ACS1803 Lecture Outline 1
1. The name of the course: Introduction to Information
Systems
- the main question: how do computers help to manage
organizations?
- direct use of common application software
(word processing, spreadsheets, data
management)
- specifically developed application systems
for different business areas
(inventory system, library system)
- how does the output from such systems
influence the management of a business ?
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2. A closer look at a computer-based
information system:
- example: a Library Information System
- how can we categorize the different parts of
an information system?
- Application Components, Technological
Components, Organizational Components
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Parts of an information system
• Application parts: menus, input screens,
output screens, output reports, data (raw
material on disk), programs (behind the
scenes – turn the data into information that
is output by the system)
• Technological parts: hardware, system
software (helps the hardware to run),
telecommunications tech. (LAN or WAN)
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More parts of an IS
• Organizational parts: who does what,
where, when, how, and why with the system
• Remember: it is because of information
systems that computers are so useful to
management of organizations
• What information system can you relate to
most?
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The Backbone of an Information
System
• Refers to computer and telecommunication
technology (ICT – information and
communication technology)
• However, you will be introduced to the
basics of computer and telecommunication
technology in the last part of the course
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BUT, first of all…
• How can you get the most out of the course
• Role of
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Lectures
Text
Lecture Outline
Assignments
Study Questions
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Learning That Lasts
• “what is a car?”
– “digesting” central concepts
• Ideas, facts, skills
– Ideas need to be understood
• Memorization vs Understanding
• After every class….
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Secrets to Successful Study
• Go over material several times with the explicit
intent to understand
• Minimize (not eliminate) memorization
• Ask yourself “what absolutely needs to be
digested for the long term?”
• Watch psych. and physical energy:
– At a “tough point”, energy goes down
– “Stick with it” until you have understood
– Then, feel your energy rise – this gives motivation
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Working Hard OR Working Smart?
• Think about the words in a new concept
– e.g. “operating system”
• Form study groups
– Challenge each other “to understand and
explain clearly”
• Have long-term integration of knowledge
as an explicit goal
– in the back of your mind
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Terse Thinking
• Computing is a very precise and logical area
• In a lecture, every word means something;
most words are important
• Getting a “general drift” is not enough
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Our First Topic
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Data Management in a Computer
• Data is the raw material
• Information is the finished product
• A central topic: how do we store data on
disk so that different information systems
can go to the disk to get the data they need?
• We now go to the handout produced in MS
Word called “Data Management in a
Computer”
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