Classwork 6: Information Systems for your Company

1. Management Information Systems

Management Information Systems (MIS) are applying computer-base for managing
information in an organization for management roles such as interpersonal roles,
informational roles and decisional roles. Normally, MIS are integrated systems of users and
machines (computers) with aiming to provide organizations’ information for operation,
management and decision-making. These systems use computer hardware and software.
MIS are divided into four sub-systems by purpose of use in each organization level.
I. Operational – In this level, there is Transaction Processing Systems (TPS). They involve
processing routine operation in organizations for Decision Support Systems, Management
Support System, Knowledge Work System and Office System. TPS are computerized systems
that make performing tasks easier.
II. Knowledge – These systems are used by scientists and engineers. Following these samples
Knowledge Work Systems (KWS) and Office Systems. KWS tasks are creating properly new
information and knowledge by process for the knowledge workers to use. Office Systems
perform document and communication. KWS and Office Systems process data from TPS.
III. Management – This level consists of MIS and Decision Support Systems (DSS). These
systems provide information for management functions like planning, controlling and
decision making. MIS process data from TPS then managers can use it. Meanwhile DSS help
managers for making decisions. They include models to evaluate situation and give possible
choices. They process data from TPS and MIS.
IV. Strategic – Executives need internal and external data for planning strategy. So, Executive
Information Systems are created for them. ESS response executives’ queries. They process
data from MIS and DSS.
2. Decision Support Systems
DSS are a class of computerized Information Systems that support decision-making activities.
Besides that, DSS are interactive computer-based systems and subsystems intended to help
decision makers use communications technologies, data, documents, knowledge and/or
models to complete decision process tasks.
DSS can be categorized into five types.
I. Communication-driven DSS – Most communication-driven DSSs are targeted at internal
teams and its purposes are to help conduct a meeting or for users to collaborate. The most
common technology used to deploy the DSS is a web or client server.
II. Data-driven DSS – Are targeted at managers, staff and also product/service suppliers. It is
used to query a database or data warehouse to seek specific answers for specific purposes. It
is deployed via a main frame system, client/server link or via the web.
III. Document-driven DSS – Most common and targeted at a broad base of user groups. The
purpose is to search web pages and find document on a specific set of keywords or search
teams.
IV. Knowledge-driven DSS – Are a catch-all category covering a broad range of systems
covering users within the organization setting it up but may also include others interacting
with the organization. The typical deployment technology used to set up such system are
client/server systems, the web or software running on stand-alone PCs.
V. Model-driven DSS – Are complex systems that help to analyse decisions or choose between
different options. These are used by managers and staff members of a business or people
who interact with the organization for a number of purposes depending on how the model is
set up. These DSSs can be deployed via software/hardware in stand-alone PCs, client/server
systems or the web.
3. Expert Systems
ES are software development environment containing the basic components and associated
with a shell is prescribed method for building applications by configuring and instantiating
these components. The core components of ES are the knowledge base and the reasoning
engine.
There are five basic components of ES tools.
I. Knowledge base – A store of factual and heuristic knowledge and it provides one or more
knowledge representation schemes for expressing knowledge about the application domain.
Some tools use both frames (objects) and IF-THEN rules. In PROLOG, the knowledge is
represented as logical statements.
II. Reasoning engine – Inference mechanisms for manipulating the symbolic information and
knowledge in the knowledge base to form a line of reasoning in solving problems. The
inference mechanism can range from simple modus ponens backward chaining of IF-THEN
rules to case-based reasoning.
III. Knowledge acquisition subsystem – A subsystem to help experts build knowledge bases.
Collecting knowledge needed to solve problems and build the knowledge base continues to
be the biggest bottleneck in building ES.
IV. Explanation subsystem – A subsystem that explains the system’s actions. The explanation
can range from how the final or intermediate solutions were arrived to justifying the need for
the additional data.
V. User interface – The means of communication with the users. User interface can make a
critical difference in the perceived utility of a system regardless of the system’s performance.