ISC Area I (Information Systems & Data Management): Conceptual Foundations and Practical Application

Information System (IS)

The set of people, processes, data, and technology a business uses to capture transactions and produce information for operations and decision-making.

Inputs in an IS

Source documents, user entries, scanner reads, API messages, and uploaded files used to initiate processes.

Processing in an IS

Operations such as calculations, validations, posting to accounts, and approvals that transform inputs into outputs.

Storage in an IS

Methods of saving data such as databases, data warehouses, and file systems.

Outputs in an IS

The results of processing, including reports, dashboards, invoices, journal entries, and exception logs.

Complete and Accurate Transactions

The assurance that transactions are recorded correctly in the entry phase of an information system.

Governance

The process by which an organization directs and controls IT to support business objectives and manage risks.

Segregation of Duties (SOD)

A control principle that reduces the risk of error or fraud by ensuring no single individual is responsible for multiple conflicting tasks.

Workflow

The sequence of processes through which a piece of work passes from initiation to completion in a business process.

Integration Points

The ways in which data moves and is shared between different systems or components in a business model.

Transaction Processing Systems (TPS)

Systems that record day-to-day transactions emphasizing speed, control, and accuracy at the record level.

Reporting/Business Intelligence (BI) Systems

Systems that summarize and present information for decision-making, focusing on aggregation and consistency.

ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning)

Integrated systems that manage core business processes such as purchasing, inventory, sales, and finance.

ACID Properties

Set of properties (Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability) that guarantee reliable processing of database transactions.

Data Governance

The overall management of the availability, usability, integrity, and security of data used in an organization.

Master Data

Relatively stable reference data used consistently across various transactions and systems.

Transactional Data

Dynamic data generated from business transactions that capture events, like invoices and payments.

Normalization

The process of organizing data in a database to reduce redundancy and improve data integrity.

Data Quality Dimensions

Characteristics of data quality including accuracy, completeness, consistency, timeliness, validity, and uniqueness.

Data Lifecycle Management

The process of managing data from creation and active use to storage, archiving, and eventual disposal.

Retention Policy

Policies outlining how long different types of data need to be retained and the conditions for their disposal.

Backup vs. Archive

Backup refers to data copies for recovery, whereas archive refers to the long-term storage of data for historical reference.

ETL (Extract, Transform, Load)

The process of extracting data from source systems, transforming it, and loading it into a target data repository.

ELT (Extract, Load, Transform)

The process that loads raw data directly into a target repository before transforming it as needed.

Data Lineage

The tracking of where data comes from and how it has been transformed throughout its lifecycle.

Fact Table

A table in a data warehouse that stores quantitative data for analysis and is often linked to dimension tables.

Dimension Table

A table in a data warehouse that categorizes facts to enable user-friendly analysis and insight.

Change Management

The discipline of managing changes to applications and systems in a controlled manner.

Documentation in IS

Written evidence of processes, definitions, and configurations to support understanding and audits.

SQL (Structured Query Language)

A programming language used for managing and querying data in a relational database.

Data Custodian

Typically an IT role responsible for the technical, operational aspects of data storage and management.

Data Steward

A role responsible for the day-to-day management of data quality, definition, and use within an organization.

Business Process

A set of linked activities that accomplish a specific organizational goal, such as selling goods or managing payroll.

API (Application Programming Interface)

A set of protocols and tools for building software applications, facilitating interaction between different software components.

Exception Handling in Reporting

The process of managing unexpected events in data processing that prevent successful completion of report generation.

Data Validation

The process of ensuring data is both correct and useful before it is processed or stored.

Operational Feasibility

Assessment of whether users will adopt a new system or process based on its usability and suitability.

Peer Review in EUC

The process of having colleagues review and validate changes made to user-controlled computing tools like spreadsheets.

Data Quality Mechanisms

Set practices and controls established to maintain high standards of accuracy and reliability in data.

Documentation Standards

Established guidelines for what constitutes acceptable documentation to ensure it meets organizational needs.