©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.1 Basic Concepts for Understanding Systems 2

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.2 Table 2.1 Processing Résumés Using Resumix

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.3 Table 2.1 Processing Résumés Using Resumix CUSTOMER Manager who needs to hire an employee Applicant who receives responses about a job application Government agency that receives reports about compliance to equal opportunity guidelines

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.4 Table 2.1 Processing Résumés Using Resumix PRODUCT List of applicants who fit the criteria Selected data items about each applicant Automatically generated rejection letters

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.5 Table 2.1 Processing Résumés Using Resumix BUSINESS PROCESS Major Steps: Define the criteria for selecting applicants Receive résumés Scan résumés and extract data Select applicants meeting criteria and forward their résumés to the hiring manager Send out rejection letters Track the hiring process Store applicant data for future searches Rationale: Instead of finding appropriate candidates by searching through paper résumés, extract the information on the résumés and do the search automatically.

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.6 Table 2.1 Processing Résumés Using Resumix PARTICIPANTS Human resources employees Manager doing the hiring INFORMATION Description of job opening Scanned résumés converted into a database format List of qualified applicants TECHNOLOGY Résumix software Scanner Unidentified computers

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.7 Figure 2.1 Examples of Models

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.8 Figure 2.2 Viewing a firm as a system

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.9 Figure 2.3 Primary processes for a hypothetical restaurant

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.10 Figure 2.4 Business processes and functional areas of business

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.11 Figure 2.5 Information technology, information systems, and work systems

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.12 Table 2.2 Roles of information Systems within Work Systems Bar code scanners and computers identify the items sold and calculate the bill Work system supported by the information system: Performing customer checkout Aspects of the work system not included in the information system: Establishing personal contact with customers, putting the groceries in bags University registration system permits students to sign up for specific class sections Work system supported by the information system: Registering for classes Aspects of the work system not included in the information system: Deciding which classes to take and which sections to sign up for in order to have a good weekly schedule Word Processing system used for typing and revising chapters Work system supported by the information system: Writing a book Aspects of the work system not included in the information system: Deciding what to say in the book and how to say it

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.13 Table 2.2 Roles of information Systems within Work Systems Interactive system top managers use to monitor their organization’s performance Work system supported by the information system: Keeping track of organizational performance Aspects of the work system not included in the information system: Talking to people to understand their views about what is happening System that identifies people by scanning and analyzing voice prints Work system supported by the information system: Preventing unauthorized access to restricted areas Aspects of the work system not included in the information system: Human guards, cameras, and other security measures

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.14 Figure 2.6 The WCA framework for thinking about any system in business

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.15 Figure 2.7 Who is a toy factory’s customer?

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.16 Figure 2.8 Relationship between data, information, and knowledge

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.17 Table 2.3 Issues Raised by Five Perspectives for Understanding a Work System ARCHITECTURE What are the components of the system that performs the work and who uses the work product? How are the components linked? How do the components operate together? PERFORMANCE How well do the components operate individually? How well does the system operate? (How well is the work performed?) How well should the system operate? INFRASTRUCTURE What technical and human infrastructure does the work rely on? In what ways does infrastructure present opportunities or obstacles? CONTEXT What are the impacts of the organizational and technical context? In what ways does the context present opportunities or obstacles ? RISKS What foreseeable things can prevent the work from happening, can make the work inefficient, or can cause defects in the work product? What are the likely responses to these problems?

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.18 Figure 2.9 From work system architecture to customer satisfaction

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.19 Table 2.4 Architecture, Perspective #1

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.20 Table 2.4 Architecture, Perspective #1 CUSTOMER Customer’s entire cycle of involvement with the product Requirements Acquisition Use Maintenance Retirement

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.21 Table 2.4 Architecture, Perspective #1 PRODUCT Components Information content Physical Content Service content

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.22 Table 2.4 Architecture, Perspective #1 BUSINESS PROCESS Process operation: Processes providing inputs Sequence and scheduling of major steps Processes receiving the outputs Process characteristics: Degree of structure Range of involvement Level of integration Complexity Degree of reliance on machines Linkage of planning, execution, and control Attention to exceptions, errors, and malfunctions

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.23 Table 2.4 Architecture, Perspective #1 PARTICIPANTS Formal and informal organization: Job responsibilty Organization chart INFORMATION Major data files in the database: Data organization and access TECHNOLOGY Major components: Hardware Software

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.24 Table 2.5 Performance, Perspective #2

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.25 Table 2.5 Performance, Perspective #2 CUSTOMER Customer Satisfaction

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.26 Table 2.5 Performance, Perspective #2 PRODUCT Cost Quality Responsiveness Reliability Conformance to standards and regulations

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.27 Table 2.5 Performance, Perspective #2 BUSINESS PROCESS Rate of output Consistency Productivity Cycle time Flexibility Security

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.28 Table 2.5 Performance, Perspective #2 PARTICIPANTS Skills Involvement Commitment Job satisfaction INFORMATION Quality Accessibility Presentation Prevention of unauthorized access TECHNOLOGY Functional capabilities Ease of use Compatibility Maintainability

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.29 Table 2.6 Comparing Vague Descriptions, Measurements, and Interpretations ACCURACY OF INFORMATION Vague description: The information doesn’t seem very accurate. Measurement: 97.5% of the readings are correct within 5%. Interpretation:This is (or is not) accurate enough, given the way the information will be used. SKILLS OF PARTICIPATION Vague description: The sales people are very experienced. Measurement: Every salesperson has 5 or more years of experience; 60% have more than 10 years. Interpretation:This system is (or is not) approptiate for such experienced people. CYCLE TIME OF BUSINESS PROCESS Vague description: This business process seems to take a long time. Measurement: The three major steps take an average of 1.3 days each, but the waiting time between the steps is around 5 days. Interpretation:This is (or is not) better than the average for this industry, but we can (or cannot) improve by eliminating some of the waiting time. QUALITY OF THE WORK SYSTEM OUPUT Vague description: We produce top quality frozen food, but our customer’s aren’t enthusiastic. Measurement:65% of our customers rate it average or good even though our factory defect rate is only.003% Interpretation: Our manufacturing process does (or doesn’t) seem O.K., but we do (or don’t) need to improve customer satisfaction.

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.30 Table 2.7 Infrastructure, Perspective #3

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.31 Table 2.7 Infrastructure, Perspective #3 CUSTOMER Technical and human infrastructure the customer must have to use the product

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.32 Table 2.7 Infrastructure, Perspective #3 PRODUCT Infrastructure related to information content Infrastructure related to physical content Infrastructure related to service content

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.33 Table 2.7 Infrastructure, Perspective #3 BUSINESS PROCESS Infrastructure related to internal operation of the process Infrastructure related to inputs from other processes Infrastructure re;ated to transferring the product to other processes

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.34 Table 2.7 Infrastructure, Perspective #3 PARTICIPANTS Shared human infrastructure INFORMATION Shared information infrastructure TECHNOLOGY Shared technology infrastructure

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.35 Table 2.8 Context, Perspective #4

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.36 Table 2.8 Context, Perspective #4 CUSTOMER Issues in the customer’s environment that may affect satisfaction or use Business and competitive climate

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.37 Table 2.8 Context, Perspective #4 PRODUCT Substitute products Ways the customer might bypass this type of product altogether

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.38 Table 2.8 Context, Perspective #4 BUSINESS PROCESS Organizational culture Concerns of stakeholders Organizational policies and initiatives Government regulations and industry standards

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.39 Table 2.8 Context, Perspective #4 PARTICIPANTS Incentives Other responsibilities and job pressures INFORMATION Policies and practices regarding information sharing, privacy, etc. TECHNOLOGY Technology policies and practices Technology that may become available soon

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.40 Table 2.9 Risk, Perspective #4

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.41 Table 2.9 Risk, Perspective #4 CUSTOMER Customer dissatisfaction Interference by other stakeholders

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.42 Table 2.9 Risk, Perspective #4 PRODUCT Inadequate or unreliable products Fraudulent products

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.43 Table 2.9 Risk, Perspective #4 BUSINESS PROCESS Operator error Sloppy procedures Inadequate backup and recovery Mismatch between process requirements and participant’s abilities Unauthorized access to computers, programs, data

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.44 Table 2.9 Risk, Perspective #4 PARTICIPANTS Crime by insiders or outsiders Inattention by participants Failure to follow procedures Inadequate training INFORMATION Data errors Fraudulent data Data theft TECHNOLOGY Equipment failure Software bugs Inadequate performance Inability to build common sense into information systems

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.45 Figure 2.10 Steps in systems analysis for business professionals

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.46 Table 2.10 Definitions of Topics in a System Snapshot

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.47 Table 2.10 Definitions of Topics in a System Snapshot CUSTOMER Product used by: Internal or external customers who use or receive direct benefit from the product Other stakeholders: People who have a significant stake in the work system or its product even though they do not use the product directly and do not participate directly in the work system Infrastructure requirements: Infrastructure the customer should have to use the product effectively

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.48 Table 2.10 Definitions of Topics in a System Snapshot PRODUCT Information content: The aspects of the product that consist of information Physical content: The aspects of the product that consist of physical things Service content: The aspects of the product that consist of services performed for specific customers

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.49 Table 2.10 Definitions of Topics in a System Snapshot BUSINESS PROCESS Major steps: Listing the major steps in this business process Rationale: The overriding idea or approach that determined the process would be performed using the current approach rather than another Processes providing inputs: External processes outside the work system that produce inputs of information, physical things, or services needed in order for this business process to operate Processes receiving the product: The customer’s processes that receive and use the product of this work system

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.50 Table 2.10 Definitions of Topics in a System Snapshot PARTICIPANTS People who perform the work Shared human infrastructure INFORMATION Created or modified within this system Received from other work system TECHNOLOGY Technology within the system Shared technology infrastructure

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.51 Table 2.11 The 10 Issues in the Work-Centered Analysis Method Systems analysis step 1. Define the problem 2. Describe the current work system in enough depth and 3. Design potential improvements 4.Decide what to do Corresponding issues for thinking about a system Issue 1: Problem Definition Issue 2: Improvements from product changes Issue 3: Improvements from process changes Issue 4: Improvements related to work system participants Issue 5: Improvements from better information Issue 6: Improvements from better technology Issue 7: Improvements from shared infrastructure Issue 8: Improvements related to the business context Issue 9: Improvements from risk reduction Issue 10: Recommendation

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.52 Table 2.12 Common Systems Analysis Pitfalls Related to Elements of the WCA Framework

©1999 Addison Wesley Longman Slide 1.53 Table 2.13 Common Pitfalls Related to the Five Perspectives ARCHITECTURE PERFORMANCE INFRASTRUCTURE CONTEXT RISKS