AAbout 40 workstations, with printers are installed at Co’s headquarters and are
connected to a LAN.
Orders are received by phone or mail and entered into the system by order entry personnel
at network computers. Entry of orders is assisted by formatted screens. As the order is
entered, the mid-range computer checks the availability of the products, updates the
customer & product databases stored on computer’s magnetic disks. It then sends the pick
list to warehouse printer, for further processing by warehouse personnel.
Co’s sales manager, inventory manager and others executives have PC workstations in
their offices. They use simple Data Base Management inquiry commands to get responses
& reports concerning sales orders, customers and inventory to review product demand &
service trends.

Questions:
1. Outline the important Informations System component in ABC Co’s order processing
system.

2. Identify network software and data, network resources of order processing
Informations System.
3. Identify the various activities occurring in this Information System.
Source: Management Information System by Dharmenda and Sangeeta Gupta

14.3 Summary

 The system lifecycle is the oldest method for building information systems and is used
today for medium or large complex systems projects.
 The lifecycle methodology divides systems development in to formal stages with specific
milestones and products at each stage.
 The prototype is working version of an information system or part of the system, but it is
meant to be only a preliminary model.
 Information systems can be built using software from application software packages.
There are many applications that are common to all business organizations.

 Customization features allow a software packages to be modified to meet an organization’s
unique requirements without destroying the integrity of the packaged software.
 End-User Development is the development of information system by end user with little
or no formal assistance from technical specialists.
 The project definition stage determines whether the organization has a problem and
whether that problem can be solved by building a new information system or by modifying
an existing one.
 The installation stage consists of the final steps to put the new or modified system into
operation: testing, training, and conversation.

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