Information Processes & Technology (IPT)

IPT - Topics Information Systems in Context Information Processes Social and Ethical Issues Traditional Stages in Developing a System Complexity of Systems Rules of People Involved in Systems Development Collecting Organising Transmitting and Receiving Displaying

IPT – Wiki Online

IPT – Wiki Online CONT... Web Address - http://informationpt11.wikispaces.com/ No need to sign in (guest will do) Exercises & PowerPoint slides will be uploaded in “Classroom Notes” folder in a week-by-week bases

What is a Wiki? Wiki is a piece of server software that allows users to freely create and edit Web page content using any Web browser. Wiki is unusual among group communication mechanisms in that it allows the organization of contributions to be edited in addition to the content itself. Wiki supports hyperlinks and has a simple text syntax for creating new pages and crosslink's between internal pages on the fly.

Examples Of Wiki Sites Wikipedia – Encyclopaedic Scholarpedia – Encyclopaedic Everything2 – Personal Essays LyricWiki – Music Lyrics SWiK – Open Source Software GeoNames – Places Online Intellipedia – Government Intelligence Wikispecies – Science Biology

Information System Information systems are systems which provide information to users. The term "information system" would normally refer to a computer based system using a DBMS. A DBMS is a program which creates and manages a database. A database is the file that is then created by a DBMS. Database Management System (DBMS) is a software that enables a database to be created, edited and maintained as well as to be stored and searched to extract information

Information System CONT... Main Components of Information System Lower box the information system affects and is affected by the information processes The Information System is surrounded by a particular environment

Components Of Information System Environment – Everything that is influenced by the Information System Purpose – For what need & whom is the information system designed Information Systems – Users, individuals, IDPO, computerised & non-computerised Information Processes – Computerised such as access the internet & non-computerised such as listening to the news Participants – People who carry out information processes with the information system Date/Information – Raw materials of information going in & coming out as processed data I/O Information Technology – Hardware & software used by the information processes

Example of a System Braking system of a car The Purpose is to slow the car down Braking system requires resources or components such as brake pads, break disks, brake pedal Components work together to process/make the car slow down The Environment is everything that is influenced by the system

Diagrammatic Representation of a System Environment – The Car, Including all its various sub-system System – The Braking System Purpose – To slow down the car Processes – Pressing brake pedal, fluid moving to callipers, friction between pads and disk, wheel slowing down, etc Resources – Brake pedal, master cylinder, callipers, brake pads and disks, wheels tyres, etc

Example of a Information System in Context (ISC) Components Examples Environment Doctor’s Surgery Purpose Collect and store patient information for use by doctors Information System Computers, peripherals, personnel, patients data sheet, patient invoices, medical companies, and hospitals Information Processes Sorting and searching data in a database, collecting patient details, entering data into database Participants Doctors, administration staff, computer technicians Data/Information Patient information sheets, patient invoices Information Technology Computer hardware and medical software, patient database, printers

Pool Filtration System A backyard swimming pool contains a filtration system that includes a timer, a pump, a filter, various pipes and electrical connections and a skimmer box. These components work together to keep the pool water clean and healthy. Fig 2.2 shows many of these components, together with the flow of water. Figure 2.2

Pool Filtration System Exercise

What is Information Processes? Information Processes are computer and non-computer based activities that are carried out using the resource or tools of the information system These activities coordinate and direct the system’s resources to complete the required task and achieve the system’s purpose Information Processes use participants, data and information technologies to achieve the system’s purpose Information processes are not necessarily performed by computer-based technologies

Information Processes Diagram Processing Collecting Organising INFORMATION PROCESSES Manipulation Data Displaying Analysing Transmitting and Receiving Storing and Retrieving

Information Processes - Manipulating Data Collected – By Deciding what, where and how data will be gathered Organised – By arranging, representing and formatting data so that it can be used by the information system Analysed – Interpreting and transforming data into a useful form so that it can be easily processed, such as (Charts and graphs) Stored and Retrieved – Data is sorted before, during and after processing in temporary memory and then in permanent memory so that it can be retrieved later

Information Processes - Manipulating Data CONT... Processed – The manipulation of data into information, only when data is modified, updated, sorted, or categorised Transmitted and Received – Transfer of information from one computer to another, both computers must agree on how data will be transferred during the ‘handshake’ stage Displayed – The information is presented on the screen as a software copy, printed as a hard copy or heard through speakers

Take A Guess! Is an Address Book an example of “Information System”?

Example of an Address Book We collect names, addresses and phone numbers of our friends, relatives and other acquaintances We decide on the format we will use in our address book We recognise the first letter of the surname to enable us to correctly store the data We locate the correct page in the address book and write in the new contacts details We locate the correct page and then scan to the required contact’s name and read their details When a contact moves house or changes their phone number we find their name and edit the changed details We skim through our address book and prepare a list of individuals to be invited to a party We use the phone numbers or addresses to contact individuals

Address Book Exercise