BUS 375 - Managing Information Systems

What are the three core activities involved in systems analysis?

Understanding the current business problem, determining system requirements/constraints/needs, and generating systems analysis reports.

What is the primary purpose of strategy analysis in the context of business systems?

To define the most effective way to apply an enterprise's capabilities to reach a desired set of goals and objectives.

What are the four ways to close gaps between functional capabilities and current state assets?

Configuration, enhancement, customization, or replacement.

What is the 'honourary' ility in systems analysis?

Performance, specifically defined by throughput and response time.

What role do Causal Loop Diagrams (CLDs) play in strategy alignment?

They are dynamic models used to visualize behavior over time and test the impact of various strategic interventions.

List four ways to achieve gap closure in a dynamic strategy model.

Increase functional scope budget, decrease functional scope, decrease strategy, or upgrade current state assets and capabilities.

What is the primary focus of IT Operations (IT Ops)?

Supporting end-users, handling incidents, maintaining performance, managing computing assets, and ensuring security/compliance.

What is the difference between an incident and a problem in ITIL?

An incident is an unplanned interruption or reduction in quality of a service; a problem is the underlying cause of one or more incidents.

What is the purpose of Problem Management in ITIL?

To use root cause analysis to identify the underlying cause of incidents.

What is the role of Configuration Management?

It serves as the knowledge base for current state capabilities and assets.

What are 'archetypes' in systems thinking?

Frequently reoccurring structures or patterns of behavior within a system.

What is the 'Limits to Success' archetype?

A system structure where an initial period of success is eventually constrained by a limiting factor, causing performance to plateau or decline.

What is the definition of Enterprise Architecture (EA)?

The conceptual blueprint that defines the structure and operation of an organization, often guided by frameworks like TOGAF.

What does EITA stand for in the context of Enterprise Architecture?

Enterprise IT Architecture, which is the EA plan developed for a specific company.

What are the four major influences on enterprise architecture practice?

Business context, operational environment, technology context, and technology trends.

According to Donella Meadows, what is the most powerful leverage point for systems change?

The power to transcend paradigms.

What is the purpose of the Business Model Canvas (BMC) in systems analysis?

To map how IS/IT and business initiatives impact various segments of the organization's business model.

What is the 'Service Desk' in ITIL terminology?

The visible part of the IT operations iceberg, responsible for handling incidents and service requests.

What does the 'reach and range' of IT/IS refer to?

The constraints on how far and how broadly an organization can apply its capabilities to achieve strategy alignment.

What is the primary goal of IT Service Management (ITSM)?

To align the delivery of IT services with the needs of the business, ensuring value through people, processes, technology, and governance.

What is the significance of the '12 Leverage Points' for systems change?

They provide a hierarchy of places to intervene in a complex system, ranging from low-impact parameter changes to high-impact paradigm shifts.

What does 'Dancing With Systems' imply for a systems thinker?

It suggests a mindset of humility, continuous learning, exposing mental models, and focusing on the good of the whole rather than just quantifiable metrics.

What is the relationship between ITIL and ITSM?

ITIL is the core process framework used to implement and manage IT Service Management (ITSM).

Why are 'system quality attributes' (the 'ilities') important in systems analysis?

They constrain the reach and range of a system and determine the degree of strategy alignment that is realistically achievable.

What is a primary business advantage of a centralized architecture?

It provides a single source of truth for analysis and reporting, ensuring greater consistency across the enterprise.

What is a key business advantage of a federated architecture?

It allows for greater business autonomy and performance scalability, as it does not rely on a single large platform.

In Causal Loop Diagrams (CLDs), what do reinforcing loops represent?

They represent processes that cause exponential growth or decay.

In Causal Loop Diagrams (CLDs), what do balancing loops represent?

They represent goal-seeking behavior.

What type of system behavior results from combining balancing and reinforcing loops?

S-shaped behavior.

Why do delays in a system cause oscillation?

Because of the time lag between cause and effect, which can lead to incorrect forecasting and over-correction.

What are the four 'giants' of digital transformation?

Semiconductors, lithography, bandwidth, and energy.

What is the 'mega-giant' that supports the four giants of digital transformation?

Mining (silicon, copper, lithium, rare earths).

What does the acronym VUCA stand for in the context of MIS?

Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity.

What is the primary goal of the new IS operating model?

To deliver value through design and systems thinking, shifting from 'plan-build-run' to 'innovate-design-transform'.

How is loop polarity determined in a Causal Loop Diagram?

By comparing the direction of change from the first variable to the last; same direction equals reinforcing (+), opposite direction equals balancing (-).

What are the two components of a business model?

Operating segments (which create value) and business segments (which monetize value).

What is the purpose of Enterprise IS Architecture (EISA)?

It links business strategy to IS execution by mapping strategy to capability and asset roadmaps.

What is the definition of a business model?

The system for capturing value.

Why is 'Shadow IT' considered essential in the digital age?

It is supported as part of the innovation process, allowing for agility and experimentation outside of traditional IT constraints.

How does the Cynefin framework relate to VUCA?

It helps navigate complexity by identifying 'unknown unknowns' and moving systems toward a 'complicated' state through systems thinking.

What is the role of the knowledge worker in the Fourth Industrial Revolution?

They are central to the co-evolved IS, acting as strategic partners rather than just order takers.

What is the primary difference between a centralized and federated security model?

Centralized architectures offer a simpler security model, whereas federated architectures prioritize autonomy and best-of-breed system functionality.

What does 'Infrastructure as a Commodity' refer to in modern IT?

The shift toward Everything as a Service (*aaS), moving away from owning and managing all underlying hardware.

How should causal analysis be started in a CLD?

It must start with a loop variable, not an exogenous variable.

What is the relationship between strategy and planning according to Dwight D. Eisenhower?

Plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.

What does 'co-evolved IS' mean?

It means Information Systems are no longer just order takers but have become strategic partners that evolve alongside the business.

What is the main benefit of having sources of truth close to the source in a federated architecture?

It maximizes the use of best-of-breed system functionality and reduces duplication.

Why is systems thinking necessary for addressing unintended consequences?

It helps uncover the hidden dynamics of simple solutions, allowing for a better understanding of volatility, uncertainty, and ambiguity.

What is the significance of the 'Olympic experience' for CX and UX?

It emphasizes the need for customer and user experiences to be 'faster, higher, stronger' to remain competitive.

How is the polarity of a causal loop determined?

The polarity is determined by the change in direction from the first variable relative to the last: same direction (more/more or less/less) is Reinforcing (+), while opposite direction is Balancing (-).

What is the recommended length for loop labels in a Causal Loop Diagram (CLD)?

Three or four words; avoid writing paragraphs.

What is the role of Operations in a digital business?

Operations brings together people, processes, applications, data, and networks to enable B2C and B2B transactions.

What is the function of the Service Desk in an operations context?

The Service Desk acts as the operations communications hub.

What do 'Reach & Range' define in transaction management?

They define the transaction scope, including to whom, how far, how fast, and how much.

What are the five subsystems of a digital device?

People, processes, applications, data, and networks.

What is a COTS approach in ERP implementation?

COTS stands for Commercial, Off-the-Shelf; it is a packaged solution based on a list of requirements.

What are the pros of a COTS ERP approach?

Faster implementation, vendor training, and ongoing support via tiered fees.

What are the cons of a COTS ERP approach?

Higher cost, schedule risks, and reliance on ongoing support resources.

What distinguishes a 'Configured' ERP approach from a 'Custom' one?

Configured solutions use COTS with 20-30% function changes via APIs, whereas custom solutions involve mostly new code.

What is the primary benefit of a custom ERP approach?

100% conformance to requirements.

What is the primary focus of a Use Case?

Value: the users' goals and how best to achieve them.

Why are Use Cases used in system development?

They communicate the big picture, tell the story of the system's purpose, and get stakeholders on the same page.

What are the core concepts of a Use Case model?

A system of interest, an actor with a goal, a flow-of-events, and actionable work items like user stories or tasks.

How do Use Cases guide the development process?

They guide implementation by starting with key flows, and they assist in testing and quality assurance (QA).

What is an exogenous variable in a CLD?

A variable that is not affected by other variables within the loop; it is an external input.

What is the difference between B2B and B2C in operations?

B2B involves business-to-business transactions, while B2C involves business-to-consumer transactions.

What is the relationship between transactions and assets?

Transactions link capabilities (people and processes) to assets.

What are the primary components of a Use Case description?

Name, Goal, System boundary, Actor(s), Preconditions, Trigger(s), Flow of Events (basic/alternate), and Post-conditions.

What is the primary strength of using Use Cases in requirements gathering?

They provide a high-level understanding of requirements, clarify system scope, communicate system usage, and articulate functional behavior.

What are common weaknesses or 'anti-patterns' when writing Use Cases?

Over-detailing user interfaces, including non-functional requirements, embedding business rules, or documenting system design details.

How does a User Story differ from a Use Case?

A User Story is a small, concise statement of functionality needed to deliver value, whereas a Use Case is a detailed sequence of steps for a business process.

What are the five stages of the Prosci OCM (Organizational Change Management) methodology?

Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement.

What is the definition of 'work' in the context of Resource Management?

An activity that produces something of value for other people.

What does 'coevolution' mean in the context of digital business strategy?

The mutual, dynamic alignment between business strategy and IT strategy where social and technical sub-systems influence each other.

What are the four dynamics of co-evolution in digital business?

Strategy-driven change, IS redesign, IT-enabled change, and Strategy revision.

What are the five principles of principled negotiation (getting to 'yes')?

Separate people from the problem, focus on interests not positions, invent options for mutual gain, use objective criteria, and know your BATNA.

What is the purpose of the 'Service Desk' in IT Operations?

It acts as the visible point of contact for end-users to handle incidents and service requests.

What is the role of Configuration Management in ITIL?

It serves as the knowledge base for current state capabilities and assets.

What is the primary purpose of Root Cause Analysis in Problem Management?

To identify the underlying cause of problems to prevent future incidents.

Why do delays in systems cause oscillation?

Because of the time lag between cause and effect, which prevents the system from immediately adjusting to new information.

What are the six knowledge areas of the BABOK V3?

Business Analysis Planning and Monitoring, Elicitation and Collaboration, Requirements Life Cycle Management, Strategy Analysis, Requirements Analysis and Design Definition, and Solution Evaluation.

What is the 'system boundary' in a Use Case?

The scope that defines what is inside the system being developed versus what is outside (the actors).

What is a BATNA in negotiation?

Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement; it represents the best course of action if negotiations fail.

What does 'reach and range' refer to in IT architecture?

Reach refers to the locations the system can connect to; range refers to the types of information/services that can be shared.

What is the main goal of OCM (Organizational Change Management)?

To ensure that people are prepared, willing, and able to adopt and sustain a change.

What are the core functions of IT Operations?

Supporting end-users, handling incidents, monitoring performance, managing back-end assets, and ensuring security/compliance.

How should business rules be handled in Use Cases?

They should be captured separately and referenced within the flow of events to avoid cluttering the use case.

What is the 'social sub-system' in organizational management?

The managers and staff in both business and IS departments who must be managed holistically.

What is the purpose of a Trigger in a Use Case?

It is the event that initiates the scenario.

What is meant by 'win-win' in negotiation?

Inventing options for mutual gain that 'grow the pie' rather than just dividing it.

Why is alignment considered a 'dynamic capability' rather than a state?

Because business and IT environments are constantly changing, requiring continuous adjustment rather than a one-time fix.

Why does production often fail to ramp down immediately after a forecast revision?

Due to the volume of material already ordered to meet the previous, higher forecast.

What is the primary cause of repeating production oscillations in a supply chain?

Supply chain delays between ordering materials and their arrival.

What is the main difference between BPMN and Causal Loop Diagrams (CLDs)?

BPMN maps the sequence of tasks in a process, while CLDs map the dynamic behavior and feedback loops of variables.

What is a quick test to distinguish between a process task and a variable?

Processes and tasks are usually verbs and do not have units, whereas variables are nouns and often have units.

What are the three levels of systems thinking?

Events, patterns of behavior, and system structure.

Define an endogenous variable in systems thinking.

An internal variable that is affected by other variables within the system boundary.

What are the three perspectives that converge to define an Enterprise Architecture solution?

Business, IS, and Technology (ITC).

What is the role of the Service Desk in operations?

It acts as the operations communications hub.

What are the four components of the 'Communicating IS' rule set?

Identify key metrics, collect and analyze data, communicate effectively, and engage/collaborate.