What is an Information System?

1. What is an Information System? An information system is an organized collection of people, information, business processes, and information technology designed to transform inputs into outputs in order to achieve a goal.

2. IPO (Input, Processes, Output) • Input – customer name, address, income etc. • Process – create customer record • Output – Income level based mailing list/report

3. Input • Data – raw facts • Information - data that has been processed to make it useful • Knowledge – created when information is combined with experience and judgment • Decisions – Do we expand our business? Do we add staff? Reduce staff?

4. Processes • People • Business Processes • IT (Information technology)

5. Output • Data • Information • Knowledge • Decisions • Business Value – positive return on investment of resources

6. Business Value of IS • TPS – Transaction Processing Systems • MIS – Management Information Systems • DSS – Decision Support Systems • ERP – Enterprise Resource Planning (SAP) • CRM – Customer Relationship Management

7. IT in a company • IT supports the business – IT as a ‘product’ is the exception • A) Microsoft • B) Wells Fargo

8. IT in a Company • Users of IT services - Everyone - Money makers (Revenue generators) • IT Staff • Support (HELP Desk) • Analysts • Programmers • Testers • Project Managers • ……………. • Users

9. Data as an Asset • What is the most important asset of a company?

10. 3 categories of IT (Information Technology) • Hardware • Anything you can touch • Software • Tells hardware what to do • System software • Application software • COTS • Custom designed • Utility software • Networks - permits sharing of technology

11. Data verses Information • Delimited File • Delimiter • Excel • Math • Cannot show (well) how data is related to each other

12. Excel Demo • Delimited file import • Format • Formulae • Data -> Information