CONCEPTS OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS · LEARNING AREA 6 : INFORMATION SYSTEMS Information is organised data that is valuable and meaningful to a specific user

LEARNING AREA 6 : INFORMATION SYSTEMS http://www.sitef.org

CONCEPTS OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS LESSON 41 : DATA, INFORMATION AND INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Data and information are used in our daily life. Each type of data has its own importance that contributes toward useful information. Nutrition, Health and Food Safety Coverage shows that supplements record the lowest coverage overall.

Data in the weather report, KLSE price indices, food and calories guide reflects useful information.

For example, food and calories guide helps us to make decisions. In order to maintain health, you are encouraged to take food like coleslaw as its calories is just 62.

Data is like raw material. It is not organised and has little value. Data can include text, numbers, images, audio and video. Text data consists of sentences and paragraphs. Number or numerical data consists of digits from 0 to 9. Image data are graphical images.

Audio data can be sound, voice or tones. Video data consist of moving images.

Prepared by: Mohd Nasaruddin Hydr Ali, SMK Perempuan Sandakan, 2007 | [email protected] 1


Information is organised data that is valuable and meaningful to a specific user. For example, these numbers are the data. When these numbers are arranged together, they are identified as students’ examination marks. They become information when the examination marks are arranged. With that, the position of each student can be listed.

Information system is a set of related components that collects data, processes data and provides information. For example: School Grading System is the information system used in schools. In this system, students’ marks are the input data that must be obtained from the class teachers. Process involves making calculations, comparing, grading and storing data. In a School Grading System, output is usually in the form of documents. Output can be digital or in printed format.



EXTENSION : Online Ticketing System

Malaysia Airlines' Online Ticketing system is one of them. When you visit the Malaysia Airlines Web site to make flight bookings, it will request data from you, such as destinations and travel dates. Your data will then be stored in the Web site’s server.

When you place a booking, the airline’s information system will process your payment by credit card and send a confirmation to your email account. LESSON 42 : USAGE OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN VARIOUS FIELDS

A customer has sent a parcel from Malaysia to Sydney through an International delivery service named FedEx. He wanted to know where his shipment was.

He signs into the Delivery service’s online tracking assistant and enters his personal account information.



Usage Of Information Systems In Education Information systems in education are used to: Keep track of students statistics and grades

o Student Information Systems are used to keep track of students statistics and grades.

o Examples of Student Information Systems are Centre, WMU and MMS.

Help students and teachers in online learning and discussion o Learning Management Systems are used to

help students and teachers in online learning and discussion.

o Examples of Learning Management Systems are Moodle, University Sains Malaysia and Open University Malaysia.

Store subject content

o Information systems are also used in storing subject content for Online Learning Portals.

o Examples of Learning Portals are mySchoolNet, International Islamic University Malaysia e-learning and MyGfL.

Usage Of Information Systems In Business Information systems in business are used to: Carry out online buying and selling

o In retail companies, information systems are used in online buying and selling.

o Examples of information systems for a retail company are Amazon.com, Lelong.com and Maybank2U.com.



Help plan the delivery of goods and services o In the transportation industry, information

systems are used to help plan the delivery of goods and services.

o Examples of information systems in the transportation industry are UPS.com, FedEx Express and City-Link.

Make room bookings and for checking the best

rates o In the hotel industry, information systems are

used to make room bookings and for checking the best rates.

o Examples of information systems in the hotel industry are Genting Online booking, Booking.com and Sabah Hotel Booking Center.

Usage Of Information Systems In Management Information systems in management are used to: See employee records

o In human resource management, information systems are used to see things like employee records.

Analyse products, services and product prices

o In marketing management, information systems are used to analyse products, services and product prices that give the best sales.



Process customer orders, organise production times and keep track of product inventory o In manufacturing management,

information systems are used to process customer orders, organise production times and keep track of product inventory.

EXTENSION : Information Systems Careers

Graduates with information systems degrees usually have a variety of job opportunities. Job opportunities:

Analyst Programmer Application consultant IT Consultant IT Executive Network Support Engineer Project Manager

Knowledge of information systems will help you develop skills on application software. Application Software:

Internet Explorer Emails Word Processor Desktop publishing software

Examples of jobs in information systems are database administrator, systems analysts and system d

esigner.



LESSON 43 : INFORMATION SYSTEMS COMPONENTS

school system is made up of different components that work together to achieve its

Agoals. In any system, there must be input, processes and output to ensure that the system works and achieves its goals.

he input to a school system is students, teachers, textbooks and teaching facilities.

n information system (IS) is a set of related components that collect data, process data

TThe processes of a school system are teaching and training. The outputs of a school system are educated students. Aand provide information. The components of information systems are: data, hardware, software, people and procedures.



Data very important in information systems.

e

r example, the stock status report in a ook store helps the book store's anager to decide when to reorder their ocks.

The hardware component in an information ns all computer equipment used to

ardware resources also include all media n which data is recorded, such as paper,

he software component in an information for the These programs allow the computers to carry out most of the instructions

trols basic computer operations. For xample, the Operating Systems are Microsoft Windows,

Application users to do specific tasks. E

Data isWithout data, decision and conclusion cannot bmade. The right data in information systems helps us to make the right decision.

Fobmst

Hardware

system meaperform input, processing and output functions.

Hofloppy disks and compact discs. Software T system consists of programs computers. related to information processing. There are two types of software: system software and application software. System software coneLinux and Macintosh.

software are programs that allowxamples of

application software are Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access and SQL Server.



People eople involved is information systems personnel and end users.

Database Administrator r monitors database security and solves errors.

ons to

o esigner designs database according to the specifications given by

ts. End s End Users

sers are people who use information systems.

Pro dProcedures are operating instructions for the user of an information system.

in the form of guidelines in the user anuals.

An information system nsists of the

hardware,

P Information Systems Personnel:

o The database administrato System Analyst

o A system analyst analyses the customer's needs by providing specificaticustomers.

System Designer A system dsystems analys

U ers:

o End u Customers

o They can be customers, managers and clerks.

ce ures

Procedures can be m

Interrelation Between Components

cointerrelated

components of data, software,

people and procedures.



These components work together to perform

uter

XTENSION : The Components of A Portal

which is a combination of databases,

input, process and output. This provides information products in order to meet the needs of an information system.

For example, Dell CompCorporation’s workers who receive input data, will work on computers. This input data will be kept in the company’s databases. The database system stores information about customer preferences on products and also the technical problems faced. Its customer service could give answers and suggestions quickly by having the database. E n enterprise portal is an information systemA

software and procedures. The components of a portal are documents, drawings, multimedia and data. These components have to be processed, categorised, indexed and stored. This helps a company to manage documents and media for future use.



LESSON 44 : TYPES OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS

nual system to run their usiness. They used traditional filing systems to keep track of

many information systems available to help organisations in making better

ypes of Information Systems

Organisations need different formation systems for various

re used to provide regular

In the 70s, businessmen used a mabtheir daily transactions. They produced their reports based on a manual system. This caused them delays in making decisions and in planning strategies.

Today, there are so

decisions in business. T

inlevels of management. There are three levels of management: Top management, middle management and low level management.

Management Information Systems Management Information Systems ainformation about the daily activities of a business to the manager. Management Information Systems are to help managers make the business processes and activities more efficient compared to doing them manually.



Transaction Processing Systems

Processing Systems keep track of daily transactio

e best decisions. Decision Support Systems help to oblems

Transaction Processing Systems are used to record business transactions. Transaction ns in a database.

Decision Support Systems

Decision Support Systems provide managers with information to make thanalyse information, recognise pr

and making decisions. Executive Information System

Executive Information System helps top-level management to plan strategies. An Executive Information System is used to forecast future trends.

used to store knowledge and make gical suggestions for the user. Expert System users can

m can suggest nditions and estimate the

probability of having the illness.

Expert System Expert System is lo

be professionals like doctors and scientists. An Expert Syste

12 Prepared by: Mohd Nasaruddin Hydr Ali, SMK Perempuan Sandakan, 2007 | [email protected]

co


EXTENSION : Office Information System (OIS)

Office Information System is also n as office automation.

t uses ardware, software and networks to

a request to purchase a printer toner. order to the supplier. The supplier will

t the purchase order and the status of e

ESSON 45 : HIERARCHY OF DATA

know Office Information System is an information system thahenhance work flow among employees.

For example, the administration department hasThe purchasing department will issue a purchaseemail the administration department aboudelivery. The administration department will then be informed of the delivery of thprinter toner. L

. Form 1A has to record the particulars of the students.

of birth into the register. After that, Pn. osnah keeps her register on the shelf together with other Form One registers.

and a ollection of all Form One classes. Finally, you see a collection of students’ class

Pn. Rosnah is the form teacher of Form 1A 25 new students. She needs

She records the students’ particulars according to the name, registration number, gender, address, parent's name and date R The concept of the hierarchy of data is like information in Pn. Rosnah’s register. The hierarchy starts with a student name and information for the whole classcregisters for all the Form One classes in the school office.



Bit, Byte, Field, Record and File

it The bit is represented by 0 for OFF or 1 for ON. It is a binary digit. It is

smallest unit of data the

A byte is a collection of bits. Each byte consists of eight bits. Each byte represents a character.

A field is a unit of data consisting of one or more characters

.

field has a field name. This field name describes the data that should be entered into the field, such as StudentID (Student ID), Name, Address and MyKad Number.

n of related fields. Each record stores data about a

For example, a student record

A file is a collection of related records. For

ple, a student

B

the computer can store in a database.

Byte

For example: The letter S is made up of 0101 0011

Field

(bytes) in the database. EachA field is the smallest unit of meaningful information

Record

A record is a collectio

student. is a collection of fields about a student.

File

examfile is a collection of the students’ records.



Hierarchy of Data

Hierarchy is a series of ordered groupings in a system, beginning with the smallest unit to the

rgest.

o the largest unit of data, as it progresses p the hierarchy. Together, bits, bytes, fields,

a l of Database

a hierarchical database, data is organised in a family tree. As with a family tree, the records.

ach parent record can have multiple child ave only one parent. This is also a parent and child record.

any, you starts with the mployees, then Local Company, and then IT.

ESSON 46 : DATABASE

la Data is organised in a hierarchy that begins with the smallest turecords, files and database form the hierarchy of data.

Mode EXTENSION : Hierarchical Dat

Inhierarchical database has branches made up of parent and child

E records. Each child records, however, can h In this model, records are searched from top to down. For example, to locate records of employees working in the IT department of a local compE L

A bookshop’s online system enables customers to search for books easily.

e selects his books, registers details online and

A person can receive search results in an instant. Hcompletes the purchase.



Database Database is a structured collection of information on specific subjects. We can think

A Database Management System is a program that accesses information from a database.

Database Management System providser. A Database Management System enables you to extract, modify and store formation from a database. Examples of DBMS are Oracle, SQL Server and Microsoft

ION : Selecting The Best DBMS

uidelines To Select the Best DBMS: able to update records can be the most

important performance criteria for some companies. t be able to integrate with other applications and

cy protection and other access

n the DBMS program. You have to buy it separately.

A u

of a database as an electronic filing system. An example of the database is a telephone book which contains records of names, addresses and contact numbers. A database allows its contents to be easily accessed, updated, stored and retrieved.

Database Management System

A es an interface between the database and the uinAccess. EXTENS G Performance – How fast the database is

Integration – A good DBMS musdatabases. Features – Features such as security procedures, privatools are important considerations. An important feature like Report Generator is not included i

ser has to consider these guidelines before buying a DBMS program.



LESSON 47 : BENEFITS OF USING DATABASE

In a shopping complex, people are busy an be situations where a person

as not brought enough money to shop.

n insert the ATM card, follow the instructions

Benefits of using database:

a. most data items are stored in only one file. e is no need to repeat

ta. This minimises

hen the student enrols in

2. Dat

a. nsures that data is correct for allfiles.

data in one of the files in

atically in all the files. This is called data

3. Dat

a. allows the ease of sharing data. . data can be shared over a network, by a

n. 4. Info sed easily

a. a database makes information access easy. b. everyone can access and manage data in a d

shopping. There ch Fortunately, an Auto Teller Machine (ATM) in the shopping complex can solve this problem. Wecaon the screen and put in the request. The ATM processes the information, and cash will be available in a few seconds.

Benefits Of Using a Database

1. Minimises data redundancy

b. with a database therrecording the same dadata redundancy.

c. for example, a school database would record a student’s name, address and other details only once wthe school.

a integrity is assured a database e

b. when a user modifiesa database, the same data will change automintegrity.

a can be shared a database

bwhole organisatio

rmation can be acces

atabase.



EXTENSION : Lelong.com.my

Lelong.com.my uses the benefits of database to set up the online shopping Web

tes. In lelong.com.my, information can be

formation such as music Ds, books and other gifts. It provides

with pictures of items on icks of the mouse and makes his payment

electronically. It also stores its members' inf

ESSON 48 : FEATURES OF MICROSOFT ACCESS

siaccessed easily. In lelong.com.my, a database is used to store product inCsearch facilities. All sales items are put into categories. It provide consumersclsale. The user chooses his items by a few ormation.

L

A businessman who is constantly travelling e. He needs to have good

ganisation to ensure his work runs

business cards and contacts. his makes it faster and easier to retrieve

We can use database software such as SQL Server, Oracle and icrosoft Access to organise data. Among the three, Microsoft Access

is easy to use with tools that enable you to build your own database.

at allows users to

oMicrosoft AccessManagement Syst

ships,

leads a busy liforsmoothly. He needs an organiser to store meeting schedules, Tinformation.

Microsoft Access

M

Microsoft Access is a database program thstore and manage f information. is a Database em. It allows users

to create tables, set relation

large collections

design forms, queries and reports very easily.



Features of Microsoft Access Microsoft Access is part of the Microsoft

soft Access

rams and then click Micrsoft ccess. When you open a database, the Database window will be displayed. The

oolbar contains button

cts bar lists the pes of objects in a

group database

a esses.

tion into a database.

essible.

Office Software, so the menus, toolbars and dialog boxes work basically the same as other Microsoft Windows applicati Explore the Features of Micro

ons.

On the taskbar, click the start button, point to All ProgADatabase Title Bar displays the name of the opened database.

The Database window Tfor commands that will allow you to create, open and manage database objects. The objetydatabase. List of objects for the selected type. The group bar allows you toobjects the same way you want them, creating shortcuts to objects of different types.

s name and addr Table : a collection of related information about a topic, such Queries : a method to find information in a database. Forms : provide an easy way to view and enter informa Reports : summaries of information that are designed to be readable and acc



EXTENSION : The Features of DBMS

se are some features of Microsoft Access mpared to SQL.

tabase driven Websites.

users at the same time.

n Websites.

ESSON 49 : FEATURES OF TABLE, QUERRY, FORM AND REPORT

ThecoMicrosoft Access is more suitable for a small number of users. It is commonly used on desktop computers and is not suitable for da thousands of SQL can be assessed by hundreds or

SQL is used in servers of developers and more suited for database driveMicrosoft Access is cheaper as it comes along with Microsoft Office suite. SQL requires extra cost to purchase. L

Interact lub. He uses Microsoft Access to manage

embership and the monthly fees for the

b his teacher a membership port of the club.

le table stores a collection of information about a specific topic. For example, you can

dent’s information in your database

query is a type of database objects in Microsoft Access. A query is a request for a abase. When you create a query, Microsoft Access helps to find

form is an interface to enter information such as student’s details in your database.

report summarises information from the database.

Ali is the treasurer of the school’s Cthe membership information in a database. By using a database, Ali is able to track themclub. With Microsoft Access he is able to find out if there are members who have not paid their fees.

le to present to At the end of every two months he is are Features of a TabAuse a table to store stu Features of a Query Aspecific data from a datinformation that meets user’s criteria quickly Features of a Form A Features of a Report A



LESSON 50 : Relationship between Fields, Record and File

his is a report rd of a student. The student's examination

lts for Information and ommunication Technology, look across the

The examination is just over. Tcamarks are arranged in a table with columns and rows. Subject column lists all the subjects taken by the student. To find out the resuCrow for this subject and the scores. The right hand side of the column shows the average score for this subject. In a database, the fields, records and files are arranged in a table format.

Field

Field is a specific category of information in a table. In a table, fields are usually shown

columns and it has its own field name at the top. For example, StudentID, Name,

ample, StudentID, ame, Gender, Address and ContactNumber use text as data type. MyKad Number uses

ecord

a collection of fields about one person, place or thing in a table. Records are rranged in rows. A record is also known as the row or tuple. For example, we have a

inMyKad Number, Date of Birth, Gender, Address and Contact Number. All the data within the same field holds the same data type. For exNnumber as data type. Date Of Birth uses date as data type. Several fields make up a record. R Record is atotal of five records in above table.



File

A file is a set of data arranged in columns and rows. They are grouped together for

ecific purpose. For example, this is a Student Registration System which records all

have fields and records. A file is sometimes called a table or lation. For example, a Book file and a Student file.

XTENSION : Guidelines For Putting Data in a Field

ss may contain a big piece of ata. It make the process of data searching

break down the address field into veral smaller fields like, a house number, a

For example, if you want to know who amansara Jaya in the Residential Area field. A list of persons who stay in Damansara

a spthe students’ information. To form a file, the file mustre E

A field like addredslower. You cansestreet address, a residential area, a post code, a town, a state and even the country.

lives in Damansara Jaya, you just key in

DJaya will be displayed. This will make the search of your contacts easy.



LESSON 51 : Primary Key and Foreign Key

A man wishes to buy a computer book. He

that ppears shows the

Another example is to use Subject as the primary search item. In the search list, there re many different authors’ names and book titles, but all of them have the same

ary Key A primary key is the field that niquely represents each record in a

e ight not be a good primary key.

ay use the MyKad Number as the primary key. Some students might not have eir own MyKad Number yet, the MyKad Number is sometimes rejected as the primary

iquely identify each student, you can add a special StudentID field to be used as e primary key. For example, each StudentID represents a student.

wants to buy the book using Amazon.com. He searches for the book using author as the primary search item. The list of authors aauthor's name, the title for the book, publication year and subject.

asubject details. Define The Prim

utable. These keys must not have null values. Meaning, you must not leave these keys blank. Each table in the database must have at least one primary key.

There is also another name for a primary key: the unique identifier. In the student table, student namm For example there are two Sulaiman bin Yahya in this school. So, the Student Name is not a good primary key. You mthkey. To un


th


Define Foreign Key

A foreign key is the field that matches the primary key in

other table. It contains the

rimary key must have unique

tudent table, but the

bject, the reign key (StudentID) will

ry key ensures data integrity by uniquely identifying each record. 2. It helps to avoid duplicating records.

ered in the unique field. The Differences Between The Primary Key And Foreign Key

2. While primary keys must have unique values, foreign keys may have duplicate

EXTThere a kinds of primary keys in Microsoft Access such as:

1. AutoNumber primary keys r a sequential number as each record is added

can assign that field as the primary key. You can specify a vided it does not contain duplicate values.

3.

ansame data as those of the primary key in the other table. Foreign key fields are linked to fields in other tables. While a pvalues, a foreign key may have duplicate values.

For example, the StudentID is the primary key in the SStudentID is a foreign key in the Subject table. Since a student may take more than one sufohave a duplicate value in the subject table. The Importance of Primary

1. A prima Key

3. It prevents null values being ent

1. A foreign key links to a primary key in another table.

values.

ENSION : Types of Primary Keys re three

It can be set to automatically enteto the table.

2. Single-field primary keys If you have a field that contains unique values such as ID numbers or part numbers, you


primary key for a field proMultiple-field primary keys. In situations where you are unsure of the uniqueness of any single field, you may assign two or more fields as the primary key.


LESSON 52 : Relationship Between Primary Key and Foreign Key

The index in a book locate

sub-topics of the book.

as

helps readers to

It links the readers to the section of the book that contains the information wanted. The relationships between keys in a database are important as the index links in a reference book.

Relationship between Two Tables

Connections between fields of related tables having common values are called relationships. A relationship works by matching data in key fields, usually a field with

e same name in both tables. These matching fields are the primary key from one

s a foreign key of the other table. 2. By matching a foreign key with a primary key, the data does not need to be

s.

thtable and a foreign key in the other table. Importance of The Relationship between Primary Key And Foreign Key

1. The primary key of one table become

entered repeatedly. 3. A primary key makes creating Queries, Forms and Reports easier.


4. A primary key improves data performance by relating smaller tables into meaningful database


EXT

ENSION : Enforce Referential integrity

Referential integrity is a set of rules that protect data from accidental changes or deletions, if matching records still exist in a related table. For example, if a patient wants to check out, the referential integrity will check whether this patient has any

ce eferential Integrity.

rosoft Access will automatically update the matching data in all lated records. When you have deleted a record in the primary table, Microsoft Access

ESSON 53 : Database Object-Table

outstanding bills. If there is, referential integrity will protect data from being deleted. In Microsoft Access, to enforce referential integrity between two tables, double-click the line that connects the tables. The Relationships dialog box will appear. Click on EnforR Microsoft Access provides two options of referential integrity. When you change data in the primary key, Micrewill automatically delete matching records in the related table. L

A store manager is entering new stock into his

ventory system.

into the brary System.

form of a ble.

in A Librarian is keying in the new book data Li These data are kept in database in the ta



Define The Table As One Of The Database Objects

Tables are one of the database

jects in Microsoft

of data at is organised as

s are based on one or more

thods: 1. Design view

Cre ble In Design View Wh Table in Design view, you ustomise your fields, data types and even

e-click the Create ble in Design view icon.

lick on a Description cell, and then type a

ssign SocietyID as the primary key.

ave the Table.

he Society Table is displayed in the Database

obAccess. A Table is a collection throws and columns.

Every database object such as Queries, Forms and ReportTables. A database contains at least one Table.

Identify A Table You can create new Tables using one of three me

2. Wizard 3. Datasheet

ating A Taen creating a

center descriptions for them. In the Database window, click Tables on the Objects bar, and then doublta To add a field, click on the Field Name cell and type a field name. To change data type, click the Data Type drop-d

own menu, and choose the data type.

Cdescription. After that, you can define the Field Properties. A S T

27 Prepared by: Mohd Nasaruddin Hydr Ali, SMK Perempuan Sandakan, 2007 | [email protected]

window.


Creating A Table by Using Wizard

click Tables on the bjects bar, and then double click the Create

r Business andersonal options. Scroll through the list to

he Table, or accept the suggested name. Click No when Table Wizard ants to assign the primary key. Click Next to continue.

o the Table. Click Finish.

ge the data type r Date Of Birth. Save the Table.

he Database window.

reate a Table in Database view, we can

lick Tables on the bjects bar. Double-click the icon for

, double-click the eld name, type the new name and then

ck OK. When asked for a primary key, choose No. ssign UniformID as the primary key. Save the file.

se window.

Microsoft Access lets you create a new Table based on their templates. In the Database window, Otable by using wizard icon. There are templates fo Pfind and choose Students. Click Next to continue. Type a name for tw In the final wizard dialog box, click Enter data directly int We can also add another new column. Follow these steps. Click Insert and select Column to add columns. Rename the field. Chanfo The Students Table is displayed in t Creating A Table by Entering Data Center data into the Table. In the Database window, cOCreate table by entering data. Click to move from field to field. To change a field namefipress Enter. Enter all the data. Click the Save button on the Toolbar. Type a Table name and then cliA The Uniformed Body Table is displayed in the Databa



EXTENSION : Table Analyzer

The Table Analyzer is a tool that breaks a large Table into small Tables. It removes

dundant data in the large Table.

les only to keep the required data such as address nd telephone number.

ew Table will be the same as the large Table. It reduces data dundancy and makes the data easier to maintain.

re Then it generates smaller new Taba The information in the nre


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CONCEPTS OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS · LEARNING AREA 6 : INFORMATION SYSTEMS Information is organised data that is valuable and meaningful to a specific user