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System Analysis

Chapter 1, Assuming the Role of The System Analyst

Chapter 1 begins with a discussion of the variety of information systems an analyst may be involved in or asked to develop.

Transaction Processing Systems

These systems were developed to process large amounts of data for business transactions such as payroll and inventory.   Transaction Processing Systems are designed to reduce the time required to perform manual transactions, although the data still must be entered into the computerized system.

Managers look to TPS for up to the minute information about what is happening within the company.

Office Automation Systems and Knowledge Work Systems

There are two classes of systems at the knowledge level of an organization, Office Automation Systems and Knowledge Work Systems.   Office automation systems (OAS), support data workers who analyze information.   They manipulate the information in some fashion before sharing that data with other individuals in the organization.   These processes include word processing, spreadsheets, desktop publishing, electronic scheduling, and communication via voice mail, email, and video conferencing.

Knowledge Work Systems (KWS), support professionals in their efforts to generate new knowledge.

Management Information Systems

Management information systems support a broad spectrum of organizational tasks including transaction processing systems, decision analysis and decision-making.   MIS’s purpose is to bring about useful interactions between people, software, and hardware within an organization.

Decision Support Systems

DSS has its main focus in providing support for the decision making process in all of it’s phases.   They provide information to decision makers, but the final decision making process is still in the hands of the decision maker.   Decision Support Systems are similar in nature to MIS systems but are more specialized and tailored to an individual person or group using them.   Both Decision...