The document discusses planning for a management information system (MIS). It outlines several strategies for MIS plan achievement, including development strategy, system development strategy, resources for development, manpower composition, architecture, and a development schedule. It also discusses hardware and software planning. The document then lists challenges in MIS design and development, such as communication between users and developers and adapting to changing needs. Finally, it outlines basic methods for implementing an MIS, including planning, acquiring space, organizing implementation, training personnel, and developing forms and files.
2. MIS Planning
Strategy for Plan Achievement : The designer has to take a number of strategic decisions for
the achievement of MIS goals and objectives. They are
Development Strategy : Ex. an online, batch , a real time.
System Development Strategy : Designer selects an approach to system development like
operational verses functional, accounting verses analysis.
Resources for the Development : Designer has to select resources. Resources can be in-
house verses external, customized or use of package.
Manpower Composition : The staff should have the staffs of an analyst, and programmer.
The Architecture of MIS : The architecture of the MIS plan provides a system and
subsystem structure and their input, output and linkage. It spells out in details the subsystem
from the data entry to processing, analysis to modeling and storage to printing.
The System Development Schedule : A schedule is made for development of the system.
While preparing a schedule due consideration is given to importance of the system in the
overall information requirements. This development schedule is to be weighed against the time
scale for achieving certain information requirements.
Hardware and Software Plan : Giving due regards to the technical and operational
feasibility, the economics of investment is worked out. Then the plan of procurement is made
after selecting the hardware and software. One can take the phased approach of investing
starting from the lower configuration of hardware going to the higher as development take
place. The process needs matching the technical decisions with the financial decisions.
3. Cont..
Thus any good MIS design and development process must address
the following issues effectively -
Problems of effective communication between users and
developers of MIS
Problems in understanding and combining information needs of
managers from different functions and levels in a common MIS.
Need for organization to keep pace in changing environment,
increasing demand and competition.
Using effectively the opportunities fast developing in IT industry.
Need to manage human aspect of MIS user, stakeholders such as
employees, customers, suppliers etc.
Keeping in control the capital cost and time of installing advanced IT
based systems.
4. Basic methods for implementing the MIS
Plan the implementation
Acquire floor space & plan space layouts
Organization for implementation
Develop procedures for system
Train the operating personnel
Computer related acquisitions
Develop forms for data collection and dissemination
Develop the files
5. 1)Plan the implementation
Task include plan activities
Acquiring ,laying out facilities
Organizing the implementation
Training program
Acquiring hardware
Testing system
Providing system maintenance
6. 2)Acquire floor space & plan space layouts
Installation of new system to replace a current one
may require major revision of facilities like new
office, computer room
MIS project manager must prepare rough layouts
,estimate floor area, prepare cost estimates.
7. 3)Organize for implementation
Proper organization done by assignments of specific
leadership and task responsibility.
Besides assigning responsibilities to managers,
system specialist, programmer, top management must
be ensure that the people feel that it is their system.
8. 4)Develop procedures for system
Some files must be converted to disks ,procedures
must be developed for this
Major part of implementing the system is testing of
each segment
Testing procedure includes
Which segments of system will be tested
When such tests are to be performed
Who will perform the test and how
Who will evaluate the test and approve the system
9. 5)Train the operating personnel
Seminar should be given
What new skills must a person have
How many people do we gain or loss
Jobs will be upgraded or degraded
10. 6)Computer related acquisitions
Acquisition consist of
Hardware (buy or lease)
Software
Personnel (internal or external)
Materials (manuals)
11. 7)Develop forms for data collection and
dissemination
Vast amount of detailed data is input to system
with the help of forms
Example sales person sit in a room and fill out
a form summarizing days activities.
12. 8)Develop the files
Specification for files must be developed in detailed
design stage
In implementation stage actual data must be obtained
and recorded for initial testing and operation of the
system.
Data collected and used in routine operations stored
in master file
13. Responsibility for each file must be assigned
In detail design ,each item of data for file is specified
and retrieval methods are developed
In implementation stage ,forms must be designed so
that data must be analyzed by programmers ,coders
for storage.
14. MIS Implementation Challenges
The more specific categorizations of the issues can be viewed as:
management process issues, organizational environment issues,
leadership issues, technical systems issues, and personnel issues.
Management process issues speak to the functional operation of
an organisation such as budgeting, personnel, and general
management.
Organizational environment issues are identified as factors
which are less tangible such as organizational culture, change, and
behavior.
Leadership issues relate to the areas which involve the
interaction and direction of the organisation executive.
Technical systems issues are mainly those referring to the
hardware and software considerations of information technologies.
Personnel issues are those issues surrounding each individual in
the organisation.
15. Cont..
These issues impact the planning, procurement, and
deployment of information systems in their
organizations. In this study, these categorizations of
information system issues will be the frame of study
in terms of challenges or problems that an
organization faces when a new information system is
implemented.
16. References
MIS.Complete.PDF
Management Information Systemsby Laudan &
Laudan, Pearson Publications
Information Systems Today, 2e by Leonard Jessup,
Joseph Valacich, PHI