MIS design

Conceptual design
• It is a set of docuements describing the
MIS in sufficient detail for the technicians
to begin their work on detailed design
• Define the problem-state the information
need, adding question about the need,
detail the statement and review it
• Set system objectives-reduce costs,
improve efficiency, keep accurate records
• Ex: accounts payable-pay 100% invoices before
due date
• Project control-identify performance against plan
so that events, costs, specifications of the
project can be met
• Establish system constraints
– External- customer, government and others
– Internal-top management support, organisation policy,
manpower, cost and resources, acceptance
– Accounts payable-the individual who prepares the
cheque for payment of invoices must not be the same
individual who approves payment
• Determine information needs
• Personal attributes-knowledge of IS, managerial
style and manager’s perception
• Organisational attributes-nature of the company,
level of management and structure of the
organisation
• Determine information sources
• Analysis and integration-internal and external
records, interviewing managers and sampling
method( input/output analysis, multidimensional
flow and information matrix)
• Develop alternative conceptual design and
select one
• It is a creative process that involves synthesizing
knowledge
• Example-20 warehouses scattered and MIS
needed to regulate production and inventories
• Alternative-all orders from customers be sent
directly to marketing at company head quarters
• Orders are transmitted by the customers directly to
the nearest warehouse. Each warehouse
maintains it own inventory records
• Document the system concept
– Prepare general system flow chart
– (system objectives, need and sources of information,
decision rules, input and output design etc)
• Prepare the conceptual design report
– Prepare a proposal for the expenditure of funds and
for organisational changes
– Document consists of summary of the problem,
objectives, general nature of the system, time and
other resources required to design MIS
 Detailed design
• Inform and involve the organisation
• To furnish a description of a system that
achieves the goals of the conceptual design
requirements. It consists of drawings, flowcharts,
equipments and procedures.
• Project management
– planning –establish objectives, define project tasks,
plan the activities, schedule the work, estimate labour
and cost etc. Establish a budget, plan the staffing
– Control-identify the gap,
• Identify dominant and trade-off criteria
– Dominant –an activity is so important that overrides
all other activities
– Ex: zero defect product
– Trade off-performance of one activity may be reduced
to increase the performance of another activity
• Define subsystem
– Conceptual design, dominant and trade-off
– Available resources, required activities etc…
– How to obtain information-task force meetings,
interviews, internal/external source docuements and
personal observation
• Sketch the detailed operating subsystem and information
flow
• Task oriented chart, forms chart and program flowchart
• Determine the degree of automation-no automation/
work automated and control manual/work and feedback
automated and control manual/work, feedback and
control is automated
• Inform and involve the organisation again
• Computer related acquisition-hardware, software,
personnel and material
• Actual data must be obtained for initial testing
• Responsibility for file maintenance
• Prepare master file
• Test consists of equipment, new software, new
forms, new data and work procedure and
reporting format
• Cutover –new system replaces old system
• Docuementation-preparation of written
description of scope, purpose, information flow
and operating procedures
• Evaluation is done in the design(system,
operating integrity, internal and procedure)
• Maintenance
• Changes happened due to governmental
policies, economic condition, industry and
new technology