vu mth718 Mid Term Subjective Solved Past Paper No.7

Types of Problems

Nature of problem determines the approach to decision making to be followed to solve it. There are three broad categories.

Structured

Well-structured problems are constrained problems with convergent solutions that engage the application of a limited number of rules and principles within well-defined parameters.

Unstructured

Problems possess multiple solutions, solution paths, fewer parameters which are less manipulate able, and contain uncertainty about which concepts, rules, and principles are necessary for the solution or how they are organized and which solution is best.

Semi-structured

A gray area lies between the structured and unstructured range. Here part of the decision can be specified allowing for certain factors out of control. Page 69

Incremental Model

The incremental model is a method of software or Information System development where the model is designed, implemented and tested incrementally until the product is finished. It involves both development and maintenance. This model combines the elements of the waterfall model with the philosophy of prototyping.

Example of an Incremental Model

An example of this incremental approach is observed in the development of word processing applications where the following services are provided on subsequent modules:

1. Advanced editing and document production functions
2. Basic file management, editing and document production functions
3. Spell and grammar checking
4. Advance page layout

Management Levels in MKIS

MKIS should cater for information requirements at each level, for instance

Strategic Level

1. Formulation of new sales products, and identifying new sales opportunities.
2. Planning support for new products and services
3. Monitoring competitors

Knowledge Level

1. Market analysis based on demographics and customer behavior

Management level

1. Sales performance analysis is required to monitor how to enhance sales and address related issues.
2. Sales staff analysis is important to see how much of the sales portion has been contributed by each of the employees.

Operational Level

1. Taking comments from customers for measuring satisfaction is a responsibility of the managerial level.
2. Tracking sales, processing orders and customer support

System Analysis

System analysis can be defined simply as: "The study of business problem domain to recommend improvements and specify the business requirements for the solution."

Or alternatively as:

"A problem solving technique that decomposes a system into its component pieces for the purpose of studying, how well those component parts work and interact to accomplish their purpose."

Both the definitions highlight following important points:

System analysis helps to create an understanding of the business processes, their linkage with one another, the parameters governing the data flow within the business, the controls andchecks built into the processes and the reporting needs in a business where a problem exists

Organizations have various attributes which distinguish them from each other. No two organizations are similar in all respects. There have to have certain distinctive lines keeping them unique from each other. Information requirements keep varying in accordance with

1. Size of organization
2. Its structure
3. The Culture it follows
4. Decision Making Structures
5. Interested parties both internal and external

An organization should consider the above mentioned requirements while devising a system which tailorsfor specific information needs.

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Characteristics of the Incremental Model

1. The system development is bren into many mini development projects
2. Partial systems are successively built to produce a final total system.
3. Highest priority requirements tackled early on.
4. Once an incremented portion is developed, requirements for that increment are frozen.Benefits
5. Working functionality is produced earlier - computation of value to cost ratio
6. Reduces risks of change in user requirements
7. Provides clients flexibility in decision making.
8. Risk management is incremental
9. Smaller scope for change in user requirements
10. Criticism
11. Larger picture cannot be seen until the entire system is built
12. Difficult to break down the total system at early stage of product development to determine reasonable increments

The set of processes developed in an organization to create, gather, store, maintain and apply the firm's knowledge is called Knowledge Management. Hence the systems that aid in the creation and integration of new knowledge in the organization are called knowledge systems.

Who are they built for?

This refers to defining the knowledge workers for whom the knowledge system is being built. The term refers to people who design products and services and create knowledge for an organization. For instance

1. Engineers
2. Architects
3. Scientists

Knowledge systems are specially designed in assisting these professionals in managing the knowledge in an organization.

What are they built for?

Every knowledge system is built to maintain a specific form of knowledge. Hence it needs to be defined in the start, what the system would maintain. There are major types of knowledge.

Explicit knowledge - Structured internal knowledge e.g. product manuals, research reports, etc.

External knowledge of competitors, products and markets

Tacit knowledge - informal internal knowledge, which resides in the minds of the employees but has not been documented in structured form.

Knowledge systems promote organizational learning by identifying, capturing and distributing these forms of knowledge

Feasibility studies aim to objectively and rationally uncover the strengths and weaknessesof the existing business or proposed venture, opportunities and threats as presented bythe environment, the resources required to carry through, and ultimately the prospectsfor success.

Key Areas of Feasibility

Following aspects/criteria can be covered in a feasibility study.

Technical Feasibility - is the available technology sufficient to support the proposedprojectCan the technology be acquired or developed?

Response times - time between request and execution

Volume of transactions, which can processed within the given time

Capacity to hold files or records of a certain size

Number of users supported without execution

Operational Feasibility - compliance and adjustability with the way organizationworks with attitude to change or chains of command.

Can the input data be collected for the system?

Is the output usable?

Economic feasibility - Do the benefits of the system exceed the costs?

It should be the BEST OPTION among those under consideration for the same purpose.

Behavioral feasibility - What impact will the system have on the user's quality ofworking life?

Semi-structured Decisions

The term is used to refer to the grey area of decisions which lie between the two extremes. Some (but not all) structured phases and often solved using standardized solution procedures and human judgment.

A gray area lies between the structured and unstructured range. Here part of the decision can be specified allowing for certain factors out of control.

Semi-structured Decisions

The term is used to refer to the grey area of decisions which lie between the two extremes. Some (but not all) structured phases and often solved using standardized solution procedures and human judgment.

A gray area lies between the structured and unstructured range. Here part of the decision can be specified allowing for certain factors out of control.