Itm Lecture 7

INFORMATICS Information Technology Management

Lecture 7

23rd January 2008 ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Information o at o Tec Technology o ogy Management a age e t

U i 19 Unit 19: Th The IT Department D

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Functions Fu ct o s of o IT T Department epa t e t z Systems

Development z Operations Equipment Operations z Production Support z

z Technical

Support

End-User E d U services i z Systems Programming z Database Administration z

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Systemss Development Syste eve op e t z The Th

purpose off the th systems t development d l t p new applications pp function is to develop and to maintain existing ones. z The Th systems developer d l has h to analyze l the h application pp area,, determine its requirements, and design and program the actual computer-based computer based information system system. ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Ope at o s Operations z There Th r

iis m much h lless abstraction b tr ti n in involved l d when h n organizing the operational function for a data-processing installation. z The computer and associated machines must be fun, and someone must schedule this; essentially, that is the mission of operations. Equipment Operations z Production Support z

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Equipment qu p e t Operations Ope at o s z

z z

Equipment operations means running the machine and its peripheral equipment, keeping the printer supplied li d with i h paper, mounting i magnetic i tape onto magnetic tape drives, and monitoring the computer's ' console. l In most installations data p preparation p is also one of the responsibilities of operations. Since computer operations often run two or three shifts, organization into these shifts is a key feature. ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Production P oduct o Support Suppo t z Production

support schedules the running of the computer center and controls jobs ( (programs) ) in i terms off priorities, i i i based b d p when output p is required. q upon z In these respects, the manager of computer operations will be implementing the policies set by the data processing i installation ll i manager. ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Technical Tec ca Support Suppo t z This

part of a computer center is meant to support both systems development and operations i ffunctions. i z Technical support is divided into these key areas: z End-User E dU

SServices i z Systems Programming z Database Administration ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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End-User d Use Se Services v ces z Personnel P l

in i this thi group help h l users gain i p facilities, access to computer-center conduct training courses, and troubleshoot when users have problems with their computer support.

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Systemss Programming Syste P og a g z Here H

personnell iinstall t ll the th computer's t ' p g system, y tailor it and maintain it, operating and improve the efficiency of application programs. programs

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Database atabase Administration d st at o The skill of setting up and administering the organization's data base falls to this group. z It is multifaceted assignment, which includes establishing estab s g the t e logical og ca data requirements equ e e ts of o the t e enterprise; setting up the data base; controlling security and providing backup to the data; and helping the systems development staff use the d iin ddesigning data i i computer-based b d iinformation f i systems. z

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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The Information Center Approach pp It is necessary to The most common approach to the management of End User Computing (EUC) is the Information Center (IC) which formalize the support to be provided by users. z The Th IC iis a unit i within i hi the h IT D Department which is specifically responsible for the EUC support. z By y providing p g dedicated support pp personnel p with a separate budget, focused attention is ensured. z

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Roles o es of o an a Information o at o Ce Center te z Advice Ad i

and dC Consultancy lt z Training z Procurement z Define Standards

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Roles of an Information Center Ad i and Advice nd C Consultancy n lt n z z

z z

Many IC are set up like a typical computer store. store A user talk to the center consultant about computing needs a product manager may also be involved if the needs, hardware or software requirements of the user go beyond y the consultant's expertise. p Many IC run a hotline service to help end-users with problems once an application p pp is up p and running. g Some centers will audit end-user applications on a regular g basis to ensure that theyy are workingg the wayy they are supposed to. ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Roles of an Information Center Tr inin Training z

z z

Many end-users end users needing knowledge about computer technology to do their jobs more effectively training has become a major priority effectively, and a major expenses. IC training can be provided on an individual, department wide, or company-wide basis. Training may be directed to a specific need or a specific application (such as training the purchasing department to use Excel to store and access purchasing records) ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Roles of an Information Center Pr r m nt Procurement Since the user or department will often acquire the computing resources from its own budget, and not that of the MIS department the center has little control over the final choices made d by b the h user. z Freedom of selection notwithstanding, the user must take into account the fact that the center can, can realistically, realistically support only a finite number of products. z If the center supports only Microsoft Office, Office and the user wants Next Office, the user must bear complete responsibility for training, advising, and dealing with any problems that might later arise. z It would be desirable for the IC to be part of the evaluation committee for the acquisition of EUC products. z

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Roles of an Information Center D fin Standards Define St nd rd z The

Information Center should evaluate user needs and arrive at a set of packaged software f for f each h type off EUC C processing. i

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Advantages dva tages and a d Disadvantages sadva tages z

z

The IC approach pp enables users to retain the autonomyy to care for their own needs. Most end-users operate under normal budgetary g y constraints and are motivated to spend funds wisely. If properly managed, the IC provides some control over the unbridled p p proliferation of end-user systems. Some users may resent not having the complete freedom to buy nay kind of software or hardware as they see it. There will be some conflict of interests between the objectives of the Information Centre and those of any individual user. ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Thee Emergence T e ge ce of o the t e CIO CO z The Th

Chi Chieff IInformation f ti Officers Offi (CIO) is i a senior manager who takes part in business strategy formulation and who can ensure that the information strategy fits into and complements the overall business strategy. z This is reflective of the growing recognition p of information in the of the importance pursuit of the company's strategic goals. ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Responsibilities espo s b t es of o the t e CIO CO z The Th

Chi Chieff Information I f ti Officer Offi (CIO) is i the top p executive in charge g of information technology and its usage. z The Th main i responsibilities ibili i off the h CIO are described below : z Strategic

Use of IT z Information Management z Traditional Management Functions ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Responsibilities of the CIO Str t i Use Strategic U off IT z The Th

CIO mustt id identify tif ways in i which hi h information and information technology gy are able to support the company's strategic plans. plans z This can include supporting pp gap particular business activity, to actually developing a new information-based i f r ti b d pr product d t fforr customers. ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Responsibilities of the CIO Inf rm ti n M Information Management n m nt z Information I f ti

is i an important i t t resource andd especially p y so in organizations g which are information intensive. z The Th management off information i f i flows, fl processingg and p p presentation is an important responsibility of the CIO.

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Responsibilities of the CIO Tr diti n l M Traditional Management n m nt F Functions n ti ns z The Th

usuall managementt ffunctions ti are also l the th responsibilities of the CIO. z These include budgeting and staffing of the IT department department. z There will always y be competing p g demands on the IT resources and the CIO must establish the priorities of the IT staff and allocate resources to areas that are more important. ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Information o at o Tec Technology o ogy Management a age e t

Unit 20: Information System y Planningg

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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What is an Information Systems Pl nnin (ISP)? Planning z

z

z

With the advent of strategic systems, systems information systems planning took on new dimensions and required new linkages with corporate strategic planning. planning Mangers have had to become aware that uses of computers can have h significant i ifi effects ff on their h i organization's competitive position, and that i f information i systems planning l i needs d to be b coupled l d more closely with the goals of the organization. In fact, information systems planning, or lack of it, can now affect business plans. ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Information Systems y Planningg (ISP) ( ) The long term-term term term planning for computerized information systems in order to meet corporate objectives. z Cater for different corporate objectives, objectives from introducing word processing and other office automation products, to supporting competitive measure to win greater market share. z

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Contents Co te ts of o an a ISP SP z The Th

IInformation f ti Systems S t Plan Pl (ISP) will ill typically yp y contain the followingg sections: z Corporate

Strategy z Information I f i Requirements R i z Current IT Installation z IT Action Plan

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Contents of an ISP – C rp r t Str Corporate Strategy t z The Th

main i points i t off the th corporate t strategy t t over the next 5 yyears will be outlined. z These will be broken down into specific corporate actions i which hi h may or may not pp y for IT involvement. be an opportunity

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Contents of an ISP Inf rm ti n R Information Requirements q ir m nt z Future F t

information i f ti needs d off the th organization g will be described here. z This will be based on the corporate strategy and d other h organizational i i l p ((e.g. g expected p merger g or developments acquisitions).

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Contents of an ISP C rr nt IT In Current Installation t ll ti n z The Th

existing i ti IT hardware, h d software ft andd communications p platforms will be described here. In addition, the existing staff and skill levels should also be included.

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Contents of an ISP IT Action A ti n Plan Pl n z This Thi

section ti ddescribes ib the th overallll vision i i off how IT systems y would look like in 3 years y time. z It I also l prescribes ib yearly l targets to move p towards the ggoal. the IT setup z These in turn will be translated into specific projects and actions. ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Applications pp cat o s Backlog ac og Each project have been initiated with a project request. z IT Steering S i Committee C i ddecides id which hi h projects j are to be approved. z At any one time, certain applications development projects would have been completed, others would be on-going while the rest would not have started yet. z The applications portfolio or project portfolio is the list of all application projects that are in the approved ITM Lecture 7 plan for next year,Advanced plusDiploma ongoing projects. 32 (Thames College) z

Applications pp cat o s Backlog ac og (co (cont’) t) Some companies practice a yearly evaluation of project requests to decide, give the limited resources andd the h corporate strategic i objectives, bj i which projects will proceed in the following year. z To assist in the decision decision-making making, the costcost justification is performed with financial ratios lik payback like b k andd Return R t on Investment I t t (ROI) being used to assist in the ranking. z

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Information o at o Tec Technology o ogy Management a age e t

U i 21 Unit 21: P Project j Management M

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Taskss in P Tas Project oject Management a age e t z Managing

an IT project encompasses many tasks: z Identification

of Tasks

z Estimation E tim ti n z Allocation

of Resources

z Scheduling z Monitoring M i i

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Tasks in Project Management Id ntifi ti n off Tasks Identification T k z All

the tasks and deliverables must be identified at a relatively high level of detail. z It is not enough to simply identify the ph phases off th the lif life cycle. l

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Tasks in Project Management E tim ti n Estimation z Each

of the above tasks must be estimated for effort and elapsed time. z The total of the effort estimations is the r ir d b required budget. d t

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Tasks in Project Management All ti n off Resources Allocation R r zA

project team will comprise personnel with different skills and experience. z The right person must be allocated the ri ht ttask. right k

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Tasks in Project Management S h d lin Scheduling Scheduling involves setting up a project timetable which shows when the various activities i i i must take k place. l z Gantt charts are commonly y used to show such activities. z

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Tasks in Project Management M nit rin Monitoring z Work

actually done and targets achieved must be compared against the project plan. plan z This will determine if the project is on schedule or if it is slipping behind. behind ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Problems P ob e s in Systems Syste s Projects P ojects z z

z

Systems development and implementation projects are seldom smooth sailing. A with As i h projects j iin other h iindustries d i or di disciplines, i li project sponsors, leaders and team members often encounter difficulties in their projects. What are some of the p problems or challenges? g z z z

Project Delays Cost Overruns Not Meeting Requirements ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Problems in Systems Projects Pr j t Delays Project D l z This

is a common problem and is due to either an over-optimistic estimation of work (or perhaps where estimation was not even done), done) or lack of anticipation of problems.

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Problems in Systems Projects C t Overruns Cost O rr n Projects often seem to cost more than expected z This is particularly so in in-house development projects. z There are a variety of reasons for this this. z Some of them are that there may not be a proper change h controll procedure, d and d that h many hidden costs are not factored into the original cost calculations. z

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Problems in Systems Projects – N t Meeting Not M tin Requirements R q ir m nt z In

many cases cases, when the finished system product is shown to the user, the latter says: "That's not what I asked for".

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Challenges C a e ges in Systems Syste s Projects P ojects z z z

z

The most obvious aim of any systems project is to ensure that the functional requirements are met. If the system does not even support the business, business then it is of little use. If we were to go beyond b d mere functional f i l compliance, li there are certain qualities or characteristics of systems that h would ld set iit apart as an excellent ll system. What are some of the challenges? z z

Meeting Quality Requirements Strategic Use of Information Technology ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Challenges in Systems Projects M tin Q Meeting Quality lit Requirements R q ir m nt It is sometimes difficult to write quality requirements but important to do so. z If we don don'tt know how to state our vision of a high quality product, how can we communicate this to the systems developers? p z Similarly, systems developers face the challenge of improving p v g the systems y that theyy develop d v p in the area of quality and performance. z With increasing choices available to users, developers must work hard to differentiate their product from others. z

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Challenges in Systems Projects – Strategic Use of Information Technology z Organizations

must learn to use Information Technology in unique and strategic ways. z Instead I t d off just j t automating t m ti labor-intensive l b ri t i work, IT should be used to change the way business is done and thereby win competitive advantage. advantage ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Importance po ta ce of o User Use Participation Pa t c pat o As many employees as possible should be involved at the planning stage of a new information system. z During implementation, implementation all employees, employees and particularly those who are directly involved, should be kept fully informed. z Every individual will want to know how their particular job wouldd be w b affected. d z The champion (usually the manager who initiated the project) should enthusiastically support it and give strong and clear leadership during the planning and implementation p stages. g z

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Organizational O ga at o a Facto Factorss Systems development does not occur in isolation. It takes place in an organizational setting. i z What are some of the organizational g factors which affect system development? z

Type of Business z Corporate Culture z Organizational Structure z The Staff or Departments p Affected z

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Organizational Factors – T p off Business Type B in z Different

industries have their own characteristics and style of working which may have varying types of impact on systems development projects. projects z For

example, work in a hospital environment tends to be very different from that in advertisement.

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Organizational Factors C rp r t C Corporate Culture lt r z Within

a particular firm firm, there may be a strong corporate culture which also influences systems projects. z For

example example, some firms work very much by consensus. In this environment, decisionmaking ki within i hi the h project j may tend d to b be somewhat slow.

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Organizational Factors Or niz ti n l Str Organizational Structure t r z Organizations

which have many hierarchical layers will be more bureaucratic and slower to change. z For

example example, the vision of the CEO may be filtered or diluted before it reaches the d l development project j team.

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Organizational Factors – Th St The Staff ff orr Departments D p rtm nts Affected Aff t d z The

personalities which are involved in or affected by a systems project must be taken into consideration. z Some S m will ill be b very r supportive pp rti while hil others th r will adopt a hands-off approach.

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Environmental v o e ta Factors Facto s Systems development is also affected by the organization's external environment. z Events and trends in business and technology p on the systems y projects. p j will have an impact z What are some of the environmental factors which hi h affect ffe t systems s stems development? de elopment? z

Increasing Competition z Rapid Technological Developments z

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Environmental Factors – In r in C Increasing Competition mp titi n z Global

communications and trade has increased tremendously. z Many companies have branches in many parts of the world and demand that their suppliers be able to service them on a worldwide ld id basis. b i z This means that information systems are correspondingly much more complex. ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Environmental Factors – R pid T Rapid Technological hn l i l D Developments l pm nts z Technology

is changing very rapidly and products are becoming obsolete at a faster rate. z The Th expectation p t ti that th t a system t m would ld last l t for 5 or 10 years no longer holds since improvements in technologies may offer opportunities for enhancements. enhancements ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Information o at o Tec Technology o ogy Management a age e t

U i 22 Unit 22: M Management IIssues

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Business Process Reengineering g g (BPR) ( ) z

z

The fundamental rethinking g and radical redesign of business processes to achieve dramatic i improvements t in i critical iti l contemporary measures of pperformance,, such as cost,, quality, service, and speed The radical redesign of business processes, organizational structures, information systems, and values of the organization to achieve a breakthrough in business results ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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BPR P Principles P c p es z z z z z z z

Organize around outcomes, not tasks. Have those who use the output of the process perform the process. Incorporate information processing work into the real work that produces the raw information. Treat geographically dispersed resources as though they were centralized. Link i k parallel ll l activities i i i instead i d off integrated i d their h i results. l When different P t the Put th decision d i i point i t where h the th workk is i performed, f d andd build control into the process. Capture data once once, at its source source. ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Impact pact on o BPR P z Changing

the way work is done z Impact across multiple departments z May meet resistance

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Impact pact on o BPR P Changing the way work is done z Impact across multiple departments z May meet resistance z

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Outsou c g Outsourcing z z z z z

A relativelyy new phenomenon p in information technology. Another management option to deal with high IT costs. Arose out of management's ' concern that the company should focus on its core competencies. Tried to concentrate their resources on areas where they could add value to the customer. A business issue as much as it is a technical de ision decision. ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Considerations Co s de at o s of o Outsourcing Outsou c g z By

performing these functions for many customers, outsourcing vendors may have more experience doing d the h workk andd greater g qquantityy discounts with abilityy to negotiate hardware & software vendors z Extensive E i outsourcing i off IS activities i i i may mean having a very small IS department limited to developing IS plans and negotiating with outsourcing vendors ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Advantages dva tages of o Outsourcing Outsou c g z

The main advantages in outsourcing parts of the IT departments are: Cost savings as vendor d has economies of scale andd is more efficient. z Service quality may be better z The cost is more p predictable with outsourcingg contract in place z Limited IT resources may be used for more strategic work. z

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Common Cause of System y Quality Q y Problems z Requirements

Gathering z Hardware issues z Capacity requirements z Use of appropriate methodologies z Implementation Impl m nt ti n iissues

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Total Q Qualityy Management g (TQM) ( Q ) z

Total Quality Management (TQM) is a concept that makes quality control a responsibility to be shared h db by allll people l iin an organization. i ti

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Total Q Qualityy Management g (TQM) ( Q ) z

Everyone is expected to contribute to the overall improvement of quality z z z

z

z

The Engineer who avoids design errors The Production Worker who spots defects The Sales Representative who presents the product properly to potential customers The Secretary who avoid typing mistakes

Quality improvements not only raise the level of product and service quality, quality but they also lower costs. ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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TQM vs. BPR TQ P z Total

Quality Management (TQM) is more incremental than Business Process Reengineering (BPR) because b its efforts ff focus makingg a series of continuous improvements rather than dramatic bursts of change. change z Sometimes, however, processes may have to be fully reengineered to achieve a specified level of quality. quality ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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How ISS Contribute Co t bute to TQM? TQ ? z Information

System can help firms achieve their quality goals by helping them Simplify products or processes z Meet benchmarking standards z Make improvements based on customer d demands d z Reduce cycle time z Increase the quality and precision of design and production z

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Software So twa e Liable ab e z

z z

It is very difficult difficult, if not impossible, impossible to hold software producers liable for their software products failure or injury because it is only when software acts as a part of a defective product that strict liability pertains. If the h software f is i strictly i l a service i (not ( part off a product), these laws do not apply. As part of a product, software is still considered to be like books, which historically are protected from liability claims by the First Amendment guaranteeing freedom of expression. ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Information o at o Tec Technology o ogy Management a age e t

U i 19 Unit 19: Th The IT Department D

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Functions Fu ct o s of o IT T Department epa t e t z Systems

Development z Operations Equipment Operations z Production Support z

z Technical

Support

End-User E d U services i z Systems Programming z Database Administration z

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Systemss Development Syste eve op e t z The Th

purpose off the th systems t development d l t p new applications pp function is to develop and to maintain existing ones. z The Th systems developer d l has h to analyze l the h application pp area,, determine its requirements, and design and program the actual computer-based computer based information system system. ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Ope at o s Operations z There Th r

iis m much h lless abstraction b tr ti n in involved l d when h n organizing the operational function for a data-processing installation. z The computer and associated machines must be fun, and someone must schedule this; essentially, that is the mission of operations. Equipment Operations z Production Support z

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

74

Equipment qu p e t Operations Ope at o s z

z z

Equipment operations means running the machine and its peripheral equipment, keeping the printer supplied li d with i h paper, mounting i magnetic i tape onto magnetic tape drives, and monitoring the computer's ' console. l In most installations data p preparation p is also one of the responsibilities of operations. Since computer operations often run two or three shifts, organization into these shifts is a key feature. ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

75

Production P oduct o Support Suppo t z Production

support schedules the running of the computer center and controls jobs ( (programs) ) in i terms off priorities, i i i based b d p when output p is required. q upon z In these respects, the manager of computer operations will be implementing the policies set by the data processing i installation ll i manager. ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

76

Technical Tec ca Support Suppo t z This

part of a computer center is meant to support both systems development and operations i ffunctions. i z Technical support is divided into these key areas: z End-User E dU

SServices i z Systems Programming z Database Administration ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

77

End-User d Use Se Services v ces z Personnel P l

in i this thi group help h l users gain i p facilities, access to computer-center conduct training courses, and troubleshoot when users have problems with their computer support.

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

78

Systemss Programming Syste P og a g z Here H

personnell iinstall t ll the th computer's t ' p g system, y tailor it and maintain it, operating and improve the efficiency of application programs. programs

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Database atabase Administration d st at o The skill of setting up and administering the organization's data base falls to this group. z It is multifaceted assignment, which includes establishing estab s g the t e logical og ca data requirements equ e e ts of o the t e enterprise; setting up the data base; controlling security and providing backup to the data; and helping the systems development staff use the d iin ddesigning data i i computer-based b d iinformation f i systems. z

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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The Information Center Approach pp It is necessary to The most common approach to the management of End User Computing (EUC) is the Information Center (IC) which formalize the support to be provided by users. z The Th IC iis a unit i within i hi the h IT D Department which is specifically responsible for the EUC support. z By y providing p g dedicated support pp personnel p with a separate budget, focused attention is ensured. z

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Roles o es of o an a Information o at o Ce Center te z Advice Ad i

and dC Consultancy lt z Training z Procurement z Define Standards

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Roles of an Information Center Ad i and Advice nd C Consultancy n lt n z z

z z

Many IC are set up like a typical computer store. store A user talk to the center consultant about computing needs a product manager may also be involved if the needs, hardware or software requirements of the user go beyond y the consultant's expertise. p Many IC run a hotline service to help end-users with problems once an application p pp is up p and running. g Some centers will audit end-user applications on a regular g basis to ensure that theyy are workingg the wayy they are supposed to. ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

83

Roles of an Information Center Tr inin Training z

z z

Many end-users end users needing knowledge about computer technology to do their jobs more effectively training has become a major priority effectively, and a major expenses. IC training can be provided on an individual, department wide, or company-wide basis. Training may be directed to a specific need or a specific application (such as training the purchasing department to use Excel to store and access purchasing records) ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

84

Roles of an Information Center Pr r m nt Procurement Since the user or department will often acquire the computing resources from its own budget, and not that of the MIS department the center has little control over the final choices made d by b the h user. z Freedom of selection notwithstanding, the user must take into account the fact that the center can, can realistically, realistically support only a finite number of products. z If the center supports only Microsoft Office, Office and the user wants Next Office, the user must bear complete responsibility for training, advising, and dealing with any problems that might later arise. z It would be desirable for the IC to be part of the evaluation committee for the acquisition of EUC products. z

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Roles of an Information Center D fin Standards Define St nd rd z The

Information Center should evaluate user needs and arrive at a set of packaged software f for f each h type off EUC C processing. i

ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Advantages dva tages and a d Disadvantages sadva tages z

z

The IC approach pp enables users to retain the autonomyy to care for their own needs. Most end-users operate under normal budgetary g y constraints and are motivated to spend funds wisely. If properly managed, the IC provides some control over the unbridled p p proliferation of end-user systems. Some users may resent not having the complete freedom to buy nay kind of software or hardware as they see it. There will be some conflict of interests between the objectives of the Information Centre and those of any individual user. ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Thee Emergence T e ge ce of o the t e CIO CO z The Th

Chi Chieff IInformation f ti Officers Offi (CIO) is i a senior manager who takes part in business strategy formulation and who can ensure that the information strategy fits into and complements the overall business strategy. z This is reflective of the growing recognition p of information in the of the importance pursuit of the company's strategic goals. ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Responsibilities espo s b t es of o the t e CIO CO z The Th

Chi Chieff Information I f ti Officer Offi (CIO) is i the top p executive in charge g of information technology and its usage. z The Th main i responsibilities ibili i off the h CIO are described below : z Strategic

Use of IT z Information Management z Traditional Management Functions ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Responsibilities of the CIO Str t i Use Strategic U off IT z The Th

CIO mustt id identify tif ways in i which hi h information and information technology gy are able to support the company's strategic plans. plans z This can include supporting pp gap particular business activity, to actually developing a new information-based i f r ti b d pr product d t fforr customers. ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Responsibilities of the CIO Inf rm ti n M Information Management n m nt z Information I f ti

is i an important i t t resource andd especially p y so in organizations g which are information intensive. z The Th management off information i f i flows, fl processingg and p p presentation is an important responsibility of the CIO.

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Responsibilities of the CIO Tr diti n l M Traditional Management n m nt F Functions n ti ns z The Th

usuall managementt ffunctions ti are also l the th responsibilities of the CIO. z These include budgeting and staffing of the IT department department. z There will always y be competing p g demands on the IT resources and the CIO must establish the priorities of the IT staff and allocate resources to areas that are more important. ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Information o at o Tec Technology o ogy Management a age e t

Unit 20: Information System y Planningg

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What is an Information Systems Pl nnin (ISP)? Planning z

z

z

With the advent of strategic systems, systems information systems planning took on new dimensions and required new linkages with corporate strategic planning. planning Mangers have had to become aware that uses of computers can have h significant i ifi effects ff on their h i organization's competitive position, and that i f information i systems planning l i needs d to be b coupled l d more closely with the goals of the organization. In fact, information systems planning, or lack of it, can now affect business plans. ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Information Systems y Planningg (ISP) ( ) The long term-term term term planning for computerized information systems in order to meet corporate objectives. z Cater for different corporate objectives, objectives from introducing word processing and other office automation products, to supporting competitive measure to win greater market share. z

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Contents Co te ts of o an a ISP SP z The Th

IInformation f ti Systems S t Plan Pl (ISP) will ill typically yp y contain the followingg sections: z Corporate

Strategy z Information I f i Requirements R i z Current IT Installation z IT Action Plan

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Contents of an ISP – C rp r t Str Corporate Strategy t z The Th

main i points i t off the th corporate t strategy t t over the next 5 yyears will be outlined. z These will be broken down into specific corporate actions i which hi h may or may not pp y for IT involvement. be an opportunity

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Contents of an ISP Inf rm ti n R Information Requirements q ir m nt z Future F t

information i f ti needs d off the th organization g will be described here. z This will be based on the corporate strategy and d other h organizational i i l p ((e.g. g expected p merger g or developments acquisitions).

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Contents of an ISP C rr nt IT In Current Installation t ll ti n z The Th

existing i ti IT hardware, h d software ft andd communications p platforms will be described here. In addition, the existing staff and skill levels should also be included.

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Contents of an ISP IT Action A ti n Plan Pl n z This Thi

section ti ddescribes ib the th overallll vision i i off how IT systems y would look like in 3 years y time. z It I also l prescribes ib yearly l targets to move p towards the ggoal. the IT setup z These in turn will be translated into specific projects and actions. ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Applications pp cat o s Backlog ac og Each project have been initiated with a project request. z IT Steering S i Committee C i ddecides id which hi h projects j are to be approved. z At any one time, certain applications development projects would have been completed, others would be on-going while the rest would not have started yet. z The e applications pp c o s portfolio po o o o or p project ojec po portfolio o o iss thee list of all application projects that are in the approved plan for next year, plus ongoing projects. z

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Applications pp cat o s Backlog ac og (co (cont’) t) Some companies practice a yearly evaluation of project requests to decide, give the limited resources andd the h corporate strategic i objectives, bj i which projects will proceed in the following year. z To assist in the decision decision-making making, the costcost justification is performed with financial ratios lik payback like b k andd Return R t on Investment I t t (ROI) being used to assist in the ranking. z

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Information o at o Tec Technology o ogy Management a age e t

U i 21 Unit 21: P Project j Management M

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Taskss in P Tas Project oject Management a age e t z Managing

an IT project encompasses many tasks: z Identification

of Tasks

z Estimation E tim ti n z Allocation

of Resources

z Scheduling z Monitoring M i i

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Tasks in Project Management Id ntifi ti n off Tasks Identification T k z All

the tasks and deliverables must be identified at a relatively high level of detail. z It is not enough to simply identify the ph phases off th the lif life cycle. l

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Tasks in Project Management E tim ti n Estimation z Each

of the above tasks must be estimated for effort and elapsed time. z The total of the effort estimations is the r ir d b required budget. d t

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Tasks in Project Management All ti n off Resources Allocation R r zA

project team will comprise personnel with different skills and experience. z The right person must be allocated the ri ht ttask. right k

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Tasks in Project Management S h d lin Scheduling Scheduling involves setting up a project timetable which shows when the various activities i i i must take k place. l z Gantt charts are commonly y used to show such activities. z

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Tasks in Project Management M nit rin Monitoring z Work

actually done and targets achieved must be compared against the project plan. plan z This will determine if the project is on schedule or if it is slipping behind. behind ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Problems P ob e s in Systems Syste s Projects P ojects z z

z

Systems development and implementation projects are seldom smooth sailing. A with As i h projects j iin other h iindustries d i or di disciplines, i li project sponsors, leaders and team members often encounter difficulties in their projects. What are some of the p problems or challenges? g z z z

Project Delays Cost Overruns Not Meeting Requirements ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Problems in Systems Projects Pr j t Delays Project D l z This

is a common problem and is due to either an over-optimistic estimation of work (or perhaps where estimation was not even done), done) or lack of anticipation of problems.

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Problems in Systems Projects C t Overruns Cost O rr n Projects often seem to cost more than expected z This is particularly so in in-house development projects. z There are a variety of reasons for this this. z Some of them are that there may not be a proper change h controll procedure, d and d that h many hidden costs are not factored into the original cost calculations. z

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Problems in Systems Projects – N t Meeting Not M tin Requirements R q ir m nt z In

many cases cases, when the finished system product is shown to the user, the latter says: "That's not what I asked for".

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Challenges C a e ges in Systems Syste s Projects P ojects z z z

z

The most obvious aim of any systems project is to ensure that the functional requirements are met. If the system does not even support the business, business then it is of little use. If we were to go beyond b d mere functional f i l compliance, li there are certain qualities or characteristics of systems that h would ld set iit apart as an excellent ll system. What are some of the challenges? z z

Meeting Quality Requirements Strategic Use of Information Technology ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Challenges in Systems Projects M tin Q Meeting Quality lit Requirements R q ir m nt It is sometimes difficult to write quality requirements but important to do so. z If we don don'tt know how to state our vision of a high quality product, how can we communicate this to the systems developers? p z Similarly, systems developers face the challenge of improving p v g the systems y that theyy develop d v p in the area of quality and performance. z With increasing choices available to users, developers must work hard to differentiate their product from others. z

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Challenges in Systems Projects – Strategic Use of Information Technology z Organizations

must learn to use Information Technology in unique and strategic ways. z Instead I t d off just j t automating t m ti labor-intensive l b ri t i work, IT should be used to change the way business is done and thereby win competitive advantage. advantage ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Importance po ta ce of o User Use Participation Pa t c pat o As many employees as possible should be involved at the planning stage of a new information system. z During implementation, implementation all employees, employees and particularly those who are directly involved, should be kept fully informed. z Every individual will want to know how their particular job wouldd be w b affected. d z The champion (usually the manager who initiated the project) should enthusiastically support it and give strong and clear leadership during the planning and implementation p stages. g z

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Organizational O ga at o a Facto Factorss Systems development does not occur in isolation. It takes place in an organizational setting. i z What are some of the organizational g factors which affect system development? z

Type of Business z Corporate Culture z Organizational Structure z The Staff or Departments p Affected z

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Organizational Factors – T p off Business Type B in z Different

industries have their own characteristics and style of working which may have varying types of impact on systems development projects. projects z For

example, work in a hospital environment tends to be very different from that in advertisement.

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Organizational Factors C rp r t C Corporate Culture lt r z Within

a particular firm firm, there may be a strong corporate culture which also influences systems projects. z For

example example, some firms work very much by consensus. In this environment, decisionmaking ki within i hi the h project j may tend d to b be somewhat slow.

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Organizational Factors Or niz ti n l Str Organizational Structure t r z Organizations

which have many hierarchical layers will be more bureaucratic and slower to change. z For

example example, the vision of the CEO may be filtered or diluted before it reaches the d l development project j team.

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Organizational Factors – Th St The Staff ff orr Departments D p rtm nts Affected Aff t d z The

personalities which are involved in or affected by a systems project must be taken into consideration. z Some S m will ill be b very r supportive pp rti while hil others th r will adopt a hands-off approach.

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Environmental v o e ta Factors Facto s Systems development is also affected by the organization's external environment. z Events and trends in business and technology p on the systems y projects. p j will have an impact z What are some of the environmental factors which hi h affect ffe t systems s stems development? de elopment? z

Increasing Competition z Rapid Technological Developments z

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Environmental Factors – In r in C Increasing Competition mp titi n z Global

communications and trade has increased tremendously. z Many companies have branches in many parts of the world and demand that their suppliers be able to service them on a worldwide ld id basis. b i z This means that information systems are correspondingly much more complex. ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Environmental Factors – R pid T Rapid Technological hn l i l D Developments l pm nts z Technology

is changing very rapidly and products are becoming obsolete at a faster rate. z The Th expectation p t ti that th t a system t m would ld last l t for 5 or 10 years no longer holds since improvements in technologies may offer opportunities for enhancements. enhancements ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Information o at o Tec Technology o ogy Management a age e t

U i 22 Unit 22: M Management IIssues

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Business Process Reengineering g g (BPR) ( ) z

z

The fundamental rethinking g and radical redesign of business processes to achieve dramatic i improvements t in i critical iti l contemporary measures of performance,, such as cost,, qquality, p y, service, and speed The radical redesign of business processes, organizational structures, information systems, and values of the organization to achieve a breakthrough in business results ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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BPR P Principles P c p es z z z z z z z

Organize around outcomes, not tasks. Have those who use the output of the process perform the process. Incorporate information processing work into the real work that produces the raw information. Treat geographically dispersed resources as though they were centralized. Link i k parallel ll l activities i i i instead i d off integrated i d their h i results. l When different P t the Put th decision d i i point i t where h the th workk is i performed, f d andd build control into the process. Capture data once once, at its source source. ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Impact pact on o BPR P z Changing

the way work is done z Impact across multiple departments z May meet resistance

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Impact pact on o BPR P Changing the way work is done z Impact across multiple departments z May meet resistance z

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Outsou c g Outsourcing z z z z z

A relativelyy new phenomenon p in information technology. Another management option to deal with high IT costs. Arose out of management's ' concern that the company should focus on its core competencies. Tried to concentrate their resources on areas where they could add value to the customer. A business issue as much as it is a technical de ision decision. ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Considerations Co s de at o s of o Outsourcing Outsou c g z By

performing these functions for many customers, outsourcing vendors may have more experience doing d the h workk andd greater g qquantityy discounts with abilityy to negotiate hardware & software vendors z Extensive E i outsourcing i off IS activities i i i may mean having a very small IS department limited to developing IS plans and negotiating with outsourcing vendors ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Advantages dva tages of o Outsourcing Outsou c g z

The main advantages in outsourcing parts of the IT departments are: Cost savings as vendor d has economies of scale andd is more efficient. z Service quality may be better z The cost is more p predictable with outsourcingg contract in place z Limited IT resources may be used for more strategic work. z

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Common Cause of System y Quality Q y Problems z Requirements

Gathering z Hardware issues z Capacity requirements z Use of appropriate methodologies z Implementation Impl m nt ti n iissues

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Total Q Qualityy Management g (TQM) ( Q ) z

Total Quality Management (TQM) is a concept that makes quality control a responsibility to be shared h db by allll people l iin an organization. i ti

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Total Q Qualityy Management g (TQM) ( Q ) z

Everyone is expected to contribute to the overall improvement of quality z z z

z

z

The Engineer who avoids design errors The Production Worker who spots defects The Sales Representative who presents the product properly to potential customers The Secretary who avoid typing mistakes

Quality improvements not only raise the level of product and service quality, quality but they also lower costs. ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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TQM vs. BPR TQ P z Total

Quality Management (TQM) is more incremental than Business Process Reengineering (BPR) because b its efforts ff focus makingg a series of continuous improvements rather than dramatic bursts of change. change z Sometimes, however, processes may have to be fully reengineered to achieve a specified level of quality. quality ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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How ISS Contribute Co t bute to TQM? TQ ? z Information

System can help firms achieve their quality goals by helping them Simplify products or processes z Meet benchmarking standards z Make improvements based on customer d demands d z Reduce cycle time z Increase the quality and precision of design and production z

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Software So twa e Liable ab e z

z z

It is very difficult difficult, if not impossible, impossible to hold software producers liable for their software products failure or injury because it is only when software acts as a part of a defective product that strict liability pertains. If the h software f is i strictly i l a service i (not ( part off a product), these laws do not apply. As part of a product, software is still considered to be like books, which historically are protected from liability claims by the First Amendment guaranteeing freedom of expression. ITM Lecture 7 Advanced Diploma (Thames College)

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Questions & Discussion

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