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Computer Systems

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P4 - Describe the features and functions of information systems

Features of information systems

Information systems have five main features, which are data, people, hardware, software and telecommunications.

Data – The data input to the system has to be as accurate as possible, subject to it's cost and timescales for capture. It should then be stored in the most logical way. This often differs from how the data is input. The data then needs to be summarised to create information in a way that best meets the needs of the system's user, this may not necessarily be the most logical way or the easiest or cheapest for the IT team.

People – People are involved both in capturing the data and in exploiting the information. It is important to motivate those who capture the data by highlighting the value that the exploited data brings to the organisation.

Hardware – In a small organisation the MIS ( management information system) may run on just the sales or finance director's PC. In larger businesses it usually runs on a server either shared or dedicated with internet or intranet access for those who need it. It is unusual to require specialised hardware.

Software – The simplest MIS can be built using standard software. However, most MIS use specialised software, which has the most common features of an MIS already built in. The developer configures this by describing the database and its structure, where the data comes from, how to summarise the data ans what standard queries will be required. The cost of the software varies widely. The cheapest offers limited functions for one PC, whereas the most expensive one is highly functional, providing high performance and many features for hundreds or thousands of users and vast amounts of data

Telecommunications – An MIS may be delivered across the internet, though this may sometimes bring difficult security questions. Many MIS are delivered across an intarnet within a company's firewall for protection from competitors and others seeking valuable management information. Occasionally a dedicated telecommunications network is used to provide the utmost security.

Functions of information systems

Information systems have four functions, which are input, storage, processing and output.

Input - Input to an information system has two parts:

There is the detailed data which is stored and processed and forms the basis for the output form the systme

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