Information Systems: Overview

Why Learn About Information Systems?

• Technology is being used by leaders to improve products/services
• Students should learn basic concepts of information systems
• Knowledge of information systems can make organizations more capitalistic
• Provides opportunities to become more valuable to an organization
• Helps to advance career opportunities

What is an Information System?

• Information systems have components that work together
• Use feedback to monitor and control operations
• Information sytems Collect, process, store and share information
• IS are used to complete daily tasks and work tasks
• IS are also used to look at large amounts of data

How Information Systems Work

• The operation of an IS involves the input of data
• The processing of the data
• Feedback to see how things are going and finally, the output

Components of an Information Systems

• People, Technology, Data, and Processes make up information systems

Competitive Advantage with Information Systems

• Competitive advantage comes from information systems
• Competitive advantage generates more revenue
• Competitive advantage results in greater profitability
• This is achieved with cost leadership
• It can be difficult to keep this competitive advantage

Managers and the Leavitt's Diamond Model

• Managers should use information systems to get competitive advantage Managers should use Leavitt's Diamond
• It's used to add new systems to the workplace
• The goal is to lower stress, increase teamwork, and have a successful implementation
• Leavitt's Model has four parts: people, technology, processes, and structure

Technology InfraStructure

• Resources like hardware, software, databases, networks, facilities and third-party services are included
• Meeting the needs of customers, suppliers, key business partners, regulatory agencies, and employees
• The model makes the foundation for a working computer-based information system

Processes

• This is a series of actions that add value and create an output
• The procedure describes the steps needed to achieve something
• Procedures guide to achieve desired results
• Procedures clarify who does what, and what to do when issues come up
• Setting up/following procedures is part of using an information system

Process vs Procedure

• A process is the total amount of task needed to reach a goal/objective.
• A process example is "Hiring"
• A procedure is a step-by-step description of different tasks inside the process.
• A procedure example is an interview

Structure

• Structure determines the relationships between members of an organization
• Structure sets out the necessary functions, duties, and lines of command
• Workers should understanding their functions and duties.
• Introducing a new information system brings changes to functions/duties

Types of Information Systems:

• Personal information systems which increases the work of employees
• Workgroup information systems helps people work together
• Enterprise information system does company wide business functions.
• Interorganizational IS allows to information sharing with people inside and outside the business

Value Chain

• Value chains are activities needed to change inputs into outputs
• The value of the input should go up
• Supply chain are key value chain that involves inbound logistics
• Includes operations, outbound logistics, marketing and sales, and service
• Focuses on the creation and/or delivery of a product or service

Strategic planning

• It is managerial process to identify strategic goals
• Realizes that the organization is always changing
• Benefits include a framework for decision-making
• Better use of an organiation's resources

Strategic planning Benefits and Considerations

• Strategy proactively improves communication
• Consider the long-term impact on income and profit
• Degree of risk involved
• Consider the amount of resource is needed and lastly
• Take into account the possiblity of competitive reaction
• It must link with the current organizational plan

Information System Strategic Planning

• Pinpoint resources to put money into
• Helps business plans
• Includes technologies, vendors, skills, people, systems, and projects
• IS plan has: new innovations, new thinkers and perception of IS organization
• IS can be cost center/service provider, business partner/business peer, or a game changer.

Strategic Planning Spectrum

• IS strategic planning spectrum is how we use IS to reach strategic goals
• Strategic planning focus are business focused and inward and outward looking
• The goals are innovation, partnership, control costs and improve existing services

IS Worker Skills

• Important is communication skills to translate tech for business setting;
• Analytical and decision-making skills to move problems/ideas into solutions;
• leadership abilities to bring changes in organization;
• Ability to work in a fast, dynamic environment
• Must meet deadlines and solve issues;
• Prepared to keep update to date with new information

Required Skills for IS Workers

• Data analysis
• Mobile device application design/build skills
• Traditional programming and app development
• Technical support abilities
• Project management abilities
• Networking and cloud computing
• System audit and security
• Web design skills
• Data center operations

IS job prospects - high demand

• According to the U.S. BLS 4.6 million people employed in computer
• related jobs (2016)
• Expected 591,000 new job openings between 2016 to 2026

IS worker degrees awarded

• US colleges award over 100,000 degrees since 2010-2011

Typical IS Roles

• Chief Information Officer employs personnel equipment and achieves businesses goals
• Software Developer tests, debugs, programs computer systems
• Information Security Analyst plans the implemention and maintains the security of systems and designs, creates breach action plans
• Business Analyst improves businesses
• System analyst is responsible to consulting with user while defining scope of the projects
• Programmers will translates a new program into computer languages
• Web developers design web applications

Median Salary for different IS Jobs (2018)

• CIOs: $202,500
• Software Developers: $115,000;
• Information Security: $115,250;
• Systems Analyst: $89,500;
• Programmers :$65,000;
• Web developers: $66,100;
• Business Analyst: $92,000.

Jobs include

• Consultants at large firms, tech workers, small businesses, or IS freelancers
• Freelancers write programs, working on IS apps and projects.

Shadow IT

• It involves IS created by departments out the established IS
• It makes business managers to create highly innovative solutions to real business problems
• Shadow IT may use unknown vendors and not standards practices

Pros and Cons of Shadow IT

• Fast solutions can tested quickly
• There can an innovative relation with other business
• More system can be tested
• May lack security needed, tension between CIO and managers and individual departments purchase bad sevices

More Shadow IT Pros and Cons

• There might be duplication work, that is redundant.
• Problems over resolving non-approved solutions may arise.

Continuous Education/Certifications

• A process for seeing if a person has a set of skills
• Involves a statement by an outside expert, who says an individual is capable of doing tasking
• Frequently has coursework from specific vendors

Certifications by Areas

• Application and Web Development, AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML)
• C#, Java, .Net,and PHP
• Database Admin: Microsoft SQL Server database, oOacle database
• Business Analysis: SAP Business Objects and Hadoop
• AI, scientific skills , Python
• Networking/Security: Cisco, Checkpoint and Linux
• Project Management: Project manager professional certification.

Summary

• Management must use information systems to obtain an competitive
• Leavitt's Diamond successfully inserts new systems into places that work
• It is important to have strategic planning to form achievable goal
• IT employees need many skill and certifications

Objectives

• Pinpoint two key management tasks in reaching an information system
• Name three reason why organiazations use Diamond's model
• Describe four info systems
• Explain role in organizations value chains
• Name 4 advantages
• Name 4 main factor of setting an IT plan
• Ways to know IS structure
• Six hard skill to be good IT worker
• The last 2 good things of IT certifications