Introduction Introduction. Problem. Literature. Data. Methods. Analysis. Business. Presentation Analytical methods for Information Systems Professionals.

IntroductionIntroduction . Problem . Literature . Data . Methods . Analysis. Business. Presentation

Analytical methods for Information Systems

Professionals

Week 1 Lecture 1

INTRODUCTION


What’s the point?


What questions were they in fact answering?

What questions should they have been asking?

How could they have found out some of the answers?

How could they know if their answers were right?


THEY WERE TRYING TO SAVE LIVES.

BY NOT ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS AND COLLECTING AND ANALYSING DATA, THEY CREATED A DEVICE THAT DIDN’T SAVE LIVES.

THEY CREATED A DEVICE THAT KILLED PEOPLE.


Use analytical methods to:

• Formulate a question precisely

• Have dependable techniques to gather and analyse data to answer questions

• Collect and analyse feedback


• Needs analysis• Evaluation of technology• Design• Feasibility• Measurement of performance and

alignment (auditing)• Changing


SYSTEMS THEORY

What does a system consist of?


• Entities

plus

• Relationships


• A system is an entity that maintains it existence and functions as a whole through the interaction of its parts.

• The behaviour of a system depends on how the parts are related, rather than on the parts themselves.

• The properties of the system are the properties of the whole, not the parts.

From The Art of Systems Thinking, O’Connor and McDermott


INFORMATION SYSTEMS

An applied discipline that studies the processes of the creation ,operation and social contexts and consequences of systems that manipulate information.


The creation and operation of such systems requires the sub-processes of systems analysis, design, development and management which are bracketed at the beginning by social context and at completion by social consequences.

www.infosys.usyd.edu.au

http://www.infosys.usyd.edu.au/


Information Systems (IS) professionals in today's organisations are leaders in change and development.

Your success in this field will be aided by your being able to apply formal methods of information collection and analysis to interpreting evidence on IS issues.


This course introduces you to analytical methods for the theory and practice of Information Systems theory as a dynamic process, from questions to answers, within a broad systems thinking approach.

It focuses on the use of analytical tools in the practice of IS using a business research model.


It prepares you for the major project in Information Systems, in conjunction with other courses within the Information Systems discipline at the University of Sydney http://www.infosys.usyd.edu.au .

It will also prepare you for your practice as an IT professional, or for further study in IS









By the end of this course you should be able to:

• understand the purpose, relevance and effectiveness of using analytical methods in IS,

• identify and articulate the research problem and its context,

• find, understand, analyse and evaluate literature related to the research question,


• write a research proposal, • collect data using both qualitative

and quantitative investigative methods,

• analyse and interpret that evidence,

• present and communicate your results verbally and in writing.


Guest lecturers

Professor Jon PatrickAssociate Professor Joseph DaviesEdmund BalnavesHugh SpringfordDavid NathanJulie Olston from the University LibraryGartner GroupHelen Bonanno from The Learning CentreJanet Jones from The Learning CentreDr Li Liu from Civil Engineering


Tutors

Kenneth Chung

Michele Zappavinga


Lectures

The Research Process

Defining the problem

Quantitative analyticalmethods

Finding and reading the literature

What is data?


Qualitative analytical methods

Planning and designing research

Revision

Presenting findings

Applying research to business


Tutorials

The genius is in the question

Critical reading exercise

Statistical analysis exercise

Literature review

Designing and conducting surveys


Action research workshop

Interviewing exercises

Making your point: presenting

Interpreting statistical data

Writing proposals


There is no project to be done in this

course

Assignments


Assignments

1. Reference assignment. Individual5%

2. Critical review of an article. Individual5%

3. Design and conduct a survey. Group5%

4. Write a proposal, plan and literature review. Individual

15%


Textbook


Announcements and the message

board


Ground rules

Introduction Introduction. Problem. Literature. Data. Methods. Analysis. Business. Presentation Analytical methods for Information Systems Professionals.

Documents

introduction introduction

introduction slide

analysing data

presentation systems

changing slide

feedback slide

presentation entities

presentation whats