CS 480

Lecture 1
Introduction to Information Systems

History
Work: information workers, service, industry, agriculture

Information Technology: data processing (accounting, finance)

telecommunications (telex, phones)

office (copies, word processing, filing)

Integration
Need for information management

Large dollar expenditures

More in-house development and maintenance (versus IBM handling everything)

Less technological barriers (standards are being developed)

Many multi-purpose tools now (wordprocessing in PC's, telephones tied to

computers)

Technology
Hardware Trends
1960's - efficiency, new developments, batch

1970's - some distributed systems

1980's - PC's, much distribution of hardware resources out of IS control

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Software Trends
1960's - programmer productivity, transaction processing systems
1970's - some time-sharing, application packages, and contract programming

modular and structured programming techniques

life cycle development, software engineering

management information systems

1980's - prototyping (1981!), end-user computing, purchased software

decision support systems, report generation, query languages

out of the control of the IS department

1990's - better software engineering, more distribution, parallel programming

object-oriented whatever, expert systems, artificial intelligence

graphics, GUI's, neural networks

Data Trends
1960's - generalized file management for individual applications

then management for corporate data files

data administration function to manage corporate database

1970's - data base management systems, data dictionary/ directory

(data specification, format mainly)

1980's - distributed data
dictionaries now also storing information about relationships

between systems, sources and uses of data, time cycle requirements

1990's - users want at least access to corporate data, if not major distribution

Communications Trends
1960's - on-line and time-sharing systems

1970's - public and private data networks between companies introduced

1980's - major use of networks between and within companies

privacy and security issues

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The Business Environment

The Changing Marketplace

Deregulation of some markets - airlines, banks, telecommunications

Crossing industry boundaries

Traditional customers are leaving

Crossing national boundaries

Foreign competition is increasing

Production is becoming global

New product and service development cycles

The Changing Work Environment

The demise of the hierarchy

A growing concern for human 'capital'

Less middle managment

A coming labour shortage

The Mission of Information Systems

A Simple Model
Figure 1.4: Information Technology linked to Users by Systems Analysts

doing System Development

Figure 1.5: Expanded Information Technologies linked to Sophisticated

Products and Customers by Systems Designers and Information Specialists

Figure 1.6: Same as 1.5, but adding End-user Systems developed by

Knowledgeable Users
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A Better Model

The Products
Increased strength and complexity of information technology because of:

growth in capacity, reductions in size and cost of raw computing power,

merging of previously separate technologies, ability to handle multi-media

Products: mainframes, minis, micros, personal computers, workstations,

distributed systems, telecommunications networks, office technologies,

fifth generation technologies (artificial intelligence, expert systems), better

systems software and user-oriented languages

The Customers
Figure 1-7:

Type I: High volume of transactions, low cost per transaction

Well-structured, defined, focus on process, efficience, data

Generally clerical?

Type II: Low volume of transactions, high cost per transaction

Ill-structured, less defined, focus on problems, goals, concepts

Generally management?

Bridging the Gap

Figure 1-8: Gap between the technology and the users
Traditionally handled by DP/MIS, Administrative Services, Facilities

Management, Interactive Services

The group in charge of the technology manages the technology, develops

products which use it, and delivers them to the users

What about integrated technologies now? How to rework this structure?

Some companies have combined all technologies under one IS umbrella

Figure 1-9: Still individual products going to individual user applications!

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Figure 1-10: A better idea!! Customer-oriented approach

Teams of workers looking after all customer needs across all technologies
Information centres

Information Systems Management

Management of the entire IS function, usually by a VP or CIO

Need leadership at the Executive Level: Why?

Relate to and adopt organizational goals

Assume the responsibility of harnessing the technology to pursue those

goals

Middle management required under the CIO to manage technology and

information resources (products), and to manage Type I and Type II

(separately) system development and delivery

Case Example: Mead Corporation (if time)