Week 1: Introduction to Information Systems PDF

NC1609 Information Systems and Organisations Week 1: Introduction to Information Systems Lecturers: Dr. Navid Dorudian Dr. Oussama Alsabek Brunel University London Pathway College  Module Content Brunel University London Pathway...

NC1609 Information Systems and Organisations Week 1: Introduction to Information Systems Lecturers: Dr. Navid Dorudian Dr. Oussama Alsabek Brunel University London Pathway College  Module Content Brunel University London Pathway College #DiscoverBrunel  Books Recommended reading: Bocij, P., Greasley, A., & Hickie, S. (2018). Business information systems: Technology, development and management for the modern business. Pearson. Mihale-Wilson, C., Hinz, O., van der Aalst, W. et al. Corporate Digital Responsibility. Bus Inf Syst Eng 64, 127–132 (2022) – https://rdcu.be/cVSKQ Frank, U., Strecker, S., Fettke, P. et al. The Research Field “Modeling Business Information Systems”. Bus Inf Syst Eng 6, 39–43 (2014) - https://rdcu.be/cVSKX Curtis, G., Cobham, D., & Cobham, D. P. (2008). Business information systems: Analysis, design and practice. Pearson Education. Brookshear, J. G., Smith, D., & Brylow, D. (2012). Computer science: an overview. Brunel University London Pathway College  Grades…. Brunel University London Pathway College #DiscoverBrunel  Knowledge and its application knowing the facts and theories Read books AND being able to use them to analyse and solve problems Do exercises and quizzes Lectures only tell you what to learn Brunel University London Pathway College Learning Outcomes To describe the scope of the module To know the arrangements for NC1603 To introduce the notions of: Information Systems Information Systems Computers Algorithms Brunel University London Pathway College #DiscoverBrunel  What is a “System”? Information Systems and Computing uses the word "System" or "Systems" in lots of places. Which phrases can you think of which include System? Brunel University London Pathway College #DiscoverBrunel  Some Phrases Distributed system System testing Expert system Payroll system Database administration Stock control system sys. System requirements File system System software Interactive system Management inf. system Systems analysis Decision support system Systems design Access control system Brunel University London Pathway College #DiscoverBrunel  Characteristics of a System … A collection of parts or components There is a defined "structure" or pattern of connections between the parts There may be interaction with things outside the system Has a function or objective Brunel University London Pathway College #DiscoverBrunel  System boundaries Component Component Outputs Inputs Component Component Boundary Slide 10  Open and Closed Systems  Open Systems  Exchange material (or information) with their environment  Closed Systems  Do not interact with their environment Brunel University London Pathway College #DiscoverBrunel  What makes it a system? The collection of components is not random They are “useful” to talk about. They appear to belong together. They seem to be coherent. It exhibits goal-seeking or purposive behaviour Brunel University London Pathway College #DiscoverBrunel Sub-Systems  Any component can itself be described as a system.  The division of a system into components (or sub-systems) is also a choice. Brunel University London Pathway College #DiscoverBrunel  Choosing boundaries A Computer calculating Chip monitor engine Boundary keyboard, mouse, Windows OS hard drive, utilities CD, floppy, databases network browser Interfaces Memory card, sound Motherboard Boundary Hardware Boundary Computer System Boundary More systems within systems Computer Computer System Executive System Boundary Shareholders, and wider Clients, Management Government, , Stakeholders, Other System beyond the Direct Divisions organisational System Designers and business boundary Users activities IT Service Boundary Organisational Boundary National Or World Boundary  Questions Only having a precise description of each component in a system is not enough to enable you to understand how the system behaves. a. True b. False Brunel University London Pathway College #DiscoverBrunel  Information Systems  Brunel University London Pathway College #DiscoverBrunel  Data and Information r se nde pon 42 s ge re Isit: M Y M Yes 42 is the Price? F Y F Yes no. of Age? people M Yes who were Code ? F Yes asked Hours ‘do you M No like ? Kilos? M Yes watching WHAT TV?’ F No ? Brunel University London Pathway College #DiscoverBrunel  Information (1/2) Information is data processed for a purpose. The term data can provide the basis of graphs, images, or observations of a set of variables; Viewed at the lowest level of abstraction from which information and knowledge are derived. Brunel University London Pathway College #DiscoverBrunel  Information (2/2)  Data may undergo complex processing prior to presentation and used as information such as:  Classification/ categorisation  Rearranging/ sorting  Summarising/ aggregating  Performing calculations  Selection of data Brunel University London Pathway College #DiscoverBrunel  What is the Data, Information, Knowledge, Wisdom (DIKW) Pyramid? Source: https://www.ontotext.com/knowledgehub/fundamentals/dikw-pyramid/ Brunel University London Pathway College #DiscoverBrunel  Data Data is a collection of facts in a raw or unorganized form such as numbers or characters. Without context, data can mean little. For example, 12012012 is just a sequence of numbers without apparent importance. But if we view it in the context of ‘this is a date’, we can easily recognize the 12th of January, 2012. By adding context and value to the numbers, they now have more meaning. In this way, we have transformed the raw sequence of numbers into Information. Brunel University London Pathway College #DiscoverBrunel  Information Information is the next building block of the Pyramid. This is data that has been “cleaned” of errors and further processed to make it easier to measure, visualise and analyse for a specific purpose. Depending on this purpose, data processing can involve different operations, such as combining different sets of data (aggregation), ensuring that the collected data is relevant and accurate (validation), etc. For example, we can organise our data to expose relationships between various seemingly disparate and disconnected data points. By asking relevant questions about ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘when’, ‘where’, we can derive valuable information from the data and make it more useful. But when we get to the question of ‘how’, this is what makes the leap from information to Knowledge. Brunel University London Pathway College #DiscoverBrunel  Knowledge “How” is the ‘information’ derived from the collected ‘data’ relevant to our goals? “How” are the pieces of this information connected to other pieces to add more meaning and value? And, maybe most importantly, “how” can we apply the information to achieve our goal? When we don’t just view information as a description of collected facts, but also understand how to apply it to achieve our goals, we turn it into knowledge. This knowledge is often the edge that enterprises have over their competitors. But only when we use the knowledge and insights gained from the information to take proactive decisions we can say that we have reached the final – ‘wisdom’ – step of the Knowledge Pyramid. Brunel University London Pathway College #DiscoverBrunel  Wisdom Wisdom is at the top of the DIKW hierarchy and to get there, we must answer questions such as ‘why do something’ and ‘what is best’. In other words, wisdom is knowledge applied in action. We can also say that, if data and information are like a look back to the past, knowledge and wisdom are associated with what we do now and what we want to achieve in the future. Brunel University London Pathway College #DiscoverBrunel  DIKW Pyramid – Example 1 Brunel University London Pathway College #DiscoverBrunel  DIKW Pyramid – Example 2 Brunel University London Pathway College #DiscoverBrunel  DIKW Pyramid – Example 3 Brunel University London Pathway College #DiscoverBrunel  Information (2/2) Examples of types of data process Type of data process Example Classification of data Transaction data may be classified as invoice data, payment data, order data Rearranging/sorting data Data on employees may be ordered according to ascending employee number Summarizing/aggregating data Data on the performance of various departments may be aggregated to arrive at a summary of performance Performing calculations on data Data on the total hours worked by an employee may be multiplied by the hourly wage rates to arrive at a gross wage Brunel University London Pathway College #DiscoverBrunel  Scarrott 1989: Organised Systems “It can be observed that the ultimate function of information in nature is control of the organisation of life.” Internal structures hold components together maintaining its goal or purpose despite its environment. Flows within the system that make it independent are information flows. Brunel University London Pathway College #DiscoverBrunel  Scarrott 1989: Organised Systems Information Systems are the systems that enable us to manage (or control) an organisation (or human activity). Brunel University London Pathway College #DiscoverBrunel  Computer Based Inf. Systems? Human Activity or Information System Business System Computer System Computer Business Processes Hardware (physical activities) "Windows" Software The Application of Computers to Support Business  Focus on the Computer Human Activity or Information System Business System Computer System Computer Business Processes Hardware (physical activities) "Windows" Software The Application of Computers to Support Business  Information System Definition A (computer focused) A collection of interacting computer programs that supply Information to human Decision Makers. Definition B (People focused) A collection of interacting computer(s) and humans that makes management decisions within an organisation. Brunel University London Pathway College  Computer as a calculating engine  A machine to do calculations.  By following instructions anybody can do complex calculations (Blaise Pascal).  Building the ability to follow instructions into a machine makes this automatic. Brunel University London Pathway College #DiscoverBrunel  Algorithms  An algorithm describes a process.  A sequence of instructions which inevitably lead to the solution of a problem.  Following the instructions does not require any "understanding" of the problem. Brunel University London Pathway College #DiscoverBrunel  Algorithms An algorithm is a precise step-by-step plan for a computational procedure that possibly begins with an input value and yields an output value in a finite number of steps in order to solve a particular problem An algorithm describes the step-by-step action to solve a problem. An algorithm has a well-defined sequence of steps, it gives you an output, and it will eventually terminate. Brunel University London Pathway College #DiscoverBrunel  Algorithms What is your algorithm for getting to this class? What is your algorithm for brushing your teeth? What is your algorithm for eating breakfast? Brunel University London Pathway College #DiscoverBrunel  Algorithms For example, an algorithm for driving to a friend's house could be: 1. Find your keys 2. Walk out of the house 3. Close the door 4. Open the car door 5. Get into the car 6. Put the key into the ignition, etc….. Brunel University London Pathway College #DiscoverBrunel Class exercise 0123 Write all numbers from 0-9 on a sheet of paper. 4567 89  Class exercise i. Fold a sheet of paper in half and tear it in two ii. Fold the two pieces in half and tear them in two again iii. Repeat step 2 twice more iv. Write a different random three digit number (203, 005, 016 …) on each piece of paper 005 198 327 010 509 817 551 419 130 296 816 792 342 502 195 694  Example "Algorithm" part 1 1. Looking at the right hand (units) digit distribute the pieces in 10 piles – 203 goes in pile 3 2. Stack the piles up in order with 0 on the top and 9 on the bottom. 3. Taking pieces from the top distribute them in 10 new piles by looking at the middle digit. – 203 goes in pile 0  Example "Algorithm" part 2 4. Stack the piles up in reverse order with 9 on the top and 0 on the bottom. 5. Taking pieces from the top distribute them in 10 new piles by looking at the left (hundreds) digit. – 203 goes in pile 2 6. Stack the piles up in order with 0 on the top and 9 on the bottom.  Questions What did the algorithm do? Did you understand what you were doing? – At the beginning – Half way through – At the end Slide 45  Questions Where and how was this algorithm widely used in information systems? If 50 pieces of paper and 3 digits takes 5 minutes. How long does it take with: – 500 pieces of paper – 6 digit numbers – 500 pieces of paper and 6 digits  Programs An algorithm written in a language for a computer it is a "program". Is web page a program? Is the browser a program? Yes as it manipulates the HTML to display the page and hence is a program Brunel University London Pathway College #DiscoverBrunel Slide 47 Summary Explored the idea of a System Explored the idea of Information Definition of “Information Systems” Function of Computers Algorithms Think about some of the business applications of Information Systems that you come across in everyday life. Hints: Buses and trains, bills, supermarket... Brunel University London Pathway College #DiscoverBrunel Brunel University London Pathway College Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash