Information, for ever, have been important for a company or institution. Today the advancement of information technology has made its operation and control easier
Today, business without information is almost a failure. Successful planning is the key to the success of business.
When you are developing an information system, it must be developed under the MIS (Management Information System) rules of the organisation on institution.
The first thing in a strategic planning is to set the MIS objectives and determine the probable results to be obtained from them.
While preparing an strategic plan, different types of questions come to our mind and the answers to which are essential for determining the plan.
In most of the cases, the answers to these questions depend upon the structure and complexity of the MIS organisation, the level of the computerisation of the company. the interference of the authorities of the higher management in recommending the plan
The managerial MIS plan links the planning program with operational program.
MIS operating plan, admitting the user, defines the necessities of the system.
The plan of system development activities is an important aspect of the planning operation in context of its importance and the commitment of planning resources.
The users and the analysts, as it has been seen, do not hold one opinion regarding problem solving, for instance, in the analysts point of view, the problem definition mus be trans formable into system design, the expression output of which must be quan titatively in connection with input, process and data structure.
A person feels difficulty in giving the full account of his imformation requirements. It gets difficult, when asking about the true requirements, to get the correct and complete answer.
A human mind has high capacity, long-time memory or low capacity, short-time memory.
The mind with a short memory has the limits which prevents him from remembering which requirement is important, at the time of the interview.
A successful analyst looks for information requirements by using a simple model. It includes organisational and policy issues to know the requirements in true sense. Ordinary analysts don't pay heed to these things.
There are three principal strategies to bring the information regarding a user's require-ments into light asking, obtaining information from the existing information system and prototyping.
Brainstorming is a technique to be used for creating new thoughts and for obtaining information requirements. This method is suitable for drawing a conclusion on the non conventional solution to a problem.
Determining the information from the existing information system is called data analysis approach.
Data analysis method is ideal for structured design creation however it is necessary in it that the users articulate their information requirements.
The third strategy is used for determining the information requirements when the user cannot establish the information requirements rightly before the information system gets ready.
Whenever a system analyst gets an opportunity of system development, he before initiating the development, studies some basic facts. This study in itself is called Initial Investigation.
The system analyst spends a lot of time in identifying the principal problem at the time of system planning.
The user or the system analyst thinks of developing an alternative system only when he feels necessity of it.
The analyst analyses the background related to the proposed application. Its objective is to be acquainted with the organisational environment and physical process of the new or revised system.
The analyst should know the whole structure or framework of that organisation under which the current system is operating and under which the new system will be oper-ated.
The analyst obtains data from two chief sources. The first is written documents and the other is personnels who are familiar with the systems which is being studied.
In the first phase of fact-finding the analyst gathers all the documents related to that system and arranges them on which the research is in progress.
The system analyst has a method with the help of which a system analyst can ensure that a procedure is active and is being followed.
The analyst can clarify the purpose of investigational activities through correspondence and inform the people and can convey through it his expectations from them.
The questionnaire is an important and effective means of correspondence. For in-stance, it is the only successful means of getting answers from people in a large number especially when they are not at one place but far away.
The questionnaire should be brief. It increases the possibility and swiftness of answers.
Personal interview is one of the most successful method of obtaining information.
In the interview interaction is held between two people. This process takes place between two people--the interviewer and the interviewee. The interviewer is one who asks questions, it means who interviews and the interviewee is one who answers the questions means who is interviewed.
The interviewer is generally the system analyst. In this course, the system analyst who is the interviewer, should consider himself more a information seeker than the infor-mation provider.
Though the purpose of an interview, in the eye of an analyst, is to present the project before the interviewee and establish his trust, but its primary purpose is to obtain information from the interviewee. Therefore a system analyst should try his utmost to be a good listener. Interviews are crucial, for people are the most important part of a system. The success or failure of the system depends upon the acceptance or refusal of those people who'd be affected by the system.
During the fact-finding activities like data-collection, interview, an experienced analyst observes the function of a running system and prepares questions on the basis of that observation and draws conclusion on the source basis.
Observation is a continuous process. It is generally informal.
The system analyst can perform the work of observation at a pre-set time or all of a sudden.
Research is the last and decisive method of fact-finding. Research is important when the new application is being considered.
Research is a medium of motivation for generating creative problem solving methods
The analysts should maintain a relationship with the system analysts of the other companies with whom they may exchange advice when needed.
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