Information Technology Management

1
Information Technology Management
Week 7 session 2
The Information Centre - an approach to IRM
2
The Information Centre
A dedicated resource established to promote
and support the use of personal computing to
assure optimal utilisation of Information
Technology throughout the enterprise.
( IBM definition )
3
The ISD/End User Relationship

• The ISD is a service organisation that manages
  the IT infrastructure needed for end-user
  applications
• The ISD is frequently slow and cumbersome to
  develop applications
• End users are frequently too impatient to wait
  for conventional systems development
• End users will therefore buy hardware and
  software to overcome development problems
• This approach frequently creates more problems
  than it solves.

4
Information Centre

• IS CREATED TO
• to overcome the problems outlined earlier
• provide assistance to users in dealing with
  computing problems
• provide general technical assistance
• provide general support assistance

5
The purpose of an IC

• To provide help, training and assistance to users
• To provide tools to be used by users to build
  their own systems
• To provide ISD staff to prototype applications so
  as to determine requirements for full system
  development
• To provide ISD staff to develop systems more
  quickly than could be done by conventional means

6
Services provided by an IC

• consultancy
• training
• help-desk
• access to corporate information
• decision support services
• executive support services
• marketing of personal computing
• product support of hardware and software
• trial and evaluation support
• application development in personal computing
• library and newsletter services

7
Information Centre Activities (1)

• END USER COMPUTING.
• Training and education
• Assisting in application development
• Identifying network requirements
• Determining feasibility of applications
• Facilitating access to shared data resources

8
Information Centre Activities (2)

• PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
• Directing security and control issues
• Providing guidance to select hardware and
  software
• Helping to evaluate and select software
• Assisting in using query and report software
• Establishing recovery, backup archiving
  procedures for data

9
Information Centre Activities (3)

• GENERAL SUPPORT SERVICES
• Disseminating information on relevant issues
• Providing a hot-line and a help desk service
• Chairing user group meetings on a regular and hot
  line basis.

10
Types of end-user

• The established user who wants to embark on a new
  project
• The new user who has a problem to solve, but is
  not sure how to go about it
• The meddler - the user who had a go, messed it
  all up and called for help as a last resort.

11
Suitability of applications for end-user
development
If the application is - critical to the
companys business or interfaces with a
production system or requires stringent auditing
and security then approval must be through I.T.
management channels else it may be considered
for end-user development
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Setting up an I C (1)

• Determine the information needs of the
  organisation
• Get board level approval and commitment
• Perform company education
• Evaluate existing computer tools
• Analyse resources required and available
• Determine
• HR
• capital outlay
• time

13
Setting up an IC (2)

• Evaluate tools to solve special problems
• Reorganise departments
• Determine KPFs
• Complete full plan
• aim
• goals
• strategy
• action programmes
• appraisal
• monitoring

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Criteria to establish the suitability of users

• Can users develop the application themselves ?
• Are users willing to undergo the appropriate
  training ?
• Do users understand the effort involved ?
• Do users have the necessary resources and skills
  ?
• Do users understand the security issues
  associated with the proposed application ?

15
End User Computing at H.D.B. in Singapore(1)

• Introduced an end user support unit that
  co-ordinates Q.A., data administration and office
  support systems
• Introduced an end user training and development
  unit to give training and certification in IS
  software packages
• Provided high priority and visibility to end user
  computing
• Set up a conflict resolution team to resolve
  end-user/ISD conflicts
• Developed a malfunction recovery plan to minimise
  down time when a system fails

16
End User Computing at H.D.B. in Singapore(2)

• Trained ISD employees to understand the business
• Empowered ISD employees to make on the spot
  decisions to minimise interference and delays to
  end users
• Recognised the CIO as a member of the top
  executive organisation team
• Established a steering committee, and IC and
  service level agreements.

17
Reading

• Information Technology for Management - Chapter
  15 Managing Information Resources and Security
  pp 656 to 667
• Look at references and bibliography for this
  chapter
• Computing Press read it