ITE-1200

Information Management Concepts and Fundamentals

Lecture Notes One

Prepared by: Ms. Juanelle Marks

Instructor
University of Guyana

© 2021
Data
• Data consists of raw facts; distinct pieces of information, usually formatted in a special way
• Example: an employee number, total hours worked in a week, inventory part numbers, or sales orders
• Data—raw facts—has little value beyond its existence

Data can be likened to a

piece of rail on a railway.
 Characteristics of Quality Data
• Primary traits within data quality:
1. Accuracy and precision – exactness of the data
2. Completeness and comprehensiveness - no missing data piece
3. Reliability and consistency – non-contradictory data stored in different places
4. Relevance and timeliness – must have a valid reason to collect data which means data
must be collected at the right moment in time
5. Legitimacy and Validity
6. Granularity and Uniqueness
 Data Quality Characteristics
Validity Data measure what they are supposed to measure.

Reliability Everyone defines, measures, and collects data the same way—all the time.

Data include all of the values needed to calculate indicators.

Completeness No variables are missing.

Precision Data have sufficient detail. Units of measurement are very clear.

Timeliness Data are up to date. Information is available on time.

Data are true. The values are safe from deliberate bias and have not been changed
Integrity for political or personal reasons.
 In class - Quiz

With the aid of three examples, explain the given

characteristic of quality data.
Information
Information is a collection of raw facts organized so that they have additional value beyond the value of the individual facts.
Data → Information
Turning data into information is a process, or a set of logically related tasks performed
to achieve a defined outcome.

The process of defining relationships among data to create useful information requires knowledge.
Knowledge is the awareness and understanding of a set of information and the ways that information can be made useful to
support a specific task or reach a decision.

Knowledge workers (KWs) are people who create, use, and disseminate knowledge, and are usually professionals in
science, engineering, business, and
other areas.

A knowledge management system (KMS) is an organized collection of people,

procedures, software, databases, and devices used to create, store, and use the organization’s
knowledge and experience.
Characteristics of valuable information
Scenario
Head of sales department of a company submits a forecast of future demand indicates
that sales will be very high( when the opposite is true). Top management made a
decision to invest millions of dollars in a new plant.

Do you foresee any problems with the invaluable information.

 In-Class Activity – 15 minutes
Consider the following organizations:

• Business organization involved in travel and tour packages

• An ‘A’ grade senior secondary school
• A pharmacy
• A healthcare facility
• A business organization involved in the retail of motor spare parts.

Instructions
• Identify 5 -10 pieces of data associated with the organization
• State three pieces of information that can be gleaned from these pieces of raw facts
 System
• System is a set of elements or components that interact to accomplish goals. The elements
themselves and the relationships among them determine how the system works. Systems
have inputs, processing mechanisms, outputs, and feedback.
EXAMPLE
An automatic car wash. Tangible inputs for the process are a dirty car, water, and various
cleaning ingredients. Time, energy, skill, and knowledge also serve as inputs to the system
because they are needed to operate it. Skill is the ability to successfully operate the liquid
sprayer, foaming brush, and air dryer devices. Knowledge is used to define the steps in the car
wash operation and the order in which the steps are executed. The processing mechanisms
consist of first selecting which cleaning option you want (wash only, wash with wax, wash with
wax and hand dry, etc.) and communicating that to the operator of the car wash. A feedback
mechanism is your assessment of how clean the car is. Liquid sprayers shoot clear water, liquid
soap, or car wax depending on where your car is in the process and which options you
selected. The output is a clean car. As in all systems, independent elements or components
(the liquid sprayer, foaming brush, and air dryer) interact to create a clean car.
Automatic Car Wash System
Evaluating System Performance
• Efficiency is a measure of what is produced divided by what is consumed.
• Effectiveness is a measure of the extent to which a system achieves its goals. It can
be computed by dividing the goals actually achieved by the total of the stated goals.
• Evaluating system performance also calls for using performance standards. A system
performance standard is a specific objective of the system.
System Performance Standards
Information systems
An Information system (IS) is a set of interrelated elements or components that collect (input), manipulate
(process), store, and disseminate (output) data and information, and provide a corrective reaction (feedback
mechanism) to meet an objective. The feedback mechanism is the component that helps organizations achieve
their goals, such as increasing profits or improving customer service..

Components of an Information System

Components of an Information system
INPUT
In information systems, input is the activity of gathering and capturing raw data. In producing paychecks,
for example, the number of hours every employee works must be collected before paychecks can be
calculated or printed. In a university grading system, instructors must submit student grades before a
summary of grades for the semester or quarter can be compiled and sent to the students.

PROCESSING
In information systems, processing means converting or transforming data
into useful outputs. Processing can involve making calculations, comparing
data and taking alternative actions, and storing data for future use.
Processing data into useful information is critical in business settings.
Components of an Information system
OUTPUT
In information systems, output involves producing useful information, usually in the form of documents and
reports. Outputs can include paychecks for employees, reports for managers, and information supplied to
stockholders, banks, government agencies, and other groups. In some cases, output from one system can
become input for another. For example, output from a system that processes sales orders can be used as
input to a customer billing system.

FEEDBACK
In information systems, feedback is information from the system that
is used to make changes to input or processing activities. For example,
errors or problems might make it necessary to correct input data or
change a process.
Computer-based IS
• An information system can be manual or computerized
• A computer-based information system (CBIS) is a single set of hardware,
software, databases, telecommunications, people, and procedures that
are configured to collect, manipulate, store, and process data into
information. If you were to rank these components, which will you grant
the highest-level importance?
Computer Literacy Vs. Information literacy
What is the difference?
Information Literacy
• Information literacy is the ability to:
• find,
• evaluate,
• organize,
• use, and
• communicate information in all its various formats;

Most notably in situations requiring

1. decision making,

2. problem solving, or the

3. acquisition of knowledge.
Computer vs IS literacy
 Understanding
Information Systems – A
Business Problem-solving
Approach
IS Approach to Problem Solving

Systems Analysis
Systems Design
Systems Analysis & Design
• Systems Analysis
• Problem analysis (what)
• Information gathering (where & why)
• Decision making (how)
• Establish objectives
• Determine feasibility
• Choose best solution

• Systems Design (Input, Process, Output, Procedures, Control)

• Logical design
Systems Analysis & Design
• Systems Design
• Logical design (what will the system do?)
• Input: content, format, source, volume, frequency, timing
• Process: rule, model, formula, timing
• Output: content, format, organization, volume, freq., timing
• Storage: data, format, organization, relationship, volume
• Procedure: manual activities, rule, sequence, timing, location
• Control: security, accuracy, validity, supervision
• Physical design (how the system will work?)
• Input: keyboard, voice, scanner
• Process: PC, operating system, software
• Output: print-outs, files, audio
• Storage: tape, CD
• Procedure: batching, backup, auditing, data entry
• Control: batch control, password, audit logs
• Implementation (coding, testing, training)
 Problem Solving
A critical skill in leading and managing

1. Identify and Define the Problem

(seeing what others do not see; objectives)

2. Analyze the Problem &

Establish Evaluation Criteria
Decision Making
3. Identifying Alternative Solutions

4. Selecting the Best-Fit Solution

5. Develop an Action Plan

6. Implement the Solution Take Action to
Solve Problem
7. Evaluate the Solution
CIO, July 15, 1998
Applying Critical Thinking
• In defining the problem ask
• What is the problem?
• What are the symptoms of the problem?
• What are the assumptions?
• Is/Are the evidence reliable?
• Is there missing information?
• Is there another reason for the problem?
(think; alternative hypothesis)
Technology perspective to problem solving
Organizational perspective to problem solving
People perspective to problem solving
Lab/Tutorial Activity #1
• Read about the UPS packaging service (pg. 20, Essentials of
MIS)
• In groups of 5 or 6 discuss and the responses to the four case
study questions.
• Document, in a google doc, the main points from your
group’s discussion.