Analytical methods for IS professionals ISYS3015 Week 1 Lecture 2 Research and information systems

Today The reading survey Systems and IS Why research? Types of Research Information systems and Research

SYSTEMS THEORY What does a system consist of?

A system is an entity that maintains it existence and functions as a whole through the interaction of its parts. A system is an entity that maintains it existence and functions as a whole through the interaction of its parts. The behaviour of a system depends on how the parts are related, rather than on the parts themselves. The behaviour of a system depends on how the parts are related, rather than on the parts themselves. The properties of the system are the properties of the whole, not the parts. The properties of the system are the properties of the whole, not the parts. From The Art of Systems Thinking, O’Connor and McDermott.

INFORMATION SYSTEMS An applied discipline that studies the processes of the creation, operation, social contexts and consequences of systems that manipulate information.

The creation and operation of such systems requires the sub- processes of systems analysis, design, development and management which are bracketed at the beginning by social context and at completion by social consequences.

Drucker, P. (2001). "The next society: a survey of the near future." The Economist.

What’s the point?

What questions were they in fact answering? What questions should they have been asking? How could they have found out some of the answers? How could they know if their answers were right?

In short, they were trying to save lives BUT, By not asking the right questions, By not asking the right questions, By not collecting and analysing data accurately, By not collecting and analysing data accurately, They failed to create a device that saved lives, They failed to create a device that saved lives, IN REALITY, … !

Use analytical methods to: Formulate a question precisely Formulate a question precisely Have dependable techniques to gather and analyse data to answer questions Have dependable techniques to gather and analyse data to answer questions Collect and analyse feedback Collect and analyse feedback

Why research?

What are some Issues in IS?

What questions might you ask about them? How might you use analytical methods to deal with some of these issues?

Generalisations Theories Hypotheses Observations The Research Process Ideas Practice Plans & designs

Types of Research

Practice: use of ideas Theories/ideas Plans: specific ideas Requirements, designs Information Systems