INFORMATION SYSTEMS @ X
Managing Information
Resources
INFO420: Managing the IT Function
INFORMATION SYSTEMS @ X
This section…
 Identifies problems in managing data and approaches for
management
 Discusses how technology
 Explores various types of information that companies need
to manage
 Provides guidelines to management of knowledge (key
organizational asset)
INFO420: Managing the IT Function
INFORMATION SYSTEMS @ X
Introduction
 IS continually manages new forms of information
resources

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Corporate databases
Documents (electronic or paper) and Web content
Knowledge management…expertise and experience
 Data—Information—Action!
INFO420: Managing the IT Function
INFORMATION SYSTEMS @ X
Managing Data
 Data management

Structured way data is represented, stored and retrieved
for use.
 Database management systems (DBMS) are the
main tool for managing corporate data
 Over time, a number of models have emerged (are
emerging) for data management.


Relational model
Object Oriented model
 Document management increasingly important
INFO420: Managing the IT Function
INFORMATION SYSTEMS @ X
Issues in managing corporate data

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Inconsistent Data Definitions
Proliferation of databases / redundant data
Data availability
Data security
Data integrity
INFO420: Managing the IT Function
INFORMATION SYSTEMS @ X
Getting Corporate Data into Shape
 Role of Data Administration


Administering databases and software that manages
them to provide accurate and timely information to users
Ensuring appropriate use of data
> Most concerning: Customer

Creating, managing and communicating standard
definitions
> Maintaining the corporate data dictionary

Assuring quality
INFO420: Managing the IT Function
INFORMATION SYSTEMS @ X
IHOP case
 What is the major data quality issue faced by
Organization ?
 Why does Organization have this issue?
 What business problems did the data quality
problem cause?
 What does ‘one version of the truth’ mean?
INFO420: Managing the IT Function
INFORMATION SYSTEMS @ X
Managing Information
 Once enterprises get their data into shape, that data
can more easily be turned into information
 “Information is power”:

Mission: Put the right information, in the right hands, at
the right time, in the right format
INFO420: Managing the IT Function
INFORMATION SYSTEMS @ X
Managing Information cont’d
 Four Types of Information

Internal record-based information—original focus of
IS and most used in organizations
> Found in databases

Internal document-based information
> Reports, emails, proposals, contracts

External record-based information
> Acquisition from external databases

External document-based information
> World-Wide-Web
> Articles, books from a library
INFO420: Managing the IT Function
INFORMATION SYSTEMS @ X
Four Types of Information
Enterprise Systems (operational)
Data Warehouses (decision support)
Acxiom InfoBase
WWW
Books, articles
Paper and Electronic Documents
Internal web pages
INFO420: Managing the IT Function
INFORMATION SYSTEMS @ X
Information management solutions
 Enterprise resource planning systems
 Data warehouses and business intelligence
 Electronic document management
 Content management
INFO420: Managing the IT Function
INFORMATION SYSTEMS @ X
Enterprise Resource Planning
 ERP provides the means to consolidate data to give
management a corporate-wide view of operations

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Functional integration
Single repository of data supporting functional areas
Standardized data definitions a must… “table stakes”
But … too complex and not designed for reporting and
analysis
INFO420: Managing the IT Function
INFORMATION SYSTEMS @ X
Scenario
 The marketing department at the Bank of Nova Scotia wants
to execute a marketing campaign aimed at increasing the
loyalty of the banks best customers (those with portfolios
more than $500,000). The analysts wants find the following
information.



Identify those customer that have more than $500,000 in loans,
deposits and investments who have responded to at least one
previous marketing campaign.
Send a letter to each customer, offering a new investment
product at a preferred rate
Determine who responded to the marketing offer by
purchasing the investment product during the bank’s 3rd fiscal
quarter
INFO420: Managing the IT Function
INFORMATION SYSTEMS @ X
Scenario - Systems
Banking Systems
Loan System
Loan &
Customer
data
Marketing System
Investment
System
Deposit
System
Marketing System
Investment &
Customer
data
Deposit &
Customer
data
Marketing &
Customer
data
Questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
How would the marketer find out who has a portfolio more than 500,000 in loans,
deposits and investments?
What do you think the impact on the banking systems would be when running
queries?
Which system should supply customer data for addressing letters to best customers
How would the marketer determine who responded to their offer and when?
INFO420: Managing the IT Function
INFORMATION SYSTEMS @ X
The Answer
 In reality, this scenario could not be carried out
without some form of data warehouse because:
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Queries would take days or weeks to create and perfect.
The technical skills and knowledge required to construct the
queries would require a team, not just one individual.
Queries performance would be excruciatingly slow (days?)
Performance of operational systems would be adversely impacted
There would be numerous data integrity issues to overcome.
INFO420: Managing the IT Function
INFORMATION SYSTEMS @ X
Data Warehouses
INFO420: Managing the IT Function
INFORMATION SYSTEMS @ X
Data Warehouse
…
…
…
Reporting
Analysis
Data Warehouse
“Sales”
Operation
Data
Operation
Data
INFO420: Managing the IT Function
Spreadsheets
Charts
“Acxiom”:
72 data points
External
Data External
Data
INFORMATION SYSTEMS @ X
Electronic Document Management
 Documents more pervasive and fundamental
than anything else in an organization.

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Paper still plays a major role in most enterprises
Need to move seamlessly between digital and print
 Electronic document management (EDM) uses
new technologies for document management
to produce significant impacts

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Business process redesign
Quality improvement
INFO420: Managing the IT Function
INFORMATION SYSTEMS @ X
Traditional Publishing vs. Modern Process
INFO420: Managing the IT Function
INFORMATION SYSTEMS @ X
Electronic Document Management
 Use of technology to support processes generates
significant business value (transaction)

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Reducing physical space
Faster routing
Managing and tracking work flow and load
New (info based) products and services
INFO420: Managing the IT Function
INFORMATION SYSTEMS @ X
Content Management
 Corporate intranets (Web content) now
replace print documents


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Necessary to support scale of e-business operations
Automation of content
Content is no longer static, but interactive
INFO420: Managing the IT Function
INFORMATION SYSTEMS @ X
Content Management cont’d

To create a content management strategy,
companies need to understand the three
phases of content



Managing content creation and acquisition
Content administration and safeguarding
Content deployment and presentation
INFO420: Managing the IT Function
INFORMATION SYSTEMS @ X
Content Management
Source: Adapted from Chuck, Tueber, Dealing in Web Currency, Gartner EXP,
56 Top Gallant, Stamford, CT, June 2001.
INFO420: Managing the IT Function