1. Attributes of Information
Examples

2. Overview Information Systems help companies achieve their goals.
How do they do it?
By processing raw data into information
By adding value to information by enhancing key attributes (11 of them).

3. 11 Attributes of Information
Usability Relevant Simple Flexible Economical
Delivery Timely Accessible Secure
Core Data Quality
Accurate Verifiable Complete Reliable

4. Information Spectrum Data  processing  Information
Information  intelligence  Knowledge
Knowledge  experience  Wisdom

5. Accurate Verifiable Complete Reliable
Often confused
My calculator always does multiplication correctly in never makes an error. My calculator is __________
What attribute is described?
However, I dropped it in the sink and sometimes it won’t turn on.
My calculator is not _________
Core Data Quality
Accurate Verifiable Complete Reliable

6. Accuracy vs. Reliability
Accuracy – true, free from error
Precision – refers to the level of accuracy
1/3 = is accurate
1/3 = is more precise
Reliability – in this context, reliability refers to how often accurate information can be computed.
An information source could be error free but might not be able to produce data all the time.

7. Accurate vs. Reliable
Weatherman A can predict tomorrows temperature to the exact degree
but only 40% of the time.
other 60% he cannot interpret the raw data
Weatherman B can predict tomorrows temperature but it may be off by 5 degrees
But, his system works 95% of the time
Who is more accurate?
Who is more reliable?

8. Delivery of Information TPS – transaction processing system
I upload the TPS reports to the website every week so everyone can see them.
This makes the TPS reports more ________.
I created a script that updates the TPS reports on the website every day, so the people can stay up to date.
This make the data more ___________.
Delivery
Timely Accessible Secure

9. Delivery of Information
I put the TPS reports on our private server where only those with a userid and password can login
This makes the TPS reports more ________.
The TPS reports are in XML format, which is hard for people to open and read.
The TPS reports are _________ ___________.
Delivery
Timely Accessible Secure

10. Delivery is essential to information value
What if I have an algorithm that can look at today’s data and predict if the Dow Jones will increase or decrease.
The algorithm is 95% accurate
But, the algorithm takes 4036 hours to calculate its prediction.
It has no value.
What attribute is lacking?
Delivery
Timely Accessible Secure

11. Usability of Information
The TPS reports include every single transaction detail. I filtered the report so it only shows details that matter to us.
This makes the TPS reports more ________.
The TPS reports are PDF files which cannot be modified easily, so we also provide the TPS data in standard XML format which can be easily converted to any other format.
The XML format is more ___________.
Usability
Relevant Simple Flexible Economical

12. Usability of Information
The TPS reports includes millions of records. I created a summary report that is much easier to interpret.
The summary report is ________.
The TPS data is entered manually. We can capture the data with less work using a scanner.
This new process is ___________.
Usability
Relevant Simple Flexible Economical

13. Relevant Simple Flexible Economical
Usability of data
Removing PCBs from Hudson River will cost $4B
Only parts of the river (perhaps 50%) are believed to be contaminated
Testing the sediment to determine exactly which parts are contaminated will cost $2B
Then you still might have to remove half costing $2B.
What if the test indicates that 60% contamination?
The test data is not _________________?
Usability
Relevant Simple Flexible Economical

14. Accurate Verifiable Complete Reliable
Core quality
Lab company tests water for quality and purity.
But, throws out the sample after testing
Customer gets report that their smelly water is high quality.
The data in the report are not _______________.
Core Data Quality
Accurate Verifiable Complete Reliable

15. Some attributes are enemies!
My student evaluation report includes raw data with 23 answers from all 31 students. From the raw data it is hard for me to tell if my evaluations are good or bad, but at least the data is __________.
In the past, I would only get a a summary report with my average score, which was a very _______ report and easy to interpret, but I’d like all the data.
Core Data Quality
Accurate Verifiable Complete Reliable
Usability
Relevant Simple Flexible Economical

16. Which attributes are enemies (sometimes cannot have both)?
Usability Relevant Simple Flexible Economical
Delivery Timely Accessible Secure
Core Data Quality
Accurate Verifiable Complete Reliable

17. Some attributes are friends!
Siena uses a new system to post live game stats to their new mobile app. People who cannot watch the game can get the score instantly from anywhere.
Which attributes are working together as friends? ______ and ______.
Usability
Relevant Simple Flexible Economical
Delivery
Timely Accessible Secure

18. Which attributes are friends (i.e., compliment each other)?
Usability Relevant Simple Flexible Economical
Delivery Timely Accessible Secure
Core Data Quality
Accurate Verifiable Complete Reliable