Introduction to Management Information

Systems
Chapter 1 MIS and You

HTM 304
Spring 06
 Definition of MIS

The Development and Use of Information Systems that Achieve

Business Goals and Objectives

Three
ThreeKey
KeyElements:
Elements:
Components
Componentsofofan
anInfo
InfoSys
Sys
Development
Developmentand
anduse
useofofthe
theIS
IS
Achieving
Achievingbusiness
businessgoals
goalsand
andobjectives
objectives

2
 I. Information Systems

Definitions:

System: A group of components that interact to achieve

some purpose

Information System ( give the definition by yourself)

Example:

non computer-based IS: a schedule sheet posted outside the

classroom telling us the classroom reservation information

computer-based IS: WebCT, Online course registration

system, online banking system, etc.
3
 What is Information?

Four different definitions

Knowledge derived from data

Data presented in a meaningful

context

Data processed by summing,

ordering, averaging, grouping,
comparing, or other similar
operations

A difference that makes a difference

4
 Examples of Information Systems

Raw Data Information

1. Jeff Parks earns $10.00 per 1. Jeff Parks earns less than
hour. the average hourly wage of
his department
2. George Hanes get 83 in his 2. The average score of
mid-exam of BUS304 BUS304 is 77

3. Gary spent $200 in Bestbuy 3. The total sale of Bestbuy is

on Dec 15, 2006 $708,000 on Dec 15, 2006

4. Dallas Mavericks has won 36 4. Dallas Mavericks is now

games and lost 9 games in ranked #1 team in NBA
the new season western conference

5
 Information is Subjective

Information in one persons context is just a data

point in another persons context

Context changes occur in information systems

when the output of one system feeds a second
system

Information conveys meaning, which contains the

information providers point of view. (Information
manipulation)

6
 Characteristics of Good Information

Read p.11-13, describe the five characteristics of

good information

Accurate
Good information shall be accurate. However, there are
a lot information thats inaccurate. Be careful!
Example: managers & financial analysts may
manipulate earnings to mislead investors

7
 Characteristics of Good Information

Read p.11-13, describe the five characteristics of

good information

Accurate

Timely
Good information shall be delivered to the right person at
the right time in order to make the right decision.
Example: many companies keep outdated customer
contact information, which is a waste of time and money.

8
 Characteristics of Good Information

Read p.11-13, describe the five characteristics of

good information

Accurate

Timely

Relevant
Information is subjective. Good information shall be
relevant to the reader which helps make good decision.
Example: a list of customer activities is relevant to the
marketing department but not that relevant to the CEO.

9
 Characteristics of Good Information

Read p.11-13, describe the five characteristics of

good information

Accurate

Timely

Relevant

Just Sufficient
Users shall have all the available information in order to
make the right decision. However, too much
information will reduce efficiency.
Example: use the credit score instead of the whole
transaction history to evaluate a persons probability to
10 default.
 Characteristics of Good Information

Read p.11-13, describe the five characteristics of

good information

Accurate

Timely

Relevant

Just Sufficient
In a business world, think cost-effectively:
What is the value of information? How
Worth Its Cost much does it cost to produce that
information?
Example: why not keep track of all the
consumers activity?

11
 Characteristics of Good Information

Read p.11-13, describe the five characteristics of good

information

Just Sufficient

Worth its Money

Accurate

Relevant

Timely

-- Good information shall be SMART!

12
 Understanding the Five-Components

13
 The most important component

Your mind and thinking are the most important component

If you dont know what to do with your information systems

information, you are wasting time and money.

You may not always like the aid of information systems.

(Case Study 1-1 Page 20, answer question 2.)

14
 II. Development and Use of Info. Sys

You need to take an active role in every stage of the

information systems development

It doesnt matter if you are a programmer, database

designer, or only a user, you must be active in:
Specifying the systems requirements

Helping to manage the development project

Using the information system

System System System System

Analysis Design Implementation Maintenance

15 System Development Cycle

 III. Achieving Business Goals and Objectives

Businesses themselves do not do anything

Information Systems exist to help people in business to

achieve goals and objectives of business.

Case 1: Lands End (Success)

-- Describe the critical role IT plays in supporting Lands End

business operation

Case 2: IRS (Failure)

-- Identify the main reasons the BSM project failed

16
 Case of Lands End

Questions:

1. List some of the high tech youve seen from the video

2. List some of the critical operations that are supported by IT/IS

3. Explain the system philosophy keep day-to-day operation

running smoothly.

4. Give an example how IT/IS help Lands End collect critical

customer information.

17
 Extra Knowledge TAM model

Technology Acceptance Model (TAM):

Fred Davis, 1989, MIS Quarterly

Perceived Usefulness

User Acceptance

Perceived Ease of Use

Why is the word perceived critical in the two

factors?
Its all about the users feelings

18
 Understanding New Information Systems

Use the five-component framework to learn

about new systems.

Focus questions on:

Organization impact (people)
System administration &
Procedures to create or
modify
Databases and other data to
create
Programs to license
Hardware needs

19
 Exercise

Describe the five components of a cashers

check-out system

20
 Career Path of MIS Major

CIO / IS Director
Information Center Manager
App. Dev. Manager
Project Manager
Operations Manager
System Manager
Programming Manager
Business Analyst
Systems Analyst
Systems Programmer
Emerging Technologies Manager
Network Manager
Database Admin.
Auditing or Computer Security
Manager
Webmaster
Web Designer

21
 HTM 304 supports the MIS curriculum

HTM
HTM304
304Intro
Introto
toMIS
MIS
HTM
HTM425
425Sys.
Sys.Analysis
Analysis
HTM
HTM411
411Database
DatabaseDesign
Design &&Design
Design
HTM
HTM484G
484GWeb
WebProgramming
Programming
HTM HTM
HTM427
427Multimedia
Multimedia
HTM429
429Java
JavaProgramming
Programming

HTM
HTM426
426Tele
TeleComm
Comm HTM
HTM430
430Wireless
Wireless

E-Commerce
E-Commerce Seminar
SeminarininIS
IS

Internship
Internship++Practice
Practice

In every part of MIS courses, you should think about how it contributes
to help the organizations information flow
-- How to provide the right information to the right person
22 at the right time?
 Full Time Employment Statistics by Major:
(2006 undergraduate National wide)
Major Avg Standard Dev % of Reports

Accounting $40,670 $7,655 2%

ERB $48,870 $6,640 3%

Finance $48,530 $7,756 50%

Honors + BBA $50,050 $7,365 15%

International $45,920 $9,584 3%

Business
Management $42,460 $11,662 4%

Marketing $39,510 $8,772 13%

MIS $52,010 $5,815 11%

23
 What is in this semester

Management Information System:

The management of a group of components the produces
information and to achieve the business objective and goals
Discussing the components: (technical)
Chapter 3: hardware and software
Chapter 4: Database HTM 425
Chapter 5: Networking HTM 426, 430
How to put the computer-related components together to
automate the business processes (technical + managerial)
Chapter 6: System Development HTM 425
How to use the IS to achieve strategic goals? (managerial)
Chapter 2: IS for competitive advantage
Chapter 7, 8, & 9: Intra- and inter- organizational IS
24 Chapter 10 & 11: IS & Security Management, IS as a career
 Summary

Definition of MIS:
Management information systems is the development and
use of information systems that help business achieve their
goals and objectives.
What is an information system:
a group of components that interact to produce information.
The five components of an information system
hardware,
software,
data,
procedures, and
people.
25
 Summary (Cont)

Explain why you are the most important

component

Use the five-component framework to analyze an

Information System

Four definitions of Information

Why Information is subjective?

26
 Suggested Topic of this Week Blog

Read the chapter (including the security guide, the

ethics guide, the opposite forces guide, and the
problem solving guide) and talk about MIS and
You
Your understanding of MIS, examples of MIS
Your use of MIS (career, school, daily life, etc)
How do you think you are connected to MIS?
How do you think the course MIS can benefit you?
Watch the video by Steve Cooper, CIO of the red-cross
and discuss how to value information?

27