MIS 2000Information Systems

for Management

Section A01, Bob TravicaIntroduction to Course

Updated: May 2015

Outline

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• What is Management Information Systems (MIS)?

• Focus of MIS 2000

• Course at a Glance

• Teamwork

• Assignments

• Hands-on: Class Exercises & Labs

• MIS on your resume

• Mutual expectations

What is Management Information Systems (MIS)?

• An area of management study and practice (as marketing or HRM*).

• MIS focuses on managing organizational information systems (IS) in order to improve organization, and achieve greater efficiency (productivity) and effectiveness (accomplishment of goals).

• Central concept is Information System (IS), which includes data, IT and work procedures.

• The term “MIS” is historical, when the main kind of IS would record transactions and report on basic operations (e.g., payroll, inventory, sales).

• Today, MIS is about any type of IS (see Syllabus for types).

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Focus of MIS 2000

• An introductory course, with both conceptual and practical focus.

• Management approach taken: Focusing on business (organizational)

processes (BP). Main goals are to understand:

– organizational data (in various states of organization)

– BP working with these data

– how IS do support BP (present focus)

– how IS support can be improved (future focus). Consequently, the

whole organization and its performance improves.

• Critical thinking: Not a magic stick approach. New technology solves some problems but not all.

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Course at a Glance

• Course outline and all study materials: Online at my Website

– E-text (free!)

– E-slides*, e-assignments and solutions - Wait for updates, see timestamp!

– Some handouts

• D2L: Will be used for the lab (much), and for class communication (a bit) and for posting some marks

• Study methods:

– Lectures, discussion, class exercises

– Laboratory on MS Access and Excel

– Teamwork (class and lab assignments, class exercises)

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Course at a Glance

• Assignments:

– Laboratory (MS Access & Excel) – check the lab schedule– Two home works (team-based)– Two exams

• Class participation:

– Not just attendance but talking on the topic in class (1 mark)

– Participating in teamwork on class exercises (0.5 marks)

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Teamwork

• Make a team of three to five members (not more!)

• Elect a coordinator/spokesperson – communicates with instructor

• Start planning time and responsibilities related to assignments

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Assignments

• 1. Data Analysis & Diagramming: The task is to analyze a narrative describing a business situation and to create a data diagram. Teams.

• 2. Business Process Analysis & Diagramming: The task is to analyze a narrative describing a business situation and to create a process diagram. Teams.

• 3. Labs will have a few individual and 1 team-based home work.*

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Hands-on: Class Exercises & Labs

• Class exercises in teams; focus of some key aspects of the topics studied (e.g., process diagramming, decision making…)

– Problem to solve as the team; instructor helps

– Present your work to the class, and learn from others

• Laboratory training:

– MS Access and MS Excel

– Check schedule

– Total 6 sessions; assignments and a final grade

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MIS on Your Resume

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• Information systems support every department and most work in today’s organizations.

• MIS is related to all management disciplines.

• Understanding MIS makes a better accountant, marketer, HR manager, purchasing manager…

• It pays back to double major with MIS!

• MIS courses cover IS Strategy, databases, IS Analysis & Design, computer networks, accounting IS, and special topics.

Mutual Expectations

• I (Bob) expect that you do your study-related work the best you can, given your time constraints and goals.

• For your coursework you will get a grade that reflects best your performance, based on careful grading that I will apply.

• I will do my best to support you in your study, respond to your questions and needs, and keep an open door/open book policy.

• If you need special attention, I will provide it.

• My goal is to get grades 4 or 5 on question 32 (instructor’s overall rating) when you evaluate the course at the end of term.

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