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Powerpoint Presentations: [CHAPTER
10]
Class Syllabus: NEW JERSEY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY School of Management
Fall 98 Dr. C. Sylla
MIS 345 - Management Information Systems Course Objectives: Provide managers with modern management information systems (IS) concepts and introduce them to recent advances in computers, their telecommunication networks and business applications. Upon successful completion of this course, the manager will have a good knowledge of MIS and its relations to organization and technology, and how this IS technology can be effectively used to analyze, design and develop solutions for business problems. Course Content: The course examines selected technological features of MIS that are essential to the information literacy of the managers in business organization. The course covers the roles and strategic applications of IS, computer hardware, software and networks. It also provides an introduction to database and modern systems analysis and design, introduction to the Internet and business applications of telecommunication systems. Case studies will be used to illustrate the role and implications of IS in business processes and managerial decision making. Textbooks: Reading assignments will be drawn from two textbooks (and handouts which will be discussed conveniently in class). The following textbooks will be used: rd Edition, by Kenneth C. Laudon & Jane P. Laudon, Prentice Hall, 1997. (book 1) You must acquire this book. 2. Systems Analysis & Design Methods, 4th Edition, by Jeffrey L. Whitten & Lonnie D. Bentley, 1998. (book 2). This book is available on reserve at the NJIT library. Required Software: MicrosoftR Office package Examination: Final grades will be based on the following assignments: 2 Quizes (20% each) 40% Grading: The following grading scheme will be used to determine
final grades: Also Attendance < 70% F Note: Both books are needed for the class. You do have to seriously study from book # 1, which is available from NJIT bookstore and will be used for all tests. You don’t have to buy book # 2, however you will need to use it to prepare the class project. To achieve these objectives, the following chapters are recommended readings. Book 1: all chapters 1 to 15. Book 2: chapters: 1, 2, 3,4,5,6,7 and 11. My PowerPoint notes and all other lecture material will be available at the NJIT Library (from the reserve desk). A tentative course outline/class schedule (subject to revision) is seen attached. Course Outline/Class Schedule Week Subject/Topics Text/Chap(s). 1 Organization & Foundations of IS 1/ 1 2 Technical Foundations of IS: 3 Managerial Overview of: Communications and Networks 1/8 & 1/9 4 Introduction to System Analysis & 1/10 & 1/11 5 Introduction to System Analysis & 2/3&2/4 Quiz # 1 (In Class Exam) Tentatively for 9/28 6 Managerial Overview of Database & 1/7 7 Overview of DBMS (Continued) 2/11 8 Progress Presentation Class Projects 9 IS for Managerial Decision Making & 1/12 & 1/13 10 Overview of DSS/EIS & AI (Continued) 1/12 - 1/13 11 Managing IT: Implementing IS Projects 2/6 - 2/7 Quiz # 2 (In Class Exam) Tentatively for 10/28 12 Managing Information Systems 1/14 13 Managing International IS 1/15 14 Managing IT: Security and Ethical Challenges 1/15 Course Wrap-up / Evaluation & Feedback
Project Guidelines The term project for this course is the design and development of a real IS project. Each project team (2-3 members) is to identify a real world business problem (i.e. business operations or situation) where there is a need for an IS, and go through with the design and development of a system to meet the need. Attached are suggestions for project titles. The first step is to identify the project sponsor, a person who needs an IS and will "commission" a team of students to build that system. The sponsor does not need to be the direct user of the IS. In many cases, the eventual IS user will be one of the members of the project team, and the sponsor will be his/her superior. The sponsor must understand the business transactions (i.e., decisions, operations or situation, etc.) well enough to evaluate the IS that is developed. Note that it is not mandatory to find a sponsor for your project. The project is divided into 3 parts, each providing a benchmark procedure for evaluation and feedback. It is important that each part be completed on schedule so that there is adequate time for feedback before the next part must be completed. Only the last 2 parts of the project will bear credit toward your grade. The first part, the proposal, is meant only to gain a sponsor's commitment and approval and to provide the opportunity for early feedback. The three parts you produce during this project are meant to explain and document your efforts; while well written report is expected, your attention should be focused on the information system you are developing. Some programming skills may be necessary; thus I suggest that you should try to develop some skills in 4GL (such as Lotus 1-2-3, Excel, SQL, ACCESS, etc.), or any other language appropriate for developing your IS as needed. This will be necessary only depending on the project you select to work on. However, you do not have to come up with a working computer module for your project.
Part 1: Proposal (due on Thursday 9/10, 1998) The proposal should provide the general background for your IS project. The purpose of this proposal is to guarantee that you are focusing on an application (to deal with a business decision situation) that is interesting, educational, feasible, and could have the support of a project sponsor. The proposal should address the following issues: 1. General description of the decision situation, i.e., what is the decision circumstances in which the decision is made? 2. Why is the business decision situation "complex, "i.e., why is it not completely structured ? That is, Why do you need an IS instead of other types of systems ? 3. What is the expected contribution of your IS in this situation, i.e., what will the system do to improve the business decision making? 4. Where do you intend to implement the system? (i.e., on which computer system). Discuss the hardware and software components. You must submit a draft copy of this part to obtain my written approval before you could proceed with your project. I will provide you my approval/disapproval along with my suggestions and comments for feedback.
Part 2: The Role and the Environment of the IS In this part, you are expected to conduct an initial analysis of the business decision situation identified in your approved proposal, and identify the role impact of the IS on the business performance. The purpose of this part is to allow you to develop your systems analysis and design skills for designing an IS, and build an appreciation for its applicability and value. In your report, please include the following:
1. A description and analysis of the existing business decision situation. What is the basis for this analysis? How do you plan to acquire the needed data (e.g., interviews, observations, questionnaires, etc.)? 2. A full description of the relevant aspects of the proposed operational environment of your suggested IS. Be sure to explain why these are the related to the important aspects of the business environment, and why other possible aspects are not relevant. 3. A detailed account of the role(s) and functions of the proposed IS in the decision situation. If there is more than one function, prioritize and give your justifications. 4. A detailed account of the expected contribution and impact of the IS. Be specific about performance measurement (e.g., what changes in performance do you plan to observe, and how do you plan to measure them? Give examples of your measurement methods.) 5. A tentative choice of the method to be used for the IS design and a justification of your choice for that method.
Part 3: The Design and Implementation Plan of the IS In this part of the project, you are expected to outline the design of your proposed system, identify the resources you intend to use, and assess the impact of these choices on the IS. In addition, you should assess the usefulness of your chosen design method, document the implementation of your proposed system, evaluate it, and identify the likely changes to be incorporated in your IS. The purpose of this part is to allow you to exercise methods and approaches to IS design, develop an appreciation for their applicability and value and to implement and document your project. In your report, please include the following: 1. A functional description of your system, including a detailed outline of:
Explain how this design addressed the needs outlined in your Part 2. 2. Comment on the arrangement of your IS components. Justify any special features in it, and link it to the specific business problems or tasks it resolves. 3. Identify your resources (i.e., money, people and other capital, and relate them to the system's components you discussed earlier). 4. Assess your resource requirements and any change needed to improve your earlier system if possible. 5. Give an assessment of the usefulness of the design approach you used for this project. Why did you choose this approach? Was it the right choice? In what ways did it help you better design the system? In what ways did it not? 6. Provide an outline on the steps that must be taken to implement your IS; i.e., what must be done to successfully introduce your IS into the business operations (or transactions), and related decision problems it is designed to support? 7. Discuss the documentation you are providing to the user(s) of your IS; e.g., the user's manual. This is an important part of the total package you are delivering. 8. Briefly describe a typical scenario of the way the system will be used, this should be the framework for your class presentation. You may find it useful to develop a "business story" (as seen in our case studies in our text and class assignments) around which your I.S. is integrated, and which serves to highlight the usefulness of the system. Be sure to show how the IS supports the business decisions. 9. Comment on your experience with the system, both from the builder's perspective (i.e., your group inter-actions, and other dynamics) and the user's. 10. Given your (and possibly other user's) experience with the system, identify the issues to be addressed in the development of the next version of your IS. Try to relate them to the functional capabilities in the area of dialog, model and data management. Include your proposal and all parts in your work in a final report to be handed out. Further, please include a complete hard copy listing of any program you design with all the necessary comments you believe to be important for a fair evaluation of your project.
Report Format: (due on the last day of lecture) All reports should be typed on one side of the sheet, double-spaced. Front page should include title, date and student name(s). Charts, forms, and all other references should be appended at the end of the report. The promptness counts toward your final grade. Note again that you are required to utilize the tools and techniques mentioned in class and in the reading material (i.e., cases and handouts). Hence, your final report and presentation should reflect this requirement. The final report is due on last day of classes. NO EXCEPTION WILL BE MADE. You will do an oral presentation of your IS (or something close to a prototype) before the class the same day. Note that this is not the final exam, which is a separate requirement for the class to be scheduled during the final exam week.
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