An Information System is the machine of persons, data records and activities that process the data and information in a given organization, including manual processes or automated processes.
An information system is the foundation for interaction between the user and the analyst. It really is an open system which allows the inputs and facilitates the interaction with an individual. It can be defined as a set of devices, procedures and operating systems designed around an individual to create information and communicate it to the user for planning, control and performance.
Information systems deal with the development, use and management of the organization's IT infrastructure.
A a key point to be always remembered when contemplating a fresh alternative system is usually to be made to improve planning, control and performance. Inside the post-industrial, information age, the focus of companies has shifted from being product oriented to knowledge oriented. Without keeping this in mind there would not be any ROI.
The major Information Systems are
1. Formal Information System
2. Informal Information System
3. Computer Based Information System
This is based on the business represented by the business Chart. THE BUSINESS char evidently lays down the positioning and the personnel associated to people positions and their authority relationship.
Formal Information System
This system defines very clearly the work-flow system, communication flow-down and the authority. The info flows in terms of policies, goals, strategies, rules and regulations from the most notable level management to the bottom degree of management. . The info also flows from the bottom level management to the very best level in conditions of feedback, results of work done etc.
There are three categories of information related to the Formal Information Systems:
1. Strategic Information - relates to long-range planning policies. These details is achieved using your choice Support System
2. Managerial Information - helps the center level management in policy implementation and control. This information is achieved using the Management Information System
3. Operational Information -is the daily information had a need to operate the business enterprise. This information is achieved using the Data Processing System
The pictorial representation below should help understand it.
Strategic Info (Upper Level Mgmt. )
Mgmt. Control Info (Middle Level Mgmt. )
Operational Information (Lower Level Mgmt. )
Management Information Systems (MIS), sometimes known as Information Management and Systems, the word is commonly used to make reference to the group of information management methods linked with the automation or support of human decision making, e. g. Decision Support Systems, Expert systems, and Executive information systems.
MIS in addition has some variations with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) as ERP incorporates elements that are not necessarily centered on decision support.
Informal Information System
The informal information system should be employee based and focus on their development and solve their work related problem. Employee co-operation and the data of the informal communication should help someone to get a good Informal Information Systems in place.
Computer Based Information System
This depends on the computer for handling business applications. The business requires computer heavily to resolve their business problems. There will vary levels of information required by people at different level. People at Lower Level needs detailed information which allows them to carry out using their tasks. People at HIGHER-LEVEL needs summarized information which allows them to evaluate the entire progress, goals etc. This system should ensure that individuals at lower level aren't given usage of all the info shown at the bigger level. However, people at the bigger level can drill down to the data at the lower when required.
Component of Computer based information System
A Computer-Based Information System (CBIS) can be an information system in which the computer plays a significant role. Such a system consists of the following elements:
Hardware: The term hardware refers to machinery. This category includes the computer itself, which is often referred to as the central processing unit (CPU), and all of its support equipment. On the list of support equipment are input and output devices, storage devices and communications devices.
Software: The term software refers to computer programs and the manuals (if any) that support them. Computer programs are machine-readable instructions that direct the circuitry within the hardware parts of the CBIS to function with techniques that produce useful information from data. Programs are usually stored on some input / output medium-often a disk or tape.
Data: Data are facts that are used by program to produce useful information. Like programs, data are generally stored in machine-readable from on disk or tape before computer needs them.
Procedures: procedures are the policies that govern the operation of a computer system. "Procedures are to people what software is to hardware" is a common analogy that is utilized to illustrate the role of procedures in a CBIS.
People: Every CBIS needs people if it's to be useful. Often the most over-looked element of the CBIS is the people: probably the components that a lot of influence the success or failure of information system.
Benefits of Information System
Compute-based information systems have been in widespread use because the 1990s in industry, non-profit organizations and government agencies. These systems provide fast, centralized usage of databases of personnel information, reference reading, best practices and on-the-job training, and are easily customizable to meet an organization's needs. With the Internet and technology boom of the early 21st century, use of computer-based information networks keeps growing faster every year.
Data Centrality Usage of data via a computer network information system is central, providing a "one-stop" location to find and access pertinent computer data. Most large-scale businesses and organizations use some kind of central database to manage user information, manage advertisement lists, store product information and keep an eye on orders. Types of central database solutions are MySQL, PostgreSQL or Microsoft SQL database solutions, in conjunction with custom software which gives user interfaces.
Information Coverage Central information systems provide organizations with the advantages of having huge amounts of data, covering a variety of fields, all accessible with a central source. Information coverage is an enormous advantage for any organization, because having vast levels of useful data out of every different department streamlines access and increases productivity. For users, having access to a networked information system is analogous to having an electronic library of shared knowledge. Recent developments in database information systems link company information access with larger databases of academic and professional research, such as Google Scholar, to provide even more information capacity to personnel.
Access Efficiency Efficiency of access is a crucial advantage to networked information systems over more traditional information management systems, such as paper cataloging and filing. Computer-based information systems catalog and file documents in a set logical way, making data access very efficient and fast. Data can be manually categorized, and filters intended to automatically file documents that match certain patterns. This increases employee productivity time by allowing staff to target more on the task at hand rather than filing paperwork.
Extensibility Computer-based information systems are completely extensible and customizable to a organization's needs. Upon installation, customized computer information systems use configuration files that are tailor-made with an organization's must file and categorize data. Computer software engineers frequently design custom database interfaces and information storage/recovery systems for enterprise clients. To be a company grows, modifications and additions to this filing configuration allow easy extensibility. Computer information systems aren't limited in scale or possibility. They are simply uniquely created for maximum organizational benefit for each and every customer.
Challenges
