May. 2011
Khartoum

A management information system (MIS) is a tool that provide
information to support management and decision making.

Management information is an important input at every level
in the organization /e.g. for planning, implementation,
monitoring and controlling/.

The system utilizes computers, manual procedures/ guidelines/
and a database.

Good MIS system should meet the following five elements
timeliness, accuracy, consistency, completeness, and
relevance.

Timeliness:- MIS should be capable of providing and
distributing current information to appropriate users.
Information systems should be designed to speed up reporting.

Accuracy:- A sound system of automated and manual internal
controls /quality control/ must exist throughout all information
processing. /there should be a clear quality assurance
methodology and trained quality control staffs/

Consistency :- Data should be processed and compiled
consistently and uniformly at all level. Variations in data
collection and reporting method can distort information. /the
time and method of data collection between different VDC or
LIU should be the same.

Completeness:- Decision makers need complete and pertinent
information in a summarized form. /all the necessary data can
be collected. /

Relevance:- Information provided to management must be
relevant.
2. Requirement /Steps/ used to develop MIS
The MIS implementation process involves a
number of sequential steps
1.
First establish management information needs.
◦ To get information related to all agricultural activity,
population number and etc.. for each VDC and to have an
aggregate value for LIU and Project level.
◦ To disseminate all the necessary data such as the baseline
data, project related reports, other short term consultants
report and news and events of the project on the web
◦ To exchange planning report, quarterly and yearly
achievement report from the three LIU.
◦ To exchange regular financial dispersement to the LIU and
utilization report form LIU.
◦ Etc..
2. Requirement /Steps/ used to develop MIS cont..
2. Identify Information Units and define responsibilities

VDC:- The unit is the source of information both for planning and
achievement of activities. The unit collects monthly data and pass the data
to CWT. They are responsible for data quality at VDC level.

CWT:- The unit is responsible to collect the monthly data from each VDC
and for data quality at CWT level. The unit is also responsible to transfer
the monthly report to LIU team. Both at VDC and CWT level the data
collection is based on paper format. A clear reporting format for these two
units should be prepared by M&E team.

LIU:- The unit is responsible for monthly data entry to the system and data
quality at LIU level. The automated data entry is stared at this level.
Therefore, the person in charge of the data entry will get an authorization
password from the IT expert.

NPCU:- The unit is responsible for safe data exchange between different
units and for quarter base data quality at project level. The role of the data
administrator is to post different project related documents, reports,
baseline study and other to the web page, to work on data security and to
backup the hole system
2. Requirement /Steps/ used to develop MIS cont..
3. Identify Stockholders
◦ Ministry of Agriculture:- the ministry is responsible for all land related
issues.
◦ Physical plan:- all water resource related issues are the mandate of this
unit.
◦ Ministry of Irrigation:- it is the overall supervisor of the project.
◦ Ministry of finance:- mandated for all related issues.
◦ NPCU and string committee at national level
◦ LIU string committee and the coordinator
◦ The locality committee, the administration unit committee.
◦ The directorate of national park.
◦ Ministry of Truism and Wild life.
◦ The World Bank and MFA etc.
2. Requirement /Steps/ used to develop MIS cont..
4. System Descriptions

Web based application:- it has number of advantages in data exchanging.

Database:- there are a number of a database software that uses to develop database at
server level, the selection of these software depend on the availability of the budget
and the experience of the experts. For this project, MySql software is selected.

Interfaces for interaction:- the interface development is made by the Macromedia
Dream weaver software and PHP server application technology is used.

Built-in security features such as password access is attached for data entry and
update pages. For report page there is no password, it can be accessible by any body.
The login access for the three LIU is also used to filter the VDC’s name which is
belong to the respective LIU.

The system will have the capability to generate different level of report in terms of
time and administration boundary. i.e the system will give us the quarterly and yearly
report of physical and financial activities.

The system will have a main /home/ page that leads to other pages through different
links. In this main page different Watershed activity Photos, news and events and
M&E reports can be posted
2. Requirement /Steps/ used to develop MIS cont..
5. Software identification
To build web applications, we need the following software:
 A web server such as ISS, Apache, etc.. A web server is software
that serves files in response to requests from web browsers. Apache
is used
 An application server that runs on web server. It is software that
helps to link the web server and the database driver. PHP is used
 A database system is data storage. MySQL is used
 A database driver is a software that link the application server to the
database.
 Programming /scripting/ software:- Macromedia MX and CSS3 is used
 The choice of application server, database software, web server and
programming software depends on several factors, including the
availability budget,
2. Requirement /Steps/ used to develop MIS cont..
An illustration of data storing and querying process in Web environment
2. Requirement /Steps/ used to develop MIS cont..
6. Network showing information flows.
VDC
Collect information form
their respective villages
monthly
No
WCT
Collect information form
VDC monthly and transfer
to LIU
Check the data quality
Monthly
No
LIU
Collect information form
CWT monthly and transfer
to NPCU
Yes
Check the data quality
quarterly
Yes
No
Data entry
format
Check the data quality
Quarterly
NPCU
Validate information form
LIU and post on the web
quarterly
WWW
Yes
2. Requirement /Steps/ used to develop MIS cont..
7. The Database Development

Identify Entities:- Entities are independent object that are part of
the database. From the MIS objectives /requirements/ discussion,
the following 13 entities are identified.
LIU, CWT, Locality, Administration unit, VDC, Activity, Indicator,
Output,
Outcome,
Indicator
implementation,
Activity
Implementation,
Financial
Implementation
and
Finance
Dispersement.
For simplicity we combined some of the entities by using some entities
as the instance /columns/ of other entities.

The conceptual data model:- it defines the possible instance of the
table and identify the primary key /unique identifier/. It also the
time to decide the foreign key /reference key/ that uses to create
relationship between different tables.
2. Requirement /Steps/ used to develop MIS cont..

The logical modeling:- The logical data model conveys the logical
functioning and structure of the database and describes how the data
is stored (e.g. what constraints are applied to the table etc.) This is
the stage to attach the data type, specify the length of data, specify
the non null or null attributes to each column.

The Physical modeling:- this is a stage of translation of the logical
modeling to physical modeling. This step is dependent to the
available DBMS. Since we are using the MySql software, the
translation phase means developing the database, the table and all
the necessary columns in SQL language under PHP environment.
2. Requirement /Steps/ used to develop MIS cont..
8. Testing the system. frequent system testing schedules are needed to
ensure quality and minimize system bugs. Especially, in the
beginning, until it meets the operational requirements, system test
with end users is very necessary.
9. Launching the management information system and conduct
training. Training should be given for LIU experts.
10. Monitoring actual implementation of the MIS and its functioning
from time to time. Careful monitoring in all parts of the system
will help to correct any bugs or problems quickly. If necessary,
update version will be done.
3. Present Status of MIS Development
1.
Most of the requirement for MIS Development is completed.
Such as:



2.
Database development

3.
Defining the information need
Identifying Information units and stakeholders
System description
Information flow charts
75% of the identified entities are changed to the physical
modeling i.e. developed on localhost MySQL database.
Page development
3.1 Main page:- it is developed by IT team but it needs further improvement
in its layout and continents.
3. Present Status of MIS Development
Main Page of the project
Needs to add
project
description text
Needs to add news & event and WME reports as a menu
3. Present Status of MIS Development Cont..
3.2 Data Entry Format:- more than 75% of the data entry formats are
developed, some such as an output, outcome and goal indicator and
financial data entry formats are under construction.
Login
format for
data entry
and
update
Data entry format for Monthly
Activity Achievements
Data entry form for VDC and their
respective CWS, Admin, Locality and
LIU
3. Present Status of MIS Development Cont..
3.3 Data Update Format:- More than 75% of the data update formats
are developed. Only some are tested.
3. Present Status of MIS Development Cont..
3.3 Report Format:- Less than 10% of the report formats are
developed.
Report
Format for
Activity
Planning
Report
Format for
Activity
Achievement
4. Future tasks in MIS Development
1. Finalizing the rest of the pages:- it is observed that, the IT
expert has only a basic knowledge on Database, PHP and Java
scripting. Therefore, a compressed /one month/ advanced
database application development, PHP, java scripting and
database security and maintenance training should be
available for them
2. Entering the necessary basic information to the database such
as, list of VDC’s, activity, output and outcome list etc…
3. Testing the system:- while developing the application, most of
the pages are tested on the localhost not on the server.
Therefore, the system should be tested for data transfer rate
and other function on the server from remote /LIU/.
4. Future tasks in MIS Development cont…
4. Launching the management information system and conduct
training. Training should be given for LIU experts, clear and
summarized guideline should be prepared on how to use the
system and two or three days practical training is necessary for
LIU.
5.
Monitoring actual implementation of the MIS and its
functioning from time to time. After implementing the system,
its functionality has to tested from time to time at different steps
and update also will be available based on users comment.
N.B. The two IT expert must be supported by training, M&E
expert and other project officials. They are new for such
application development and for monitoring and evaluation,
so it will be a challenge for them to reach on the intended
use of the system.
Thank you!