MD703: Computer Information Systems

1
MD703 Computer Information Systems

• Goals
• Logistics
• Teams and Projects
• Class Organization
• Technical Topic Application Development
• Case Analysis Strategy

2
Goals

• 1)Management understanding of key technical
  principles, ideas and products (via tech talks)
• 2)Management of IT resources and staff (via text
  chapters)
• 3)Experiences in implementing IT projects (via
  text cases)
• 4)Presentation Experience
• Classes are divided between the 1st three topics

3
Logistics

• Schedule
• Assessment
• Web Page
• Text
• Office Hours
• Project Teams
• Case Discussions

4
Project Topics

• RFID
• Web Services/SOA
• Sarbanes-Oxley
• Blade Servers, Virtual Computing
• SPAM Issue Management
• WiFi/Mobile computing/IM
• Teleconferencing
• IPv6
• VoIP
• XML

5
Application Development Principles

• System Development Life Cycle
• Steps
• Methods
• Application Hosting Environment
• Functional Tiers
• Infrastructure Levels
• Phases of technology Assimilation

6
Application Development Life Cycle
Monitor
Analysis
Build/Buy
Design
Implement
7
Methods for Applying SDLC

• Classic Model
• Static environment
• Minimal unknowns
• Rapid Application Design
• Delivery in stages
• Fast to Production
• Prototyping
• Focus on presentation, not process
• Customer-based apps

8
Analysis Basics

• Focus on business need, not technology
• Entity-relationship Diagrams for data
• Dataflow diagrams for logic
• Define Scope
• Define Success

9
Design Basics

• Focus on the solution, blueprint
• Considers environmental factors
• Enterprise standards
• Staff talents, availability
• Data-centric Normalization
• Process-centric Flowchart / Pseudo-code
• Combining the two Objects

10
Build / Buy Issues

• Current move to buy and integrate
• Build only where control, differentiation are key
• All applications must coordinate upwards and to
  peer applications
• Trade off of ability to maintain versus control
  over maintenance
• Exception handling is 80 of work
• Workflow is often the major issue

11
Implementation Issues

• Process Changes
• Training, reward mechanism
• Business process change must accompany technology
  change
• Data lifespan includes creation, operational use,
  analytical use, archiving

12
Monitor / Measurement

• Baseline Statistics
• Aggregate good news, detail bad news
• Compare to Analysis goals
• Basis for upgrade, acceptance

13
Tiers
Presentation
Logic
Storage
Network
Client
Server
14
4-Tier Model
Web Server
Client (Browser)
Jolt
DBMS Storage
Application Server
15
Application Development Environment
Network
Servers
Operating System/Subsystems
Common System Utilities
Common Business Code
Application Specific Code
16
Phases of Technology Assimilation

• Identify
• What technical abilities are required?
• Learn
• How do they work?
• Control
• How will we use them?
• Distribute
• Commit to the new technology!

17
Chapter 1 Review

• Management evolution to governance
• Organizational Use of IS
• Evolution of the service provided
• Evolution of the IT mechanics

18
Case Analysis Strategy

• Scope
• Data vs Process
• Strategy vs Tactics
• What has to be done vs how
• Efficiency vs Flexibility
• Parallels investment strategies
• Excellence vs Satisficing
• Elasticity of return
• Adherence to phases of technology assimilation
• Is IT incorporated into business practices

19
Scope Discussion

• What are the weaknesses of providing technical
  solutions
• Overly centralized
• Overly distributed
• Provide an example to match each observation.