Software Strategy. Points to be taken into account: Evaluate the software User support Training Upgrade path.

HIGHER INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Software Strategy

Software Strategy

Points to be taken into account:

• Evaluate the software

• User support

• Training

• Upgrade path.

Software Strategy

Software EvaluationThe software has to be tested and checked to ensure it will do what you need it to do. We will look at Functionality and Performance.

Software Strategy

Software EvaluationFunctionality

The number of useable features an application package has. Are they useful to you?

For example you could test a new mobile phone by evaluating it in the following ways:

Software Strategy

Software EvaluationPerformance

There are 8 different criteria that can be measured.

1.Performance – e.g. how quickly can it access the internet. Or how fast does it take to search through 100,000 records on a database or how fast does it take a spreadsheet application to do a complex calculation?

Software Strategy

Software EvaluationPerformance

There are 8 different criteria that can be measured.

2. Usability – e.g. How are the menus set out are they standard or specialised. Does the software do what you expect it to do?

Software Strategy

Software EvaluationPerformance

There are 8 different criteria that can be measured.

3. Compatibility – e.g. Will the software work with other older software and hardware. The most common problem is it not being compatible with older operating systems.

Software Strategy

Software EvaluationPerformance

There are 8 different criteria that can be measured.

4. Data Migration – e.g. Moving data from one computing system to another. This is usually done automatically but no data can be corrupted or lost. E.g. move your contacts list.

Data Migration - This is when data stored on an older system has to be copied to a new system.

This can be problematic because of hardware/software incompatibility.

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Software Strategy

Software Strategy

Software EvaluationPerformance

There are 8 different criteria that can be measured.

5. Reliability – e.g. If it is reliable it will give the expected results when test data is supplied to it.

Software Strategy

Software EvaluationPerformance

There are 8 different criteria that can be measured.

6. Resource Requirements – e.g. Will the phone have enough resources to run the new software. Is it the correct type of processor and is it fast enough? How much RAM is needed? How much hard disk space, type of monitor/graphics adapter? Peripherals/USB.

Software Strategy

Software EvaluationPerformance

There are 8 different criteria that can be measured.

7. Portability – e.g. Can the software run on different types of computers or operating systems.

Software Strategy

Software EvaluationPerformance

There are 8 different criteria that can be measured.

8. Support – e.g. this can range from none, to a phone hotline, to on-site callouts and depends on how much money the company is willing to spend on it. It is aimed at the customer or user of the software.

Software StrategySoftware EvaluationTraining

There are 3 levels of training

1. On the job – when a new users starts using an information system. This will be a tutorial manual or on-line tutorial teaching the user about the software.

2. In-house – Small groups of staff receive training from IT staff within the company

3. External – If a company does not have specialists that training can be done at a college or training centre.

Software StrategySoftware EvaluationUser Support

There are 6 sources

1. Manuals

• Installation Guides – how to install software

• Tutorial Guide – step-by-step instructions on software

• Reference Manual – Guide to all the functions of the software

Software StrategySoftware EvaluationUser Support

There are 6 sources

2. On-line Help

• Part of the program to explain how features of the software work. (On-line does not be on the internet).

Software StrategySoftware EvaluationUser Support

There are 6 sources

3. On-line Tutorials

• This is also part of the program and leads the user step-by-step through a set of instructions to illustrate how the software works.

Software StrategySoftware EvaluationUser Support

There are 6 sources

4. Help Desk

• Internal – part of the company and focussed on low-level user problems

• External – Usually a software company and can deal with high-level complex user problems. Detailed technical information.

Software StrategySoftware EvaluationUser Support

There are 6 sources

5. Newsgroups

• Allows users to post messages on a forum to a wider audience. Users subscribe to a newsgroup and messages are posted to all members of the community. Allows people to share information and can sometimes use a FAQ (see next slide).

Software StrategySoftware EvaluationUser Support

There are 6 sources

6. FAQs

• Frequently asked Questions. A file that lists the most commonly asked questions. This is usually the first place a user looks to find an answer but if it is not there then they can try one of the other sources of support.

Software StrategyDecisions to Upgrade Software

This is a big decision because it can be very expensive and very costly if mistakes are made. Data files which can be more valuable than the computer system must be compatible with the upgraded software and hardware with software.

Software StrategyDecisions to Upgrade Software

Lack of functionality – As the company expends and changes the software need to keep apace. MP3 files came out after web authoring software can released so upgrades had to be created to allow for new file formats.

Hardware Incompatibility – software will not run on the new hardware so upgraded software has to be ordered.

Software Incompatibility – new software will not run on the version of the operating system, and it has to be upgraded.

Perfecting the Software – Updates are needed if bugs are detected in the software version that is being used.

Software StrategyData Warehousing & Data Mining

These are both closely linked. The Data Warehouse is where the data is stored. Data Mining is a way of exploring this data to look for as yet undiscovered patterns.

We have seen that data is used in different ways by different people.

• Some people only want to see data that is current and are only interested in immediate transactions.

• Some data has to be archived and stored away separate from the current business. This will be analysed to create reports to look at trends.

Data Warehousing

•Has been around since 1990’s.

•Looks at historical data.

•This is past transactions and orders.

•The data is separated from the current work window data.

•Data is queried and reports are created.

•Mostly used to review what transactions have occurred in the business. •Example – A new branch of a business opens in China. Data collected about transactions in the first year is archived. This is then analysed to monitor how the business has done.

Software Strategy

Link to notes

Software StrategyData Mining

•Uses techniques to explore data and identify patterns in the data that is stored in the Data Warehouse.

•Looks for potentially useful information from the data.

•Changes it into a form that is easily comprehensible to humans.

•Software techniques look for patterns.

•Can find patterns that have not been found before.

•Mining analogy is looking for something worthwhile by sifting through lots of data.

Link to notes

Software StrategyData Mining

•Data mining software allows users to analyse large database.

•Example – A company will analyse historical data associated with customers.

•Note: It is not about potential customers, they must have had previous interactions.

•The software will build a model of customer behaviour to predict which customers might be more likely to respond.

•This means the right customer should receive the right offers.

Link to notes

Questions

2009 Section 2

Q16. Upgrading software is one aspect of a software strategy. Describe two other aspects of a software strategy. 8

2008 Section 1

Q11. Ahmed has a problem using his project management software.

State two means by which Ahmed could obtain user support for this software. 2

Q12. Explain how online stores such as Amazon make use of data mining to promote sales. 3

2011

18(c ) State 5 criteria a company uses to help select the most appropriate software application.

5

Questions2007 Section 1

Q10. Other than the cost, state two criteria for evaluating computer software. 2

2007 Section 2

Q15 Discovery Designs Ltd is a web design company with a network of over 50 computers. Each department of Discover Designs Ltd is allocated a budget for the financial year. Mr MacGregor, manager of the Accounts Department, decides this year to use his allocation to purchase a new word processing package for his department. Mr MacGregor’s decision may cause problems for his department and other users in the company.

(a) Describe four potential problems that may arise. 8

(b) State two types of strategy that the company should put in place to prevent this situation occurring. 2

Information SystemHardware Software

Computers Peripherals Systems Applications

SupercomputersMainframePersonal/PCMiniLaptopNotebookHandheld

Graphics TabletScannersPrintersMiceTouch screensPensVoice Recognition

OperatingNetwork

Packages Bespoke

WPSSDbase

AccountingPayrollSalesManufacturing

People Data

End users/clients

Specialists TimelyCompletenessReliabilityAccuracyPresentationAvailabilityLevel of DetailRelevance/Appropriateness

AccountantEngineerAdministratorsClerksManagers

Systems AnalystsProgrammersSoftware EngineersSystems Designers

1 - Presenting Information for Print Media

- Word Processing and Desk Top PublishingWP DTP

•Used to generate text.•Can handle text and graphics reasonably well.•Deals with multi-page documents quite well.•Text tends to spill onto pages you don’t not want it to.

•Uses pre-prepared text.•Handles text and graphics very well.•Deals easily with multi-page documents.•Text and graphics are manipulated in boxes therefore less chance of bleeding onto other pages.

Classes of Software