1410/7610 ICT Introduction to

Information Systems
Administration and Overview of the
Course
1 What will you learn and do in this course?
How will your learning be assessed?

Convenor & Lecturer

© Dr Bruce
Rowlands,
Dr Bruce Rowlands
School ICT,
1410/7610 ICT, School of Information & Communication Technology
2011

Semester 1, 2011 1
 1410ICT & 7610ICT

We don’t assume any previous knowledge

about Information Systems ... we give you

1 a common foundation for your future

courses ... .
 1410ICT Na One course,
 7610ICT Na
 1410ICT Lg One website on
learning@griffith
© Dr Bruce
Rowlands,
School ICT,
1410/7610 ICT,
2011

2
 Future IS Courses

 2511ICT Na Systems in Organisations

1
 3518ICT Na Strategic Information Systems
 3519ICT Na Information Systems Management

© Dr Bruce
Rowlands,
School ICT,
1410/7610 ICT,
2011

3
 Administration
 Course Convenor: Dr Bruce Rowlands
 Senior Lecturer in Information Systems
 b.rowlands@griffith.edu.au

1
 N44_Room 1.10 (Nathan)
 Course Website on: learning@griffith
 Primary course resource repository
 Lecture notes
 Workshop exercises
 Links to other resources
© Dr Bruce
Rowlands,
 Class communication: email announcements + ..
School ICT,
1410/7610 ICT,
2011

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 About Me

 Dr Bruce Rowlands
 Overall Course Convenor for Nathan, Logan &

1 
Gold Coast
Research Interests
 IS development,
 methods of systems development,
 power issues between developers and the business client,
 social science theory,
© Dr Bruce
 qualitative research.
Rowlands,
School ICT,
1410/7610 ICT,
2011

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1

© Dr Bruce
Rowlands,
School ICT,
1410/7610 ICT,
2011

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 Expectation of Students
 The course makes strong use of student-
centred learning, which means that you:
 Take responsibility for your own learning
1 


Background reading
Synthesis, analysis and reflection
 Are involved in the conduct of the course
 Teamwork for the major assignment
 Emphasis is on applying the textbook content to the
major assignment
© Dr Bruce
Rowlands,
 Lectures are 2 hour duration, workshops are 1 hour
School ICT,
1410/7610 ICT, duration
2011

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 Modes of Learning
 In crude terms, two modes of learning can be
distinguished:
 Grind, cram, learn by heart, learn by rote .

1 ‘Knowledge in a box’ model



 Scholarship, erudition, inquiry, interest . . .

 ‘Learning as a process of self-improvement’ model
 Which makes the ‘better’ student?
 You may do both but the course looks for critical reflection
& learning (scholarship, erudition, analysis, synthesis of
© Dr Bruce the readings and application to the pizza shop case
Rowlands,
School ICT, study).
1410/7610 ICT,
2011

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 Convenor/Lecturer Consultation
Times
 Monday PM (to be confirmed on l@g)
 Come and see me about problems & advice:
 In understanding course concepts
 Concerning your group, time-management, coping etc.

1 


Personal issues that may have an impact on your ability to do this
course…we know others you can talk to
Requests for extensions, special consideration etc. (there are
forms to be completed first – see Student Admin)
 For alternate appointments please:
 Email me (subject line: 1410ICT Appointment Request)
 Give enough notice (at least 2 working days)
© Dr Bruce  Give a list of alternative times when you are available.
Rowlands,
School ICT,
1410/7610 ICT,
 My email address: b.rowlands@griffith.edu.au
2011

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 What will you learn or get out of this
course?
 A broad introduction to Information Systems by
introducing you to key ideas of IS research and
practice
A better understanding of the role and workings of IS
1

in organisations (and society)
 Awareness and ability to critically look at IS from
different perspectives
 Exposure to different types of systems in different
contexts and the complexities associated with
managing them
© Dr Bruce
Rowlands,
 Skills that are required/useful for understanding and
School ICT,
1410/7610 ICT, managing IS in organisations
2011

10
 1410/7610 ICT Assessment
 Assignment – Group (3 people) 30%
 Due Friday Week 10 at 11.55pm
 Mini Quizes:
1  Quiz 1



Week 1 & 2
Workshops in Week 3
10%

 Quiz 2 10%
 Weeks 1 to 5
 Workshops in Week 6

© Dr Bruce
 Final Exam 50% 2 hour, Open Book Restricted
Rowlands,
School ICT,
(i.e.) only your text by Beynon-Davies (2009) can be taken into the
1410/7610 ICT,
2011
exam room.
11
 Course Organisation
 Lectures:
 2 Hour lecture on Monday 10 -12 Noon, N18_Th2
 There will usually be a 5 minute break from 10.55 to 11.00am

WHY GO TO LECTURES ?????

1

 Not all the text content is in the lecture slides
 Concepts are explained
 The assignment is always discussed
 Direction from the lecturer
 Read before-hand, sit back, listen and ask Qs

© Dr Bruce
Rowlands,
School ICT,
1410/7610 ICT,
2011

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 Workshops – Why go?
 Opportunities to:
 Form a group for the assignment
 Collect handouts for assignment case study.

1
 Put into practice what is taught in the lectures, clarify
anything which you don’t understand from the
lectures
 Discuss the group assignment @ week, & the exam
in Week 13
 Two quizzes in Week 3 and Week 6.
 MOST IMPORTANTLY:
© Dr Bruce
 Get HELP
Rowlands,
School ICT,  LEARNING OPPORTUNITY
1410/7610 ICT,
2011

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 Workshop Times
 Workshops
 Group 1: Monday 12.00pm - 1.00 pm – Bruce
 Group 2: Monday 1.00pm - 2.00 pm – Bruce

1
 Group 3: Monday 2.00pm - 3.00 pm – Ms Layla Soroush
 Group 4: Monday 3.00pm - 4.00 pm – Ms Layla Soroush
 Group 5: Monday 4.00pm - 5.00 pm – Ms Layla Soroush

 START IN WEEK 2
 GO TO ONE ONLY
© Dr Bruce
Rowlands,
School ICT,
1410/7610 ICT,
2011

14
 Advice
 It is difficult to fit in answering questions after the tutorials,
so ask Qs in the tute. Or, make appointments to discuss
any issues of concern.
 When emailing a member of staff, ALWAYS use the

1 course code (1410ICT in the subject line) and introduce

yourself properly by stating your name, student number
and your degree program.
 Always use your Griffith Uni email or Gmail account
 Not Shagga_22@hotmail.com !! This, and any emails
without the correct subject line, or your GU email address
will be treated as SPAM by the email server, and will be
deleted immediately. Hence, I will not receive your email.
© Dr Bruce
Rowlands,
School ICT,
 Write down Layla’s name and her email address.
1410/7610 ICT,
2011

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 Prescribed & Recommended
Readings
 The prescribed text for this course
is:
Beynon-Davies (2009) Business
1 Information Systems
 Available in the Bookshop
 Various web site resources will be notified in
lectures and announced on the website.
 Check the l@g site at least twice per week.
© Dr Bruce
Rowlands,
School ICT,
1410/7610 ICT,
2011

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1

© Dr Bruce
Rowlands,
School ICT,
1410/7610 ICT,
2011

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 How is it structured? Content
Introduction & Key Concepts
Week 1 – Lecture: Introduction
Readings: Beynon-Davies, Chapter 1

1
Workshop: No tutorial
Week 2 – Lecture: Introduction
Readings: Beynon-Davies, Chapter 1
Workshop: Exercises and Case Study; +
Assignment Distributed and Group
Organisation
Week 3 – Lecture: The Business Environment
Readings: Beynon-Davies, Chapter 7
Workshop: Mini Quiz #1 and Case Study
© Dr Bruce
Rowlands, Week 4 – Lecture Organisations & Systems
School ICT,
1410/7610 ICT, Readings: Beynon-Davies, Chapter 2
2011
Workshop: Case Study
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 How is it structured? Content
Applying Information Systems
to Business
Week 5 – Lecture: Data, Information & Knowledge
Readings: Beynon-Davies, Chapter 3

1 Week 6 –
Workshop: Case Study
Lecture: Information Systems & Modelling
Readings: Beynon-Davies, Chapter 4
Workshop: Mini Quiz #2, Case Study
Week 7 – Lecture: Assessing the Use and
Impact of Information Systems
Readings: Beynon-Davies, Chapter 9
Workshop: Case Study
© Dr Bruce
Rowlands,
Week 8 – Lecture: Planning, Strategy & Management
School ICT,
1410/7610 ICT,
Readings: Beynon-Davies, Chapter 10
2011
Tutorial: Exercises and Case Study
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 How is it structured? Content
Managing IS in Business
Week 9 – Public Holiday. No lecture, Revision.

Week 10 – Lecture: Services, Projects & Operations

Readings: Beynon-Davies, Chapter 11

1 Workshop: Synthesising for the Case Study

Assignment due
Week 11 – Lecture: IS Development
Readings: Beynon-Davies, Chapter 12
Workshop: Exercises

Week 12 – Lecture Successful Informatics Practice

Readings: Beynon-Davies, Chapter 13
© Dr Bruce
Rowlands, Workshop: Exercises and Case Study
School ICT,
1410/7610 ICT, Week 13 – Lecture: Exam Revision & Course Review
2011
Workshop: Review Qs. Return of Assignments
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 The Course Focus
The central questions of this course
are –
“How can we ensure that information
1 systems are managed appropriately to
ensure that the resulting system is aligned
with the organization’s context and needs?”

“Does the introduction of an information

© Dr Bruce
Rowlands,
School ICT,
system always have a positive impact?”
1410/7610 ICT,
2011

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 The Productivity Paradox
 Evidence suggests that there are some inherent
paradoxes/contradictions involved with the
introduction of information systems into organisations.

1  As shown next, one key reason organisations use

information systems is the expectation that employing
such systems will raise the productivity of the
workforce.

 However, over a number of years, this link between

information system usage and productivity has been
© Dr Bruce
questioned. This has become known as the
Rowlands,
School ICT,
productivity paradox.
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2011

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 The productivity paradox

Does the introduction of an information system always have a

positive impact?

© Dr Bruce
Rowlands,
School ICT, Figure 9.8: Productivity plotted against ICT spending
1410/7610 ICT,
2011

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 Chapter 1: Introduction –
The domain of business

1 information systems

© Dr Bruce
Rowlands,
School ICT,
1410/7610 ICT,
2011

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 Elements of BIS

• BIS are made up of a

number of

1
interdependent areas
• These areas overlap with
other disciplines, which
provide academic frames
of reference (see next
slide)

© Dr Bruce
Rowlands,
School ICT,
1410/7610 ICT,
2011
Figure 1.1: Elements of the Field
25
 Figure 1.2: Reference disciplines

© Dr Bruce
Rowlands,
School ICT,
1410/7610 ICT,
2011

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 Building a model for the domain of BIS
 An organisation is a series of inter-dependent activity systems
which in combined action produce value
 Value is the key flow between an organisation and actors in its
environment

1  Businesses deliver value through products or services

provided to customers
 Business receive value from suppliers or partners

 A business organisation is a value-creating system which

interacts with a wider value network making up its
© Dr Bruce
environment – see Figure 1.3
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School ICT,
1410/7610 ICT,
2011

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1

© Dr Bruce
Rowlands,
School ICT, Figure 1.3: Organisation, activity systems
1410/7610 ICT,
2011 and environment
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  Organisations require activity systems to function
 Activity systems in turn rely on information systems
 An information system
is a system of
communication
between a group of
people to coordinate

1 the action of
individuals.

© Dr Bruce
Rowlands,
School ICT,
1410/7610 ICT,
2011
Figure 1.4: Information systems
29
  Information is data
interpreted in some
context
 A datum (a unit of
data) is one or more
symbols used to

1
represent something
 On the basis of
information supplied
by the information
system, decisions
are made about
appropriate actions to
take
© Dr Bruce
Rowlands,
School ICT, Figure 1.5: Data and information
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2011

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 • Data is
supplied to the
information
system by its
ICT system
1

© Dr Bruce
Rowlands,
Figure 1.6: ICT systems and infrastructure
School ICT,
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2011

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 • Business
information
systems have to
be developed
• This is referred to

1 as the
information
systems
development
process (Lecture
11)
© Dr Bruce
Rowlands,
School ICT, Figure 1.7: Information systems development
1410/7610 ICT,
2011 (Chapter 12)
32
 • After an information
system is introduced,
it begins to have
effects:
• First order effects
concern issues of

1 use
• Second order
effects concern
the impact of the
information
system
© Dr Bruce • Focus of lecture in Figure 1.8: Use and impact (Chapter 9)
Rowlands,
School ICT,
1410/7610 ICT, week 7
2011

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 • Effective planning
and management
are necessary to
ensure
information
systems are

1 successful and
aligned with
organisational
strategy
• Week 8 and
3518ICT Strategic
© Dr Bruce IS at Nathan
Rowlands,
School ICT,
Figure 1.9:
1410/7610 ICT,
2011 Planning, management and operations (Chapter 10)
34
 In summary ....
Business organisations are systems of human activity
(HAS)
relying on and supported by
Systems of Information
1 relying on and supported by
Systems of Technology (or ICT)
Informatics (information systems) is a systemic
discipline: It is interested not in ICT, information
systems, information and organisations in isolation,
© Dr Bruce
but in their interaction and its effects. (Beynon-Davies
Rowlands,
School ICT,
1410/7610 ICT,
2009, p. 7)
2011

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 The term Information System ...

Can refer to:

1) A product (software, filing cabinet, etc)

1 2) An academic field of study (1410ICT)

3) An area of industrial practice (your 1st FT
job)
4) Any of the above
© Dr Bruce
 Be clear when you read it, be clear and consistent when
Rowlands,
School ICT,
you use it.
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 To Do for This and Next Week:
1. Read and work thru these slides (posted on the
learning@griffith web site); and read chapter 1
from the text book.
2. The learning@griffith web site will be updated:
1 watch that space for announcements, and how to
use ‘Google Groups’.
3. Buy the text book. Use it in all future IS courses.
4. See you next week in the workshops 

© Dr Bruce
Rowlands,
School ICT,
1410/7610 ICT,
2011

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