APPROACHES FOR MIS DESIGN

PRESENTATION BY NAVYA.P

MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM

DEFINITION Management information system is a system that aids management in marketing, carrying and controlling decision. -J.KANTER

ALTERNATIVE SYSTEMSBUILDING APPROACHES

Systems differ interms of their size and technological complexity and interms of the organizational problem that are meant to solve. A number of systems-building approaches have been developed to deal with the differences.

This system describes these alternative methods.

TRADITIONAL APPROACHES: The traditional systems life cycle MODERN APPROACHES: Prototyping End user development Application software packages and outsourcing

TRADITIONAL SYSTEM LIFE CYCLE

The system life cycle is the oldest method for building information systems.The life cycle methodology is a phased approach to building a system ,dividing systems development into formal stages. The life cycle methodology maintains a very formal division of labour between end users and information system specialists.

The life cycle also emphasized formal specifications and paper works so many documents are generated during the course of a system project. However the systems life cycle approach can be costly, time consuming and inflexible.

Steps in system life cycle System analysis The goal of system analysis is to determine where the problem is in an attempt to fix the system. Design In a system design the design functions and operations are described in detail, including screen layouts business rules, process diagrams and other documentation.

Implementation the designs worked out during earlier steps are translated into code and hardware is built. Testing and Development components are tested individually and system as a whole at this stage.

Maintainance Once deployed,maintainance is needed to keep the system running as desired. Any post design changes occur during this phase including upgrades changes or corrections.

PROTOTYPING
Prototyping consists of building an experimental system rapidly and inexpensively for end users to evaluate. By interacting with the prototype users can get a better idea of their information requirements .

The prototype endorsed by the users can be used as a template to create the final system. Prototyping is more explicity iterative than the conventional life cycle and it actively promotes system design changes.

Steps in prototyping Step1:Identify the users basic requirements: The system designer works with the user only long enough to capture the users basic information needs. Step2:Develop an intial prototype: The system designer creates a working prototype quickly using tools for rapidly generating software.

Step3:Use the prototype: The user is encouraged to work with the systems to determine how well the prototype meets his or her needs to make suggestions for improving the prototype.

Step4:Revise and enhance the prototype: The system builder notes all changes.The user reveals and refines the prototype accordingly.

END USER DEVELOPMENT

Some type of information system can be developed by end users with little or no formal assistance from technical specialists. A series of software tools categorized as fourth generation languages makes this possible.

The following are the seven catagories of fourth generation languages : Pc software tools :General purpose application software packages for pcs. Query Language : Languages for retrieving data stored in database or files.

Report generator :Extract data from files to create customized report in a wide range of formats. Graphics Language :Retrieve data from files and display them in graphic format. Application Generator : contain pre programmed modules that can generate entire applications including websites.

Application software package : software programs sold by commercial vendors that eliminates need for custom written, in house software. Very high level programming: Generate programs code with fewer instructions that conventional languages such as COBOL or FORTRAN.

APPLICATION SOFTWARE PACKAGES AND OUTSOURCING

Application software package : If a software package can fulfill most of an organizations requirements. The company can save time and money by using prewritten,predesigned,pretested software programs from the package.

When a system is developed using an application software packages system analysis will include a package evaluation effort . Outsourcing: Application software provider (ASP), are one of the form of outsourcing.

In another form of outsourcing , a company could hire an external vendor to design and create the software for its system. Outsourcing enables a company with fluctuating needs for computer processing to pay for what it uses rather than build its own computer center.

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