Information System

Question 1

What is an Information System

Answer 1

This is the collection of data hardware, software, data, people and procedures that are designated to generate information that supports the day-to-day, short range, long range activities of users in an organization.

Question 2

What are the 3 activities of an information

Answer 2

These activities are; input, processing & output
1. Input captures or collects raw data from withing the organization or from its external environment.
2. Processing converts this raw input into a more meaningful form.
3. Output transfers the process information to the people who will use it or the purpose for which it was intended for.

• inputs (Business problems, data, information, instructions, opportunities)
• Processing (programs, people, equipment, storage)
• Outputs (Solutions, reports, graphics, calculations, Tactics)
  the decision maker has a bi-channel to the inputs, has a bi-channel to the control with has a bi-channel to the outputs and uni-channel to process

Question 3

Components of an Information System

Answer 3

Computer Based Information System (CBIS) is an information system that uses computer technology to perform some or all of its intended task.
A CBIS should contain:
1. Hardware Resources:
This is the machinery which includes physical computer equipment’s and all associate data media or objects on which data is recorded and saved and all variety of interconnected peripheral devices.
2. Data Resources:
Data are raw facts that are used by programs to produce useful information. like programs data are generally stored in machine-readable form on disk until the computer needs them. Data also include Database. Data resources must meet the following criteria
- Comprehensiveness: all the data about a subject are actually present in the Database
- Non-redundancy: each individual piece of data exists only once in the database
- Appropriate structure: data are stored in such a way as to minimize the cost of expected processing and storage
3. Software Resources:
It includes all sets of information processing instructions. it comprises system software such as OS, application software which are programs that direct processing for a particular use of computers by end users.
4. Procedures:
this are the policies that govern the operation of a computer system. “Procedures are to people what software is to hardware”
5. People Resources:
Every CBIS needs people if it is to be useful. the individuals involved are
- End users; who are those who use an IS or the information it procedures
- IT specialist; who are the developers, operators of the information system.