Info Systems 2KA3

How do info systems transform business? What is their relationship to globalization?

Why are info systems vital for business success?
What IS an info system? How does it work? How do you manage it, organize it, handle the
technology to use it properly?
What are Complementary assets? Why are they vital for information systems to be useful?
What academic disciplines are best to handle Info Systems?
Problem with not adapting to organizational growth properly can be solved with information
systems
SYSTEMS are defined as multiple moving parts
o Credit card companies send signals all over with machines sent to vendors
o JIT manufacturing and scheduling in production lines (also integrated)
IS is a multi-billion dollar system, mostly within software and communications
o 80% of Info Technology costs are in informing the managers of how to use these
systems
IS becomes more important from wireless tech, online shopping, big data, and cloud computing
o Big Data = new phenomenon, with Volume (data must have at least PETABYTES),
Velocity (data is received in a few seconds), Variety (data is not sorted or structured very
well)
o Cloud computing = access programs and data on a server
o Supply chain optimization = JIT technology to optimize time left on shelves
From a management perspective:
o Online collaboration reduces cost of boardrooms and travel
o Business-intelligent apps make it easier
o Social business can help the business unify and make business easier to do
(TEAMWORK!)
ESPECIALLY with multiple companies working together
Flat world (world becomes increasingly easy to sell to, becomes much smaller)
o Internet reduces cost of operating on global scale
Salesforce Case Study:
o Email, messaging, social networking support collaboration, knowing where everyone is,
communications, and improve operational efficiency by allowing companies to react
effectively
o Small company like Jackson Kayak can run entire business from iPhone and iPad, giving
him access to calendars, email, contact management, edit documents, and all at the
same time across platforms, ALLOWS CEO TO BE FLEXIBLE
o Big company like GE can help them find trends in big data thanks to cloud computing,
manage from afar by reading key performance indicators
o Payroll apps help by previewing and approving payroll on mobile, convenience factor
o Insurance companies can help claims adjusters write new policies, take pictures and
upload on condition of property to determine value, so on, so forth
o Realtors, pictures and uploading to easily communicate value
Most of information systems must provide something strategically (from software to business)
 You determine the type of hardware required via software information
Objectives of information systems are essential because of:
o Operational excellence
Less processes in the system = more opportunities for profit
Efficiency for Profitability from your technology
o New products, services, and models
Advancing towards easier, more convenient models of business
Going to stores might die out over time
o Customer/supplier intimacy
Getting closer to your customers and using crowdsourcing, and taking
advantage of multiple suppliers via one network
Serving customers well will allow for repeat customers, customer preferences to
be tracked via tracking
o Improved decision making
Faster decisions, more accurate decisions, improved knowledge
Forecasting is insanely important
o Competitive advantage
What can I do that others dont?
o If I dont do it, I die at some point.
o ADVANTAGES BECOME NECESSITIES IN TIME
Info Systems can parse the data to get important information (Information changes the state of
your mind)
Four important processes:
o Input -> Throughput -> Output, which gives feedback on the input and throughput
processes
o Systems must interact with an outside environment (and will be pushed by it)
o Customers consume your output most of the time, and their opinions should be taken
as important information to create new ideas.
UPS case study
o Inputs = package info, customer signature, pickup, delivery, time-card data, current
location, and billing/customer clearance documents
o Processing = transmitted to central computer, stored for retrieval, data is reorganized
for tracking by customer account, date, driver, etc.
o Technology used includes handheld comps, barcodes and scanning, mainframes,
wired/wireless comms, desktop computers, telecommunications via pagers, providing
all this information to customers etc.
o Operational excellence via small package delivery, stiff competition forces them to
o Provide more-than-satisfactory service via using these info systems
o Being able to scan and make their own labels to track information is key
o Improves decision making by knowing exact timing
o Solutions that it has is a temporary competitive advantage as a supply-chain delivery
network with LOWER PRICES. Key thing here, provide better services at lower costs
THANKS TO INFO SYSTEMS.
 You dont outsource a core competency, you develop it ((But you can DEVELOP NEW CORE
COMPETENCIES))
Three major parts of information systems:
o Technology used [Mostly irrelevant for the management side]
o Management of
o And Organizational uses.
People [You must TEACH people how to cope with the system]
Structure [organization structure changes with technology advances]
Business processes [hopefully streamlined, series of steps from choice to result]
Politics and Culture [of course, jobs lost will impact things, one person gets
power, etcetera]
o Power structures can shift incredibly and change, usually to flatten rather than go
towards top-down
Goes from Senior>Middle>Operational to Senior>Operational
o Business functions have changed towards a more collaborative feel
Info Systems can support
o Supply chain
o Enterprise management
o Customer Relations
o Knowledge management
Which can then help with
o Planning
o Coordination
o Control
o Modelling and decision making
Values, Structures, and Behavioural patterns can help determine fit when it comes to info
systems
o Some assets are better than others
Behavioural vs Technical approaches
o Technical = optimization via numbers, scheduling efficiency, math, etc
o Behavioural = human computer interaction, education, learning, etc.
Focused on impact of system on people
Governance is a big issue because of the change in the world
Sociotechnical systems = both tech and behaviour are considered
o Bridges the gap between organization and technology
The use of info systems because of necessity describes survival
Web-based dashboard to provide managers with real-time info on customer complaints improve
decision making ((Provides managers with real-time info))
Move to use ATMs AFTER initial introduction = survival
Info Systems = interrelated components that collect, process, store, and distribute information
to support decision making and control ((Most ENCOMPASSING while still being right = right)
Three activities in an info system producing info organizations use: Input, Processes, Outputs
Businesses using info systems to create NEW products/services: No supply chain, no info
tracking, no digital dashboard, innovate to SELL NEW PRODUCTS
 Using info systems for customer/supplier intimacy = customer-preference tracking
Raw data = NO PERCENT/AVERAGE/AGGREGATION
Fully Digital = no physical storefront, all relationships are done online
Business processes = logically related, accomplishes tasks that have been formally encoded by
an organization? False. ((No need to formally encode))
Case Study: Canadian Wheat Board
o System lacked FLEXIBILITY and couldnt ADAPT to the growth of the organization
o Outsourcing was EXPENSIVE and LIMITED, better option was needed
o Goal was to provide pricing information and potential derivatives for securities quickly,
while also being flexible for adaptation
o NUMERIX was the solution chosen for a fast implementation period AND best
performance for value
o Result was a low maintenance, high quality system that integrated well with Excel and
worked in pricing ALL products and securities.

Chapter 2: Using Info Systems

Telus Case Study

o Spending huge amounts of money on education
o How do you improve training and transfer knowledge?
o SharePoint develops teams and shares knowledge in documents/promote working
together
o Social media = easier to collaborate and communicate with each other
o Considered KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT.
Business processes = manner of organization and coordination of work to provide/create value
o All businesses are collections of processes, and these processes can be a source of
strength
All portions of a competency can be considered a process (eg, marketing and
finding customers, getting customers to buy)
o Likely tied to functional area, set of activities/steps
o Workflows of materials, info, knowledge
o Set of activities/steps
o Efficiency and handling costs of processes are important
Four different info systems connect with each other to work each other
o Transaction Processing System (FORMULAS, helps with automation of transactions,
helps make day-to-day business easier, can make simple, rudimentary decisions)
o Business Intel Systems [for Lo-Med-Hi] (Research on some information, helps make
decisions)
o Management Info Systems (Gives information on every day systems for low level
managers)
o Decision Support Systems (Supports non-routine decisions, it will model but it cant
decide)
What should be done at what rate to maximize profits? How can we change
delivery speed to optimize profit and still meet delivery schedules?
 o Executive Support Systems (Address non-routine, aggregates data, creates projections
and responds to kinds of queries, no formulas)
Business process examples include order fulfillment
o Impact two main ways: increase efficiency, or create new, better types of information
Linking the Enterprise via Enterprise Systems/Applications:
o ERP (Enterprise systems, all apps are integrated, no need for programming, but you
cant change the ERP to the processes, you change the processes, links the company
together with all functions together)
Best practices are automatically uploaded to the software, leaders of industry
set these best practices
o SCM (Supply Chain Management, helps link all suppliers with company to send
information with each other, links organizations)
o CRM (Customer Relationships, thanks to multiple ways of connecting to customers,
need way to integrate all sets of information, can help find best customers for the
company)
o KM (Knowledge Management, like an HR system that helps to keep knowledge workers
o In the past, the other three systems were not linked, ERP links the three
Intra/Extranets (internal company websites only accessible by employees)
E-Business (company processes online), E-Commerce (Selling goods online), E-Government
(deliver info and services to citizens, employees, businesses)
Airline Case Study: Baggage Handling
o Transactions handled include moving bags from check-in to proper gates, moving them
to arrival, and then towards baggage claim
o Barcodes help with the prior process which scans to help track at any time
o Management: check-in must be accurate, since the tags contain all the flight
information needed
o Organization: increased reliability = increased customer service, better rep, lower costs
of losing luggage
o Tech: RFID, bar code scanners
o Problem solved: customer dissatisfaction and improving goodwill
o All data input is fixed, recorded into the TPS so the other Business Decision Processes
can use it
All managers can use this kind of information in some way
Low can use it to determine every day actions [MIS]
Mid can use it to analyze flow [DSS]
High can use it to analyze if it is making enough income [ESS]
Collaboration
Tacit Knowledge vs Procedural Knowledge
o Procedural = easy to explain, Tacit = implicit and hard to explain, but more useful for
problem solving
o Knowledge Management takes Tacit Knowledge and helps to share it so it is more
accessible.
o Essentially a collaboration program
 Jobs are now requiring much more coordination due to complexity, more levels of education,
changing organization structures towards flat/specialized mass customization, specialization in
tasks requiring more collaboration, and a huge emphasis on innovation/diversity
o Social Business aims to address these issues because other people can solve problems
one person cant.
Involves social networking/marketing, crowdsourcing, shared workplaces, file
sharing, etc.
o Open culture, Decentralizing, and openness to collaboration along with the technology
used will improve firm performance
o Two popular examples of collaboration and social business platforms = Lotus Notes and
Sharepoint
Second Life and other virtual worlds can model real life enough to become a real opportunity for
business
Same time/Same place = Face to Face (Decision rooms, shareware)
Same time/Different place = Continuous Task (Team rooms, shareware)
Different time/Same place = remote interactions (via video conferencing/IMs)
Different Time/Different Place = Communication (Email/bulliten boards/blogs, etc)
Chief Info Officers head the Info Systems department, often looks after all education of these
programs
o CSO (Security)
o CPO (Privacy)
Producing bills of materials = function of manufacturing and production
System used to determine five suppliers which are the worst in delivering goods on time, a low
level decision, likely going to use MIS [Lower], ESS [Senior] and DSS [Middle] too advanced, TPS
is the system used to generate reports.
From a system that only handles marketing data, someone from marketing using it is using a
FUNCTIONAL system
National pizza company, 100 stores, aggregate all cost/sales data on a weekly basis, Donna
analyzes based on this information, SIMPLE DECISION. DSS is too high level, TPS is the system,
cross-functional doesnt make any sense.
Accountant for a firm, collects data about all the raw inventory and goods in production, etc,
and costs of inputs. ERP integrates different parts of the company together. SCM connects
multiple companies rather than two different companies.
Assuming Nike gets information to someone on inventory, training, etc to train employees, must
be an Intranet.
Wikis are a type of website that makes it easy to contribute without prior programming
knowledge [social networks, virtual worlds, blogging]
Want systems that are interconnected, easily sharing is of the future
Operational level is predefined in terms of goals and highly structured

Chapter 3: Info Systems and YOU!

Googles social strategy was outdated and lacked focus so they introduced Google+
o Location data allowed people to see where friends are and what they like
o Opt-in to allow access to location (privacy)
 o Info systems, therefore, help businesses compete and are something that will help
maintain competitive advantage.
Polaroid had an advantage, didnt continue to innovate almost died out!
o BUT Polaroid released a GoPro alternative that would make it easier for normal people
to use action cameras, and a different retail plan
Two way relationship between information systems and organizations, with mediation factors
like environment, culture, structure, politics, etc.
Organizations are social structures taking in resources from environment, and spits them out via
processing
o Legal entity with internal rules/procedures.
Behaviourally, organizations = collection of rights/privileges/obligations/responsibilities,
balanced over period of time through conflict/resolution
o Basically, OB stuff.
Technical view = combining inputs changes with tech changes
Behavioural view = info systems change balance of rights/obligations/responsibilities
o MOST of the cost is in behavioural change
Organizations feature processes, politics, culture, environments, structure
o Divergent political viewpoints = struggle, competition, conflict, and resistance, which
might hamper change.
o Culture = assumptions that define goal and product
o Environments = reciprocal relationship w/ org.
The Info System in question should align with the Organization and help it, along with help it
compete.
Organizations have to deal with Governments, Competitors, Customers, Culture, and Financial
Institutes which will screw up any given plan.
Disruptive technologies = technologies making sweeping changes to business and society in
general (Personal Computers, Internet, iPod will do that to you!)
o First movers innovate, Fast followers integrate
Different types of structures:
o Entrepreneurial (Small start-up, simple structure)
o Machine bureaucracy (Mid-sized manufacturing, slow moving environment with
standard products)
o Divisionalized bureaucracy (large firms w/ product/service divisions, several Machine
Bureaucracies.)
o Professional bureaucracy (Knowledge-based)
o Adhocracy (Responds to rapidly changing environments, larger groups of SPECIALIZED
workers)
IT changes are always relative to costs of capital and costs of information, and are factors of
production
o Repetitive tasks are now replaced with IT, reduced transaction costs.
Transaction theory = transaction costs [buying what cannot be made on your own] are reduced
and firms can start doing more with each other rather than spending on building internally
Agency theory = Firm is nexus of contracts, they experience agency costs of supervision and
management, IT can reduce these agency costs.
 o Like flattening an organization
Change toward post-industrial organizations = COMPETENCE AND KNOWLEDGE over
FORMALIZED POSITIONS
Resistance to Change is the main reason of failing.
Info systems now have to match the companys ideals and fit, culture/structure/environment
must be considered, same with groups using the system, and the tasks being done
o Firms can also get competitive advantages based off these systems
Porters Five Forces (SEE MARKETING)
Each strategy offers different strategies for approaching info systems
o Low-Cost vs Product differentiation vs Niche focus vs Customer focus
Value Chain = series of activities adding value to products/services
o Highlight the activities where strats can be best applied
o Each stage can likely be improved via info systems to increase operational efficiency,
and improve customer and supplier intimacy
o Primary activities directly go towards the product
o Support activities help manage the primary workers
o Extending this concept: think about the value chains of suppliers.
Virtual company uses networks to ally with other companies, like an aggregator or a network
medium
Business ecosystems = industry sets of firms
o Keystone firms = dominator of the ecosystem, niche firms rely on this firm
Starbucks Case Study
o Blah blah customer intimacy
o Allows customers to pay for things with their phone
o More efficient, reduce waste, time saved for better customer service
o Free Wifi is used to improve customer service and increase manager efficiency
Tracking of user preferences and basing recommendations is more indicative of a differentiation
strategy, NOT Low Cost Leadership
Examples of disruptive technology: Digital Photography
o Means that disruptive tech MUST change the scope of fields
How does technical view fall short of understanding complete impacts of info systems?
o It sees inputs and outputs as infinitely malleable
Mintzbergs classification of professional structures would be a professional bureaucracy
Costs incurred when buying what it cannot make are referred to as transaction costs [out of
Transaction Cost Theory]
o Procurement encompasses too little, Agency is interior to the firm, Switching cost is
about prevention of churning
Network Economics = interaction with each other, more is good!

Chapter 4: Ethics/Legal/Social Issues

Info Governance = who should have access to info?

Online tracking is generally seen as bad
Ethics! HURRAY. Same definition weve been working with for ages.
 o IT creates new definitions for specific realms, like information rights/obligations,
accountability, quality of life, system quality, and property rights
Some problems include computing power doubling every 18 months, storage cost declining,
analysis advancement allowing for individual behaviour profiling, networking advances, and
mobile device growth
o Some consequences are that technology can replace workforce, selling subscription lists
to advertisers, using corporate IT for personal use (Can be good or bad)
Privacy is a whole other issue (freedom from SURVEILLANCE)
o Cookies for information, collecting data about online activities
o Opt-In vs Opt Out is important too!
o Tech solutions involve encryption of emails, opt-outs, so on, so forth
CASE STUDY: iPhone tracking
o AKA: STOP TRACKING ME, LEAVE ME ALOOONE.
Intellectual property = intangible property created by individuals/corporations
o Protected by trade secrets, copyrights, patents, blah blah blah.
Patents = cumbersome, copyrights = meh, but patents are more universally
applicable and the only way inventions work
o Challenge to IP rights, digital copies are cheap and functional to others, difficult to hold
software producers liable for misuse/accidents.
Failures of data quality and systems come from software bugs, hardware failures, and just plain
bad data
Immanuel Kants Categorical Imperative = an ethical principle based off if everyone did an
unethical thing
o Golden rule: do unto others what you want done to you
o Descartes Rule of Change: What cannot be done repeatedly must not be done
o Utilitarian Principle: Take the highest value
o Risk aversion: Avoid harmful effects
o No free lunch: if you use it and you didnt make it, its probably not yours
5 Key moral dimensions: Info rights, property rights, Accountability/control, System quality,
Quality of Life
o QoL is impacted because sitting at a computer has adverse effects, jobs can be lost
thanks to technology, so on, so forth
o System quality impacts everyone, especially if something screws up the market and
people lose a lot of money
NORA collects all the information from a customer to make conclusions from seemingly
irrelevant things

Chapter 9: Applications to Supply Chain Management and Customer Response

Enterprise systems = integrated software modules within a common central database

o SAS, for example!
o The software basically has predefined processes reflecting best practices
Like for HR, Payroll, for marketing, analytics data, so on, so forth
Database collects data from all divisions/departments, and from all processes, while allowing
everyone to access this data
 o Allows for ease of synchronicity
Firms choose which ES they want, then they map business processes to software purchased if
they want to change stuff, sure, that works.
Value of software is in uniform organizational planning, efficiency and customer driven
processes, and firm-wide information that allows for better decisions.
SAP can help set up functions and make it easy to control
o The best practice processes will force inefficient companies to change, allowing people
to follow steps easily.
80% of the cost of implementation is on change management BECAUSE of
changing from As-Is to To-Be processes.
Downstream/upstream connections for Supply Chain Management change the game by:
o Making Just-In-Time inventory rather easy to do
o Bull-whip effect, demands are relayed too slowly for actual demand to be shown.
Too little, then too much (Demand planning)
o Safety-Stock is buffer for lack of flex
o Software basically allows you to track and the like.
o CPFR essentially helps with sharing/combining forecasts with partners forecasts to
improve Just-In-Time behaviour
Canada Post SAP Case Study
o Obviously, supply chain is huge for Canada post
Push-based model pushes order towards the customer, but is based on Supplier whims
o Pull-based model then, logically, allows the customer to dictate demand
Management systems will help match supply to demand, improve delivery, keep inventory out
of the warehouses, improve product time to market via delivery, so on, so forth
CRM! Collect data, consolidate your customers data, analyze the data, create touch points
based off the customers data (which are basically interaction points).
RFM score is based off Recency of the sale, Frequency of the sale, and Monetary Value of the
sale (to a specific customer)
Some of the more comprehensive packages have modules for relationship management for
partners and employees as well!
o Sales force automation, customer service management, and marketing
o DATA MINING! YAY! SAS!
o CRM can find opportunities for cross-selling if one buyer has one product but not the
others
o Sales force automation helps salesmen track down best leads and frequent buyers.
o Customer service helped by being able to easily direct someone to the best place.
Service platforms = multiple apps from multiple processes
o Most information from many processes can be used by multiple people, give to all!
Downstream = to final customers
Supply chain software is FULL ON.
Suite of integrated modules, ERP software
Uncertainties in supply chains = unforeseen events [NOT INEFFICIENCY]
Pull = customers drive supply
Chapter 10: E-Commerce

E-Commerce, sites are intensely cheap now which lowers barriers to entry
CASE: Groupon
o Large # of competitors, social shopping trend
o Has to get big quick to build a brand fast, localization+Social networking to generate
business
1995, E-Commerce was born!
ALL E-Commerce has to compete with everything online
E-Commerce is easy to access, easy to interact with, universal standard, and has lots of rich
information.
It only takes 7 people to connect with everyone in the world at some point
Information Asymmetry = sellers know more than buyers
o Internet cuts down on asymmetry
Menu costs = replacing tags, having to change the price on your menus, so on, so forth
Allows for dynamic pricing with perceived increases in quality for a functionally equivalent
product
Disintermediation = cuts out the middle man
Digital goods = new category of market, one copy = billions of sales based on the one copy.
Content providers = iTunes, Community providers = Facebook, Portal = Google,
Service provider = cloud computing and the like
o All of them generate revenue via advertisement, selling things, or forcing you to
subscribe on a freemium model
o Some sites can use a transaction (or house-cut based) model or affiliate (or click-based)
model
WALMART VS AMAZON VS EBAY Case Study
o Walmart is a traditional competitor, but Amazon/eBay competes in the substitute
product/services thanks to auctions and merchandising AND have more in their value
web (different companies add value to each other)
o Amazon is an e-tailer (uses mostly GM to make money), eBay is an online auction house
and e-tailer, Walmart uses brick-and-mortar combined with e-tailing
o Amazon and Ebay are already standard e-tailers, Walmart has to catch up, but they have
easier times returning purchases.
Behavioural marketing tracks the user and stuff, and uses the information to tailor experiences
Social Commerce allows for sign-on to track, collaborative shopping makes it easy to make
reviews, Network notifications, Social search also helps with recommendations
Levis brand: Levis Guy personality
o Makes a personal connection with customers and showed what friends liked
Best Buy has a team of twitter responses to respond to questions and complaints effectively,
then uses Data Mining to convert the data via word processing
o Helps with containing spread of negative word of mouth
Mrs. Meyers cleaning: Allowed viewers to expose facebook wall posts and the like promoting
Meyers.
Advertising: Twitter sells promoted tweets and trends, more prominence vs a tweet.
 Brand Building: 500K Likes and contacts by sharing jeans.
Market Research: Wriggleyville Sports uses twitter posts to announce promotions and leverage
their following
Click-tracking = NORA style parsing of information to generate upselling online
Some campaigns can expose flaws in an organization which will negatively impact everyone.
Research shows that VIRAL MARKETING should start in a SMALL city thanks to easy spreading
Platforms can be used to analyze unstructured data and find out good/bad products in
addition, it can help small companies make decisions to improve customer service.
o If you cant handle it, dont do it of course.
B2B E-Commerce changed from having EDI (lines connecting companies like phones) to private
exchanges and marketplaces
o EDI basically connected suppliers and firms via shipping/payment/production data
o Private networks web-out and then are connected to firms.
M-Commerce [mobile commerce] like applications and mobile banking services are great!
o Games/Entertainment with ADS!
o Location-based like Yellow Pages and Yelp!
In-House system or Outsourcing the information?
o To be able to do a lot of objectives like providing better customer services, you need the
right system AND the right info to do it.

Chapter 11: Knowledge Management

Procedural/Tacet knowledge [easy to learn/hard to learn]

o Coffee making vs driving properly on ice
How do you take advantage of tacet knowledge and teach it to others?
Canadian Tire Problem: delays in accessing info impaired efficiency and service
o MS-SharePoint developed info-sharing platform, but it still had to revamp employee
intranet and improve their process
Knowledge dimensions:
o Data (facts)
o Information (facts organized into categories of understanding)
o Knowledge (Patterns/rules/contexts allowing us to create/evaluate/use the information)
Value increases as its used, unique to knowledge
o Knowledge is refined as it is passed down, and improves it as it is passed down
o Creating knowledge is an improvement on knowledge in and of itself
Knowledge can be Tacit/Explicit, Procedural/Explorable
o Knowledge is Cognitive in nature, and is social and individual
o It is sticky, situated (in firms culture) and contextual (only works in some situations)
o Context is either conditional (procedural) vs contextual (knowing WHEN to use a tool)
Management of Knowledge can also be made into business processes, designed for creation,
storage, transferral, and application of knowledge
o Known as Acquisition [Either brainstorming or obtaining it other ways like data mining
and documentation],
o Storage [of E-mails, social connections, knowledge, databasing, rewards for updating
and storing documents],
 o Dissemination [ease of extraction of knowledge], and
o Application [who uses what] of knowledge
Environments of knowledge will be different from company to company (Google has a different
culture than Yahoo based on knowledge sharing)
o Networks like Communities of Practice link like-minded individuals and companies
People who manage knowledge are known as Chief Knowledge Officers ((look after the
environment for knowledge proliferation and management))
Enterprise-wide KMS (knowledge management system) = general purpose, firm-wide
o Enterprise content management, network systems for knowledge, social tools
KWS (work system) = specialized for specific workplaces like engineers, for the creation and
discover of new knowledge
o Simulations help in this way.
ECMS (Content Management) = management of structured and unstructured knowledge, ease
of retrieval allows for better decisions on more complete knowledge
o Taxonomy allows for things to be tagged for ease of locating, and allows it to be found
using portals
Computer aided design allows for engineers to do things without destroying real materials
Intelligent Techniques = diverse group of techniques (Like DATA MINING) used for various goals
like discovering and distilling knowledge, and discovering optimal solutions
Augmented Reality essentially shows a screen which allows you to see more about specific
things when the camera takes in the information and displays relevant information (LIKE ADS)
Knowledge workers create knowledge, like researchers, designers, architects, etc, that keep
organization current, consult in areas of expertise, and act as change agents
o Computer Aided Design creates eng/architectural design via computers and graphic
software
o VR software/hardware systems simulates real life environments to be able to simulate
hard-to-get things [Surgeons]
Expert Systems help capture tacit knowledge in a limited domain of expertise through intelligent
techniques
o Captures the knowledge by creating a set of rules that can be used by others
o Starts with a Knowledge base (model knowledge), then an inference engine (strategy to
actually use the base), to forward and backward chaining (Forward Chaining rules, for
something like loaning and credit lines, uses a lot of if/or/else lines)
Case-based reasoning, different ways to do the same thing based on tools given and problems
faced
Fuzzy logic: represents imprecision in linguistic/semantic categories that represent a range
o Represents a description of RELATIVES.
Neural Networks creates a connection from a set of data to get results through another hidden
layer of whats going on
Intelligent Agents work without human intervention to carry out tasks (deletion of junk email,
finding good music, scheduling appointments, development of consumer behaviour models, so
on, so forth)
Hybrid systems use a mix of the good stuff.
Internet INCREASES info density
 Social technology is about social/business models enabling content creation and supporting
social networks online
Service providers allow for people to do things and store things online, content providers sell
you online content
Pureplay is a completely online model
Solid growth in eCommerce, not too good though
Data in database, sharing information? DISSEMINATION

Tie Together

Usage of time, customer intimacy, and improved efficiency = reasons to use info systems
o All done through the idea of Input->Throughput->Output
o Understanding the dimension of information systems (matching the right system to the
right person will work more efficiently.)
Info systems are only good if youre able to take advantage of it, used as a COMPLEMENTARY
asset
Best practice processes are used and can be taught using info systems
ESS-like systems present data but people make the data useful.
o DSS and MIS feed into the ESS and provide data for lower level managers, TPS fuels
everyone
Because Info-Systems are used to manipulate environmental inputs into outputs, you have to
take into account interior systems like processes and the structure of your company
o Usually, flatter companies mean easier times using Info Systems
o Corporate culture will affect the assets usefulness.
o Technology can help secure competitive advantages for a specific company by
interacting with customers/suppliers better than new entrants and substitute
companies
o Competitive advantages also arise from low-cost leadership, differentiation, market
niche
NORA Technology allows you to look at people who purchase your product to obtain NON-
OBVIOUS RELATIONSHIPS and make more money off you
Enterprise Systems merges everyone of the same company together, pick a function.

Chapter 5: IT Infrastructure and Technologies

Think of it as the info highway servers and the like.

o Actual platforms like computers, telecom like wifi/network/servers, and management of
data
o Also includes software like SAP, CRM, etc, facility management, management and
education of IT, along with research, standards, development services
Infrastructure in terms of businesses? Considered a medium to bring strategy and the actual
technology to improve service
First mainframe computers in 1959, still used, think of supercomputers.
o Very big, very bulky, very expensive, limited time
o Few programmers, very specialized computer
 Personal computers in 1981, still used, think of towers, everyone can have one now, ran DOS!
Wintel (Windows+Intel) was often used and is still often used, but still didnt connect
Only two years later in 1983, our first SERVERS were made, usually connected as other
computers, but didnt really have an interface. Usually used for data.
o Allowed for MUCH CHEAPER laptops to be used, and a huge bulking machine for all
processing things.
o Still happened in one building
And today we have multi-tiered architecture, Client devices will connect to the internet which
will connect to the web server, to applications if necessary, which will then access the correct
data
o Lower level computing is often cheaper than lesser amounts of higher level computing.
o Infrastructure evolves to allow connections to a network of servers rather than just one
server, connected to a big computer.
o Cloud/mobile computing is an extension of this, all things can just be connected to a
huge server now and doesnt need to be tethered to a connective server.
Drivers of evolution
o (Moores law, power doubles every two years), computing power is getting
exponentially cheaper
o Mass digital storage, because data doubles every two years too!
o Metcalfes Law, network economics, networks are more important as more people join,
its actually the opposite of diminishing returns
o Declining communication costs/internet makes it feasible to connect at a cheaper cost.
o Standards and network effects, allowed for cloud computing and larger networks
o iPhone would cost 3.56 million dollars in 1991
IT Infrastructure Ecosystem
o Hardware platforms (Client machines, PC/Laptop/Phones, with evolving UIs)
Includes Servers! Blade servers (thin and only for processing power) and Server
Farms (basically only houses servers, in huge numbers), Mainframes still exist.
o OS Systems (Windows/Linux/Apple OS/Chrome)
o Enterprise Software (SAP/Oracle, CRM/Supply chain oriented)
o Data Management (Database software like Oracle/IBM, servers might store it, Storage
Area Networks rather than one server, multiple servers)
o Telecom! (Network Routers, etc and software for those servers, service vendors like
Rogers, Voice over IP)
o Consulting and system integration services (software integration for transition and
installation, legacy system updating, leading firms on just this kind of consulting)
o Internet platforms (Hardware like servers and tools like suites and development of
content)
Trends!
o Mobility is king, platforms are becoming more portable
o Concerns about privacy and having to move with the market is important
o Cell-phones and antivirus privacy need to begin
Grid computing is about connection of multiple computers to make a supercomputer
Virtualization of servers allow for one machine to have multiple OSes
 o Both allow for reduction of costs by increasing versatility
Cloud Computing is actual access of the virtualized resources
o On demand, self service product
o Ubiquitous or multiple devices allowed to connect to servers
o Cloud doesnt care where services are
o Easy to expand or shrink when necessary
o Metered service
Cloud Computing should replace traditional IT storage solutions ((in-house))
o IAAS, or Infrastructure as a service, puts apps online to make it easy to use
o Software as a service and platforms as a service are beginning to surface
Software = Google-Docs
Infrastructure = Dropbox
o A public cloud makes it easy to get affordable storage
o Private clouds are proprietary and for one company only
o As a utility, it is on demand and easy to take note of
Security and performance issues are some of the big issues with cloud computing, location
might be an issue from a legal perspective
Environmental Computing (power usage and blahblahblah) and reduction of power
consumption
o Virtualization of servers cuts down on power consumed by hulking servers
o Management of e-waste, broken laptops, improvement of processing techniques
o Higher performance and power-saving processes will move towards environmental stuff
o Autonomic computing (spontaneous computing)
Software trends
o OPEN SOURCE PROGRAMS.
o Software for the web like flash and java
o Services like messenger and communications available via web
o Outsourcing and cloud services like Salesforce and packages like SAP
o Mashups of different components and apps work as well
Management issues like dealing with infrastructure change and management/governance
o Control over infrastructure means that something has to be organizational and other
things have to be departmental or even more specific as well
o Investments on what infrastructures are important are also important.
o Competitive forces like thinking about what is a wise investment
Do we think that our firms services are supported well by current technology?
Do we think that customers are happy enough with the service we can control?
Can this technology be used long term!
Are we thinking about infrastructure and cost properly?
Are we up to date with the field overall? Is it important to us to be up to date?
Are the competitors up to date vs us? Are THEIR investments giving them
competitive advantages that we have to compete with?
Cost of ownership is more than just hardware/software, includes training, support,
maintenance, infrastructure, downtime, etc.
o Installation concerns things like big servers to place and like
 o Most of the cost goes into implementation and the like.

Chapter 6: Databases

Characteristics of High Quality Information:

o Accurate [Right/wrong?]
o Complete [Representative? Are all fields complete?]
o Consistent [All the transactions shown day to day?]
o Unique [ONE POINT PER TRANSACTION?]
o Timely [Is the data at least relevant?]
o Issues arising from this stuff MIGHT mean mistakes when it comes to tracking,
identification of valued customers, difficulty of identifying selling opportunities,
marketing to ghost customers, and difficulty tracking revenue!
Online customers make up bad data, but are a good source regardless
Different systems will have data about the same customers, we need to integrate tables
Call centre operators are definitely a bad source for good data because they are looking for
performance quotas
Third party and external data is kind of good but might be hard to fit your needs
Good data management and decision making go hand in hand
Data hierarchy: Databases, then files, then records, then a field
o Record = 1 student, fields belong to each student
o Files = multiple records, and Databases might contain multiple files
o Entities are often records, and TYPES of entities are files, while attributes of any given
entity are fields
o When it comes to IT, a master file can help by keeping one huge database and giving
access to files to each different accounting file.
o Issues include data consistency and redundancy, data consistency in particular because
it prohibits consolidation and flexibility
What if all the updates are overnight? Then during that day, the data is
outdated
What if each program stores each customer differently?
Databases serve multiple applications because of centralization of data ((one database for all
the organization))
o Management systems will allow for filtering and the like to find specific important fields
o More flexible, more scalable, better performing, redundancy goes down, and more
secure and has better integrity
o Older systems might need scalability for all the programs, but with a database approach,
we remove redundancy and the need to scale some programs!
o Allows for some rules as to how the data is presented
o Relational databases will allow multiple tables to attach together to allow for better
information ((horizontal merging))
Requires common fields
Primary key (unique identifier, one field will work)
Concentrated/Concatenated key (unique identifier composed of multiple fields)
Foreign key is the link used to connect one to the other.
 DBMS has four components:
o Data definition, or creation and maintenance of the data dictionary and structure of
database
o Data manipulation, or a language that creates, queries, updates, and deletes data in a
database
o Application generation, or building applications to enter and manipulate information
with user-friendly interfaces
o Data Administration, or managing database environment, controlling who sees what,
who edits what, recovery and security, and performance
Non-relational databases have begun to rise because of new data types, larger volumes of data,
and cloud aggregation (NoSQL databases)
o Mining data from the web will not give you two dimensional data and will give you way
more data, this type will allow for flexible data models, managing large sets across
servers and multiple machines, and it scales relatively easily
o Polymorphism is one of the key data attributes
o Handles more complicated types, like videos and pictures, and DOESNT need to parse it
before using it
o You can change data without changing the entire database
o Databases in the cloud will allow for web services like Amazons own databases and
services
Tables basically explain the entity types that you care about
o Rows/records/tuples are assigned to tables, each table has a primary key consisting of
one or more table data
Designing databases needs to be in a context of what processes are you supporting
o Logic/concepts and entity/relationship diagrams will help understand what data needs
to be linked together
o Redundancy should be eliminated, so tables should be normalized
o Entity relationship diagram allows for visual bridges
1 to many means that one thing in one field can be related to many things in
another field
Many to many relationships would be hard to model in a database
o Referential Integrity, or relationship ordering, or, basically, primary keys must be
updated first before any tables using that key as a foreign key can be updated
BIG DATA emerged around 2010
o More machines = more data!
o Infrastructure required for big data has become necessary to use it
o HADOOP! DOOP DOOP! Databases and Hadoop Clusters will be moved into data mining
warehouses to be used to create Business Intelligence
o Data warehouses, both new and old, are now used for storage rather than everything,
both new and old data as well
Data will be consolidated and standardized, transformed to make it easier to
read and then becomes finalized
Quality must be high, so consistency must be high, and it cant be edited
SEPARATE FROM TPS
 Data Marts = smaller subset of warehouses
Hadoop = an analytics open software for processing across multiple processors and computers,
splits a huge problem into manageable chunks, and is mostly used for un/semistructured data
breakdown into a data warehouse
o Scaled up amounts of data, causes relational databases to crack CPUs because of the
sheer amounts of data
o One CPU might not be able to do it, but many CPUs can!
o Hadoop allows for you to make a table of contents for searching of servers, along with
map reduce
o Data can be used by everyone now, because processing makes it possible and easier
o Hadoop clusters collect MULTIPLE FORMS of data and aggregate it
Online Analytical Processing (OLAP)
o Analysis and manipulation of data from multiple perspectives
o Each perspective is a dimension
o OLAP is visualized as a cube!
o Easy querying between dimensions
o Data mining is discovery-driven and is more exploratory when it comes to patterns
Creates associations and linkage within the data, also makes sequential event
forecasting, Classifications about data types and generalizations to group data,
Clusters like mutually exclusive groups about multiple groups
Forecasting and predictive analysis, SAS!
o Data mining can be done through text mining now (or unstructured data through key
word searches)
Content and Sentiment are both important
o Web-mining is done in a similar way, content, structure (or look of the web where
hypertext exists), and usage tell you things
o Wordle creates an algorithm based off an article and what appears most frequently, and
where they are located based off how close they are
o Wikileaks documents could easily create neural networks and clusters where words
quickly be made
o Associations between many things to create ideas of what most people are saying
o Examples between flu outbreaks and google searches will allow for regionality
Databases and web browsers with dynamic content go hand-in-hand
Open data and open government = good because as all of it is collected and finally used rather
than sitting and collecting dust
o Allows for applications by people using this data to be made for the greater good
Managing resources includes information policy or a description of rules around data and
standardization of data for ease of use and disposal
o Administration usually creates the rules, and controls who has access to specific data,
and enforce rules and the like
Data Quality is a big ticket item because of reasons stated before
o Audits will help with this, programs can also help to find issues with data quality
o Missing fields, records that have bad data, redundancies, and so on, can be found by
smart programs
 Perfect data is intensely expensive, you can either choose to spend money on completeness
(with lots of errors) or accuracy (with very little data)
Music industry is more focused on discovery and evaluates fan movement
o Top 40 moved to buying patterns and purchase points

Chapter 7: Telecom, the Internet, and Networks

Trends include voice/data integration (types of data converging on one network)

o Rise in internet and technology standards based off one network and multiple devices
o Broadband and high speed are trending, and can suddenly become wireless as well
(WEE FEE)
Client and server computer architecture (clients access, servers warehouse)
o Network interfaces connect each side, and a medium like wavelengths or wires
o A network OS is also important on each server
o Hub/switch travelling along the network as intermediary points to be able to connect
more than one computer to a point
o Routers are end-user connectors
o Packet Switching allows for things to be broken down and reassembled
o TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)
4 layers: Application -> Transport -> Internet -> Network Interface
Application is encode/decoding when necessary (Uses PDUs, largest to smallest,
Data, Segments, Packets, Frames, and Bits)
Transport supports communication between diverse networks and devices
Internet determines the best path
Network Access controls hardware
TCP/IP always goes from top down, from Data to TCP to IP to the final
destination on Ethernet, and then reversed when it goes to the user
Network Transmission is either done digitally (binary code) or analog (wave transmission)
LAN = half a mile (office building), CAN = a mile (Campus), MAN = city/metropolitan area, WAN =
global
Physical transmission media (along some media like twisted wire [usually copper Ethernet],
Coaxial cable = thicker insulation than twisted wire, Fibre optics = glass and light beams,
Wireless = cellular networks)
Most connections run through an ISP/Designated Domain
Dial-up vs Broadband (DSL/Cable/Satellite/T1-T3)
o DSL < Satellite/Cable < T1-T3 government lines
IP addresses (address of your computer address, version 4, 4 sets of numbers)
o Domain names (words = IP address when correlated!)
o DNS servers (House IP addresses and domain names)
o Root servers (lists all domain names currently in use, market for securing a domain
name)
Backbone lines and regional access from your lines are important, and have to be owned
o Standards of good internet and efficiency need to be discussed
**NET NEUTRALITY**
The FUTURE of the internet (How can we update IP Addresses? Add more numbers, of course)
 Upgrade the amount of bandwidth possible
Telnet = one computer can connect to another and use the second computer
FTP is file transfer
HTTP/SMTP (Mail transfer)/NNTP (News transfer)/etc
Internet = network, world wide web = service
VOIP = communications via the internet
o Can be a tenth of the cost, from switching PBX and switching dedicated voice network
Unified comms = voice mail can be transferred into text and the like
VPN = Private network, secure encrypted data on your own network ((used for businesses))
Hypertext = links via browsers
o HTTP: Hypertext transfer protocol (part of transfer process)
o URL: Uniform Resource Locator (Exact website page)
o Searching as a key component of the web
It used to be a directory search, but then keywords were then starting to be used
Spiders find pages that includes x words, do the words appear in the title, what rank are the
webpages, how important are the links to the page, so on, so forth
Searching information:
o 20% mobile in 2012, now a majority of searches are done on mobile
o Search Engine Marketing (90% of sales = advertising for google)
What words does our site contain? How can we manipulate the formulae?
There are specialists who specialize in google search engine manipulation
o Social Search (future of search)
How do our friends use the web? Will that improve the hits we get to make
things more relevant to us?
o Semantic Search (Finally, some more human context versus just taking words literally)
What could possibly be in a question that will improve the answer a search
engine can give?
What questions can be asked? Can you ask about other PEOPLE?
Voice search?
Web 2.0: End-User websites like blogs and youtube
Web 3.0: Websites with more meaning to people (able to give information that wed have to
think about, e.g. a search for directions requires two clicks)
Wireless and Smartphones
o Smartphones = fastest growing category of wireless internet services
o Standards and generations of cellular networks impact how much stress we put on our
networks (so Gs are for the # of generations passed)
Wireless computer networks
o Bluetooth: Personal network that connects with multiple devices
o Wifi and Wireless internet access becoming more popular
o WiMax is a new wireless network which might help with providing access to areas hard
to connect
RFID tags are read by a reader and decodes the data before sending it to the host computer
o Active tag vs passive tag (passive tag = data is scanned, active tag = editable)
 o Can scan for many things like knowledge of where something is, what it consumes, so
on, so forth
o RFID tags are mostly used for readers, which allows for knowledge of where product is
and how much inventory you have
o Tags HAVE to be attached, and different tags can mean different quality, which means
one store has to scan every time something is being moved
o However, this means that it takes one move to scan and its much easier to be
accountable
Wireless Sensors which monitors things without being plugged in where someone would have
had to monitor things

Chapter 8: Securing Information Systems

Protecting Systems is important because information is valuable and EXPENSIVE

People are not required to report loss of data, but others will be breached and people will find
out and inform
o How expensive is a data breach per DATA RECORD?
Security and Control = securing data resources
o Larger resources are harder to defend, electronic formats are easier to steal, hackers
and security companies are on equal field
o Usability of security is a requirement and if its expensive, it might not get done
o Data must CONTINOUSLY be protected and that protection must continually be updated
Most hackers get in within minutes, but theres a lot of time lag based off security defenses
Unauthorized access/Errors will turn into tapping/sniffing/message
alteration/theft/fraud/radiation and maybe happen to corrupt servers with
hacks/malware/DDOS/Vandalism/etc which results in theft of data and the like
Partners and other people might share the data you made
o Mobile and Internet usage will likely also be exposing people to risk
o Wireless security is not often protected well
Unintentionally, human error, environmental hazards, and system failures will contribute as well
Computer crime is anything that might manipulate, add, or remove data from a computer
Malware (hidden in an executable file)/Viruses (attached to another file, mostly innocuous)
Worms are independent to anyone else and can travel on their own
Trojan horses = harmless/intentional download, but then does something what people notice
Hackers! White Hat vs Black hat/hactivists/script kiddies/Cyberterrorists (Employed vs Criminals
in most cases)
Spoofing = misrepresentation of identification
Sniffing = eavesdropping
DDOS = overloading servers
Click Fraud = increasing views for money
Phishing = acting like a friend to get information
Pharming = correct url, but something looks weird
Non-technical like stealing cards, friendly theft, going into garbage, etc.
Victims of identity theft = probably babies
 Since the internet exists, threats have started to become international in scope
o Internal threats still exist, because they can set up trapdoors and logic bombs
o Coding and specific events that happen to make stuff happen = logic bomb
o Back doors = getting in without having to do anything security-wise
o Software vulnerability = potentially easily hacked thanks to human error
Hacks are most common in terms of breaching, but disposal of documents and paper mail still
account for quite a bit, and fraud still happens
What pieces of information were stolen? Probably email addresses, social security numbers, etc
Breaches usually cost about 214 per record, 31% are usually malicious, 27% usually caused by
glitches
o Lost business per company is usually about 4.5 million, and then response costs at about
1.5 mil
Regulatory requirements to collection/retention, protection, privacy, and accuracy of all data
o Electronic evidence/computer forensics force documents to be kept for a certain period
of time and even when things are deleted, they leave behind ambient data
Info System controls:
o General controls (Concerned about design and use of data.)
o Software usage is important, who can use stronger software
o Hardware safety is also important, no one is going to be downloading anything, things
arent going to get stolen, etc
Servers can also be housed off-site
o Computer operations (who does what?)
o Data security (DBMS controls who has access to what)
o Implementation (Quality checks on implemented data)
o Administration
Application controls
o Input
o Processing
o Output
Risk assessment (Basically, what can possibly screw us? How much does it cost? How often will it
happen this year?)
Security policy (surrounding the organization)
o Statement describing risks
o Acceptable-Use Policy of systems (Responsibilities, what can work devices be used for,
what devices can connect wirelessly, etc)
o Authorization policies (like who can access what)
Damage from IT breaches = bad stuff like reputation loss!
Recovery planning for disasters
o Like backups and restoration of communications
o Continuity planning (how do we get business back up with missing data?)
o MIS Audit: Do they see issues with your plans? They could simulate disaster planning
too.
Security is mostly about implementing intermediate and simple controls to prevent things
o Attacks of Opportunity are often
 o Same with highly simple attacks which were easy to do
o Avoidable if people were good with the data security standards.
Three tools to prevent malicious attack!
o Authentication:
Something a user knows, has, AND that is a part of the user are all ways.
Knows (Password) < Has (Key Card) < Part (fingerprint)
o Authorization
File access (knowing who can access what files)
Hour access (when can you access files)
Certain areas of system (storage)
Wired access vs wifi access
o Prevention/Resistance
Firewall (controls traffic)
Unified Threat Management (VPN/Firewall/Intrusion Detection all in one!)
Encryption (If stolen, then meh. The person cant read it unless fed through a
key)
Encryption and PKIs
o PKI = scrambled using hashes and the like
o Digital certificates!
o SSL certificate will authenticate that a person is who they say they are, and provides
encryption.
SSL = Secure Socket Layer, when its properly done, will allow for scrambling of
data
Detection and Response
o Antivirus/antispyware software (detects bad stuff, but definitions must be updated)
o Intrusion detection system is more for who is getting on some points.
TARGET: had malware detected on Nov 30th AND Dec 2nd
o Nov 27th to Dec 18th breach period, 110 mil records lost, deletion software had been
TURNED OFF.
Systems need to be available 24/7 for everyone!
o Downtime (Fixed by high availability which will minimize crash time and fault tolerance,
which is redundancy for the sake of safety nets)
o Deep packet inspection
o Flat out outsourcing
Data is still the companys responsibility if youre using a cloud
o Making sure security and encryption is in place to keep things properly audited
How do you treat mobile? Do you prevent app download?

Chapter 13

Systems Development
Analysis = needs, what do we need from our program?
Design = what can we do to fill needs? (Outsourcing = you only participate as user)
Programming = can we build it?
Testing = does it work for our needs?
 Conversion = good user documentation, conversion method, and training for the system user
o Cutover = Old, then new
o Parallel = Old and New overlap for a bit completely
o Pilot = use Old and new for a little bit together, then cut off
o Phased = using old less and less
Operative changing, Evaluation of the functionality of the system, and modification of the
system
o Adaptive changing = adding functionality
o Corrective = fixing things to make sure the thing works properly
o Perfective = fixing a functionality to make it better
o Preventative = fixing potential problems
Modification = usually change management deals with it
o Things will get prioritized accordingly
o Always about prioritizing what is important
Finding errors early = way cheaper than finding them late
Structured Methodologies for development of systems = where does all the data go?
o Data flows throughout the system and you know what data needs to be accessed
o High level data flow can be broken down into processes
High level structure charts = another methodologies
o What needs to be done? -> Find what gets done -> how are those individual things
done?
Object-oriented methods = designed around objects which encapsulate knowledge
o Relations with one-another will help build the system
o Classes of objects help define relationships
Hierarchy of objects
Highest class is likely an entity, the rest would define the entity
Employees are defined by salaries, hours worked, and if they are temp workers
An object can contain multiple processes
o Communicates between each other
o Attributes = properties of a thing
o Behaviour = methods of a thing
CASE tool = computer aided software engineering
o Will automate, help with documentation about processes, coordination between
programmers, and will help workflow
The life cycle is like the waterfall method, but expensive and long winded
o Thanks to no feedback loop, if the requirements stay stable, you should be good to go,
but anything complex will likely bump into snags
o Prototyping will allow for user feedback because of users actually using the system, but
more expensive
o End-User development or open source
Simple programs will be good, but hard to get good quality things or for them to
consider security
Rapid application development, and other methods are more agile and stuff
 With Agile alliances, theres a lot of people working on one thing, with teams working to reach
one goal
o Early Access has some functionality, but full functionality usually comes later (though
usually the early access is fully working for all intents and purposes)
o Built around individuals who wanted to work on specific things and motivated to do so
o Clustered and bursty building, with very fragmented leadership
o Autonomy within groups, and evolution through reflection
Short informal processes
o Component-based (Object orientation)
o Objects or added functionality onto a working app
o Web services = embedded on the internet so the software isnt on the hard drive
Mobile app development
o Interface considerations like interaction with device (harder to input because of a lack of
keyboards, but easier to scroll through)
o Screen size is a huge change as well
o App vs Mobile site vs full site (apps are fully mobile, mobile sites can be put on both but
are less complete, and full sites are clunky on mobile but work best on non-mobile)
o Screen adaptation would work the best by designing responsively

Chapter 14 (Project Management)

What is a project?
o Aside from daily operations, projects are temporary and are mostly goal oriented
o Management = application of knowledge, tools, skills, techniques to complete a project
o Project success usually defined on being on time, on budget, and completing the project
satisfactorily (being on scope)
Importance of management = successful when used well
o Runaway projects and time slippage, cost overruns, technology shortfalls, and benefits
being forgotten
o Success in waterfall method was questionable, but agile programs are more successful
and less likely to be cancelled, both of them are still challenged often
o Failure is due to poor planning most of the time, but lack of resources, change in
business, lack of support, are also important
If people are changing goals and are not backing the project, you probably have
a bad manager
o Project management is evolving because of tracking resources, industry changes,
expectations, organizational changes, SDLC, so on, so forth
Life cycle: Initiate the idea -> Plan it -> make it -> close it
o Most of the effort is in performing
o Ideas are formed and a charter is formed during as a result of initiation
o Baseline plans are made as planning is done
o Identify need, problem, opportunity when initiating, definitely about signing off the
thing
Rationale, project objective, expected benefits, requirements of use and
conditions of use (All parts of a project charter, sales pitch)
 o Planning = project scope accomplishment
How do we get there?
The plan is about: What needs doing? How will it be done? Whos going to do it?
How long is it going to take? How much will it cost? What risks are we taking?
Or, What can go wrong?
Like, what if they dont need it once were done? Checkpoints so they
know its useful
Control is about monitoring, communicating, and accomplishing
o Performing = lets get it done!
Includes allowing the team to get work done, monitoring them, correcting them
when needed, managing changes the customer wants
Ends when all goals of the customer are met
SLDC is just a subset of project management overall
Project management is about making decisions
o Either add more cost or reduce the scope if youre time restrained THE TRIANGLE.
o Project Priority Matrix: Constraining = keep it there, Enhance = make it better, Accept =
whatever comes our way
o Sociocultural vs Technical nature of management
How are projects chosen?
o Depends what direction we want to go in
o Usually driven by strategy, based from senior management/middle management who
then relay to project management.
o Portfolio analysis (risk/benefit)
o Key performance indicators
o Categories of projects: Problems, opportunities, directives
o Scorecard model: how good will something be?
Based off several separate parts of decision making
Allows for weighting of different aspects of a system differently
Info Systems Plan:
o Purpose (Direction) -> Strategic rationale (where are we going) -> What do we have now
and what do we need -> projects needed to bridge the gam -> strategy/implementation
plans -> the cost
o Cost savings + Intangibles vs Costs
Types of budgets
o Capital budgeting: Calculating NPV of project
o Real options pricing: less certainty? Invest in infrastructure to get services and just hope
things are done with it
o Models cant account for intangibles
Risk and its determinants
o Size = risk in most cases
o Structure = certainty of a project
o Experience with technology = more comfortable on software
Change management
o Implementation, both staff and end users will resist
 o Communication and benefits will help
o User-designer gap, users see differently than designers when it comes to program usage
Users care about usage and portability
Designers care about space and demands on storage
o Internal and external integration
Cooperation and collaboration, whether it be with a team or with stakeholders
o Impact analysis is pretty important too
Voluntary vs involuntary changes (either not use it or use it poorly)
Counterimplementation (or fudging data to make the impact of the system
lessen so they switch back)
o Ergonomics = study of how people interact with machines and technology
Formal planning/control
o GANT/PERT charts will identify what the longest path is
o Critical path = longest path, how can we save time via those things?

Global Info Systems

Decisions made will also impact why you need to expand globally
o The environment influences strategies which influences structures which influences
business processes, which will ultimately impact your systems needed.
Global growth is driven by:
o Global markets (because of communication/transportation tech growing)
o Global production/operations (developing global culture requires more tact)
o Global coordination (global norms are starting to show)
o Global workforce (political instability prevents expansion in an area)
o Global economies of scale (knowledge bases are commonly globally accredited)
Challenges occurring are:
o Particularism, or regionalism, nationalism, and language barriers
o Social expectations from brand-name reputation
o Laws!
Growth through acquisition
o And therefore, multiple info systems that might not integrate well and require legacy
technology
Four main global strats:
o Domestic exporting (build stuff all in home country, export)
o Multinational (home country, but facilities around the world)
o Franchisers (home office is centralized, everything is duplicated across all franchises)
o Transnational (operates globally, doesnt think of themselves as in a country)
Centralized (one region, one policy), Duplications (multiple regions, one central policy),
Decentralized (one region, multiple policies), Networked (multiple regions, one mutually agreed
on policy)
Global strategies!
o Define your business processes (fundamental to success), then make sure your systems
can coordinate successfully and only choose whats VITAL to success
The bigger you go, the less you can afford to globalize (so far)
 Principle management challenges:
o User requirements who needs what?
o Changes most costs are in getting people to use the system
o Coordinating app development
o Software release coordination
o Local users need to support the global system
Types of platforms
o Computing platforms, different pieces = different abilities to connect and integrate
o Connectivity, network availability is not the same for everyone
o Integration, Prioritization, and human interface