© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e1 Chapter 8 Personal Productivity and Problem Solving

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e2 Our Agenda Improving Personal Productivity Managing Stored Data Analyzing Data Presenting Information Locating and Retrieving Information Using the Internet

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e3 Our Agenda (cont’d.) Solving Problems with Personal Applications The Problem-solving Process

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e4 Learning Objectives Explain how individual information systems can improve personal productivity. Explain how stored data is managed with database software. Describe how data is analyzed in a spreadsheet and why spreadsheet software makes the analysis easier.

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e5 Learning Objectives (cont’d.) Describe several types of software used to prepare information for presentation to others. Explain how data management, data analysis, and information presentation applications can be combined. Describe how the Internet can be used to locate and retrieve information.

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e6 Learning Objectives (cont’d.) Explain how personal computer applications are used to help individuals solve problems. Explain the meaning of end-user computing. Describe the activities in the problem- solving process.

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e7 Improving Personal Productivity Personal Productivity and Problem Solving

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e8 Improving Personal Productivity Productivity has to do with how much a person contributes to a business in a period of time. Individual information systems include computer applications that assist individuals in storing and analyzing data, presenting information and in locating and retrieving information on the Internet.

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e9 Managing Stored Data Personal Productivity and Problem Solving

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e10 Managing Stored Data Individual information systems often require that data be stored in secondary storage in either data files or databases. Using a database to manage data consists of three main functions: Creating a database Accessing a database Updating or changing a database

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e11 Creating a Database Creating a database consists of two main steps: 1.Entering a description of the structure of the data and the relationships. 2.Entering the initial data in the database, a process sometimes called populating the database.

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e12 Accessing a Database Accessing data means retrieving the data from the database in secondary storage and bringing it into primary storage.

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e13 Updating a Database Updating a database involves three main tasks: 1.Adding new data to the database 2.Deleting old data in the database 3.Changing data in the database

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e14 Analyzing Data Personal Productivity and Problem Solving

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e15 Analyzing Data The most widely used analytical software is spreadsheet software. A spreadsheet is an arrangement of data into rows and columns that is used to analyze the data. With spreadsheet software an individual creates an electronic spreadsheet, or worksheet.

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e16 Analyzing Data (cont’d.) One of the main reasons for making changes in a worksheet is to see what would happen to other figures when changes are made. This technique is called what-if-analysis.

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e17 Presenting Information Personal Productivity and Problem Solving

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e18 Presenting Information Information is prepared for presentation in a text form by using word processing software. Functions available in word processing software include: Formatting text by selecting the font, the font size, and font style. Editing the existing text. Printing the document.

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e19 Presenting Information (cont’d.) Information is prepared for presentation in a graphical or pictorial form by using computer graphics software. Examples include: Charts or graphs Diagrams Graphic designs Realistic images Computer art

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e20 Presenting Information (cont’d.) Common types of computer graphics software include: Charting software Drawing software Presentation graphics software Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e21 Presenting Information (cont’d.) Information is prepared for presentation in a published form by using desktop publishing software. The functions of desktop publishing (DTP) software are similar to those of word processing, except that some capabilities are more sophisticated.

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e22 Presenting Information (cont’d.) Information is prepared for presentation in multimedia form using special software. Elements of the presentation include text, graphics, animation, video, sound, voice, music and other forms. After all parts have been prepared, they are brought together using authoring software.

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e23 Locating and Retrieving Information Using the Internet Personal Productivity and Problem Solving

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e24 Searching the World Wide Web A browser lets a user follow links from one Web page to another to locate information. A better approach is to use a search engine.

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e25 Searching the World Wide Web (cont’d.) Three main types of search engines A directory that contains references to Web pages. Example - Yahoo Locating pages on the Web periodically by sending programs, sometimes called spiders, over the Web to look for new pages. Example – Alta Vista A meta-search engine does not search the Web, rather other search engines. Example – MetaCrawler ( assignment)

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e26 Searching the World Wide Web (cont’d.) A portal is a Web site that provides multiple services for its users. Searching the Web using a browser can be thought of as pulling information into the users computer. Having information sent to you automatically uses a technique called push technology. (assignment)

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e27 Searching the World Wide Web (cont’d.) For information obtained from the Web, the user must carefully analyze the credibility of the source of the information to ensure that what is received is accurate and relevant.

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e28 Solving Problems with Personal Applications Personal Productivity and Problem Solving

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e29 Problems, Solutions and Solution Procedures A problem is a question to which someone does not know the answer, or a statement of something to be done. The solution to a problem is the answer to the problem question or the result of doing what is required by the problem statement.

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e30 Problems, Solutions and Solution Procedures (cont’d.) A solution procedure is a set of steps that, if carried out, results in the solution of a problem.

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e31 Problems, Solutions and Solution Procedures (cont’d.) One of the main tasks in computer problem solving is determining the solution procedure needed to solve the problem. This task can be stated as follows: Given a problem, a person must figure out what steps the computer has to go through to solve the problem.

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e32 End-User Computing End-user computing is the development and use of personal computer applications by end users. The user identifies the problems to be solved, decides on the appropriate software, determines the appropriate procedures, customizes the software, and uses the software to develop a solution.

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e33 The Problem-Solving Process Personal Productivity and Problem Solving

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e34 The Problem-Solving Process The five main activities of the problem-solving process are: 1.Understand and define the problem 2.Design the solution procedure 3.Implement the solution procedure, using the selected software 4.Test the software implementation and correct any errors 5.Document the result

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e35 Problem Definition At a minimum the problem definition should include descriptions of the following: The output to be produced and its layout. The input data available and how it will be entered. The calculations to be performed. Other processing to be done.

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e36 Software Selection Determine the appropriate type of software that will be used to implement the solution procedure. The most common alternatives are database, spreadsheet, word processing, graphics software, and statistical software, among others.

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e37 Solution Procedure Design Steps necessary to solve the problem must be carefully planned. Written notes should be made of the solution procedure. The designing activity does not involve setting up the software to solve the problem.

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e38 Software Implementation Completing the implementation requires knowing how to use the software selected. Spreadsheet software requires that the numbers, text and formulas be entered. Database software requires that the data is defined and entered, and that the query specifications and formats of forms and reports be created.

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e39 Implementation Testing The user must test the software implementation to see it there are any errors. Three types of errors: 1.Syntax error – an error in a command. 2.Execution error – errors appearing during execution of the software. 3.Logic error – generally resulting in incorrect output.

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e40 Documentation Documentation is a general term used for any written description of a computer application. Two types of documentation 1.User documentation – provides information so the user can understand how to use the software. 2.Developer documentation – is for the person who developed the software.

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e41 Personal Productivity and Problem Solving Key Terms

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e42 Key Terms Authoring Software Bug Charting Software Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Software Debugging Desktop Publishing Desktop Publishing Software Documentation Drawing Software Integrated Software Portal Presentation Graphics Software Problem Push Technology Search Engine

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e43 Key Terms (cont’d.) Solutions Solution Procedure Spreadsheet Suite Testing What-if Analysis Word Processing Worksheet

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e44 Summary Improving Personal Productivity Managing Stored Data Analyzing Data Presenting Information Locating and Retrieving Information Using the Internet

© 2001 Business & Information Systems 2/e45 Summary (cont’d.) Solving Problems with Personal Applications The Problem-solving Process

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