IMS1805 Systems Analysis Topic 1(d): Analysis, Information Systems and Information Technology

2 Recap of last lecture IS is a very broad and loosely-defined field of study – good and bad aspects to this! The analysis of an information system may focus on many different aspects/components of that system Selection of the appropriate basis for analysis is an important first step in analysis SHOULD be driven by the needs of the problem, NOT your personal biases/ preferences!

3 Influences on Information Systems Information Systems Organisation theory (Management) Organisation processes (Business) Systems theory (engineering) Technology theory (Comp Science) Human behaviour (Sociology) Human cognition (Psychology) Information theory (Info Science)

4 Agenda Aim: To examine the influence of information technology on analysis in IS The nature of IT in IS; its elements Influence of IT on IS analysis (Note: dropping down still further to a 500 ft view)

Information technology in IS Technology is an element of any IS Digital technology is a key feature of most IS and of all significant modern organisational IS Note that IT is NOT the ONLY factor; its predominance in analysis is due to its universality, not its inherent importance (should we make you do analysis/development of systems without technology components?)

6 IT as an element of IS Systems integrate technology with other system elements (people, procedures, etc) Digital technology enables us to automate five basic information/data-related tasks: input processing storage output (display) communication Generalist digital technology (computers) cover all five of these tasks; specialist technology may now focus on only one or two

7 Data input capabilities of IT Devices: Keyboard/mouse Scanners (bar code readers, etc) Character recognition devices Voice recognition? ? Capabilities and limitations? Speed Standardisation Validation/checking Flexibility

8 Data storage capabilities of IT Devices: Disks/Tape CD/DVD Files/databases ? Capabilities and limitations? Efficiency Cost Flexibility Copyability Security

9 Data processing capabilities of IT Devices: Processor chips RAM Programming languages/packages ? Capabilities and limitations? Speed/repeatability Reliability Flexibility Usability

10 Data output (display) capabilities of IT Devices: Monitors Printers/plotters Speakers/projectors ? Capabilities and limitations? Efficiency Standardisation Interface Cost

11 Data communication capabilities of IT Devices: Transmission media – cables/microwave/etc Black boxes – modems, routers, hubs, etc Protocols – TCP/IP, HTTP, etc ? Capabilities and limitations? Speed Cost Flexibility Accessibility Security

Influence of IT on analysis in IS Technology as the least sensible element of a system Technology as the hardest element to implement in a system Technology as the least adaptable element of a system Technology as ‘the weakest link’ in a system Need to focus analytical effort on technology- related aspects of systems

13 Evolving role of digital IT on analysis in IS Pre-computing (up to 1950s) Early computing (1950s) Structured analysis (“Birth” of IS?!) (1960s) Relational database (1970s) Personal computing (1980s) Object-oriented computing (1990s) Internet/web-based computing (late 1990s/2000+)

14 Some reasons for changing perspectives/ approaches in IS Analysis Changing technologies (from functional programming to database to O-O programming to web-based IT, etc) Changing types of information problem (from transaction processing to management support to enterprise systems, etc) Changing views of what is important (from efficiency to effectiveness to innovation to adaptability, etc) These things will all continue to change

Summary Digital technology is a key feature of virtually every modern IS Analysis of technological aspects of the system is essential Much of the work of a systems analyst in IS will be driven by technology considerations This DOES NOT mean that other forms of analysis are not equally important or more important in a given system