A systems analyst

A systems analyst is responsible for detailed design of systems. He should possess a good balance of commercial and data processing knowledge and be fully aware of the company's organization and procedures. He must be able to understand complex and possibly ill-defined problems, and be able to devise and select the most practical solutions. Ability to mix, communicate and be tactful is essential.

A programmer

A programmer is responsible for writing, in machine language, the detailed programs of the system devised by the analyst. He must be logical, meticulous, patient, and able to work as a member of a team.

The operations manager

The operations manager plans, co-ordinates and controls the operational activities of the computer, the auxiliary machines and services for the receipt, codification and inputting of primary data and the distribution of the results to the sections concerned.

Organization of machine room

• there must be sufficient space to allow for expansion and access to the machines;

• heating, ventilation and humidity are important, and air conditioning may be needed to ensure that a suitable atmosphere is maintained;

• lighting must be adequate and sound-proofing essential;

• power, of sufficient capacity, must be available and many power points are needed. There may need to be a special alternative arrangement in the event of a power failure;

• the flow of work must be regular to obviate peak periods. Shift-working may be necessary, especially where a computer is installed;

• efficient records are needed for effective control, e.g. time sheets, progress charts.

Assignments

I. Suggest the Ukrainian equivalents of the words and phrases below:

systems analysis; systems analyst; to be aware of; meticulous; operations manager; sound-proofing; power point; alternative arrangement; auxiliary machine; power failure; shift-working; time-sheet; progress chart;

II. Find English equivalents to the following words and phrases from the text:

звуконепроникність; скрупульозний; операційний менеджер; змінна робота; системний аналіз; спеціаліст з системного аналізу; табель обліку відпрацьованих годин; графік виконання робіт; штепсельна розетка; перебій в електропостачанні.

III. Answer the question and perform other tasks:

1. What do you understand by the term ‘management services’?

2. Draw an organization chart for a department concerned with management services.

3. Outline the work of computer department.

4. What points should be considered in the organization of a machine room?

Section II. Management information systems Unit 2.1. Introduction to mis

2.1.1. What is mis?

A MIS can be defined as a system to convert data from internal and external sources into information and to communicate that information, in an appropriate form, to managers at all levels in all functions to enable them to make timely and effective decisions for planning, directing and controlling the activities for which they are responsible.

The emphasis in the definition is on the use of information not on how it is produced.

There are wide ranging knowledge requirements for MIS including the nature of data and information, general systems concepts, organisation principles, planning and decision making, control principles, management functions, and the use of information technology.

The processing of data into information and communicating the resulting information to the user is the very essence of MIS. Data is the term for collections of facts and figures; hours worked, invoice values, part numbers, usage rates, items received etc. These basic facts are stored, analysed, compared, calculated and generally worked on to produce messages in the form required by the user, i.e. the manager, which is then termed information.