IS300 [Chapter 13]

1. automation

2. rationalization

3. business process redesign

4. paradigm shifts

What are the 4 kinds of structural organizational changes that are enabled by IT?

Automation

Using information technology to assist employees with performing their tasks more efficiently and effectively

Rationalization of procedures

The streamlining of standard operating procedures.

Total quality management (TQM)

A concept that makes achieving quality an end in itself and a responsibility shared by all people and functions within an organization.

Six Sigma

A specific measure of quality, representing 3.4 defects per million opportunities; used to designate a set of methodologies and techniques for improving quality and reducing costs.

Business process redesign (BPR)

Type of organizational change in which business processes are analyzed, simplified, and redesigned.

Paradigm shift

Radical form of organizational change that involves the nature of the business and the nature of the organization.

Business process management (BPM)

Tools and methodologies to analyze existing processes, design new processes, and optimize those processes.

1. identify processes for change

2. analyze existing processes

3. design the new process

4. implement the new process

5. continuous measurement

What are the 5 steps for Business Process Management (BPM)?

Identify processes for change (1/5)

understanding which business processes need improvement

Analyze existing processes (2/5)

existing business processes should be modeled and documented, noting inputs, outputs, resources, and the sequence of activities

Design new process (3/5)

process design team will try to improve the process by designing a new one

Implement the new process (4/5)

Once the new process has been thoroughly modeled and analyzed, it must be translated into a new set of procedures and work rules

Continuous measurement (5/5)

Once a process has been implemented and optimized, it needs to be continually measured. Because processes may deteriorate over time as employees fall back on old methods, or they may lose their effectiveness if the business experiences other changes.

Process mining

Analyzes data from a company’s event logs to identify problems with processes and figure out ways to streamline them.

Systems development

The activities that go into producing an information systems solution to an organizational problem or opportunity.

Systems analysis

The analysis of a problem that the organization will try to solve with an information system.

Feasibility study

Conducted as part of the systems analysis process to determine whether the solution is achievable, given the organization’s resources and constraints.

Information requirements

A detailed statement of the information needs that a new system must satisfy; identifies who needs what information, and when, where, and how the information is needed.

Systems design

Details how a system will meet the information requirements identified by the systems analysis

Programming

The process of translating the system specifications prepared during the design stage into software program code.

Testing

Process that determines whether the system produces the desired results under known conditions.

1. unit testing

2. system testing

3. acceptance testing

What 3 types of activities are used to test an IS?

Unit testing (program testing)

The process of testing each program separately in the system.

System testing

Tests the functioning of the information system as a whole in order to determine if discrete modules will function together as planned.

Acceptance testing

Provides the final certification that the system is ready to be used in a production setting.

Test plan

Prepared by the development team in conjunction with the users; it includes all of the preparations for the series of tests to be performed on the system.

Conversion

The process of changing from the old system to the new system.

1. the parallel strategy

2. the direct cutover strategy

3. the pilot study strategy

4. phased approach strategy

What are the 4 main conversion strategies?

Parallel strategy

A safe and conservative conversion approach where both the old system and its potential replacement are run together for a time until everyone is assured that the new one functions correctly.

Direct cutover strategy

A risky conversion approach where the new system completely replaces the old one on an appointed day.

Pilot study strategy

A conversion strategy in which the new system is introduced to a limited area of the organization until it is proven to be fully functional; only then does the conversion to the new system take place across the entire organization.

Phased approach strategy

A conversion strategy in which the new system is introduced in stages, either by functions or by organizational units.

Documentation

Descriptions of how an information system works from both a technical and end-user standpoint.

Production

The stage after the new system is installed and the conversion is complete; during this time the system is reviewed by users and technical specialists to determine how well it has met its original goals and whether any revisions or modifications are required.

Post-implementation audit

Formal review process conducted after a system has been placed in production to determine how well the system has met its original objectives.

Maintenance

Changes in hardware, software, documentation, or procedures to a production system to correct errors, meet new requirements, or improve processing efficiency.

Systems development life cycle (SDLC)

A traditional method for building information systems; involves using a phased approach to building a system, dividing systems development into a series of sequential formal stages: systems analysis, systems design, programming, testing, conversion, and production and maintenance.

Prototyping

The process of building an experimental system quickly and inexpensively for demonstration and evaluation so that users can better determine information requirements.

Prototype

The preliminary working version of an information system for demonstration and evaluation purposes.

1. identify the user’s basic requirements

2. develop an initial prototype

3. use the prototype

4. revise and enhance the prototype

What is the 4-step model of the prototyping process?

Iterative approach

A process of repeating the steps to build a system over and over, with each version more accurately reflecting user requirements.

End-user interface

The part of an information system with which the end user interacts, such as online display and data entry screens and commands.

Customization

The modification of a commercial software package to meet an organization’s unique requirements without destroying the package software’s integrity.

Request for proposal (RFP)

A detailed list of questions submitted to vendors of software or other services to determine how well the vendor’s product can meet the organization’s specific requirements.

Offshore outsourcing

Outsourcing systems development work or maintenance of existing systems to external vendors outside of the United States.

Object-oriented design (OOD)

Uses an object as the basic unit of systems analysis and design.

Object

Software building block that combines data and the procedures acting on the data.

Rapid application development (RAD)

Process for developing workable systems in a very short time period with some flexibility to adapt as the project evolves; includes use of visual programming and other tools for building graphical user interfaces, iterative prototyping, automation of program code generation, and close teamwork among end users and information systems specialists.

Joint application development (JAD)

Methodology to ensure that the client, consumer, IT specialists, and stakeholders are all involved in designing and developing a technology application.

Agile development

Rapid delivery of working software by breaking a large project into a series of small sub-projects that are completed in short periods of time using iteration and continuous feedback.

DevOps

Organizational strategy to create a culture and environment to promote rapid and agile development practices by emphasizing close collaboration between software developers and the IT operational staff. Stands for “development and operations”.

Low-code development

Software development approach that enables the delivery of applications faster and with minimal hand coding.

No-code development

Involves using tools that enable the creation of software without having to write any program code.

Citizen developer

Business user who builds new applications or modifies existing ones to create applications of their own with IT approval or with minimal help from IT staff.

AI as a Service (AIaaS)

Cloud-based machine learning platform that offers scalable infrastructure and pre-built tools and frameworks for AI model development.

Mobile website

Version of a regular website that is scaled down in content and navigation for easy access and search on a small mobile screen.

Native app

Standalone application designed to operate using a specific mobile operating system and device.

Mobile web app

An Internet-enabled application with specific functionality for mobile devices and which is designed to be accessed via the mobile device’s web browser.

Hybrid app

Mobile application that has many features of both a native app and mobile web app.

Responsive web design (RWD)

Ability of a website to automatically change screen resolution and image size as a user switches to devices of different sizes, such as a laptop, tablet computer, or smartphone. Eliminates the need for separate design and development work for each new device.

Adaptive web design (AWD)

Techniques that enable a server hosting a website to detect the attributes of the device making the request for service and load a version of the site optimized for the device; offers faster load times and typically a better user experience.