Transcript software strategy. - Computing Department

Software Strategy
HIGHER INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Software Strategy
Points to be taken into account:
• Evaluate the software
• User support
• Training
• Upgrade path.
Software Strategy
Software Evaluation
The 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 Evaluation
Functionality
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 Evaluation
Performance
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 Evaluation
Performance
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 Evaluation
Performance
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 Evaluation
Performance
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.
Software Strategy
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 Evaluation
Performance
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 Evaluation
Performance
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 Evaluation
Performance
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 Evaluation
Performance
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 Strategy
Software Evaluation
Training
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 Strategy
Software Evaluation
User 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 Strategy
Software Evaluation
User 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 Strategy
Software Evaluation
User Support
There are 6 sources
3. On-line Tutorials
• This is also part of the program and leads the user stepby-step through a set of instructions to illustrate how
the software works.
Software Strategy
Software Evaluation
User Support
There are 6 sources
4. Help Desk
• Internal – part of the company and focussed on lowlevel user problems
• External – Usually a software company and can deal
with high-level complex user problems. Detailed
technical information.
Software Strategy
Software Evaluation
User 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 Strategy
Software Evaluation
User 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 Strategy
Decisions 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 Strategy
Decisions 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 Strategy
Data 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.
Software Strategy
Data Warehousing
•Has been around since 1990’s.
Link to notes
•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
Data Mining
Link to notes
•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.
Software Strategy
Data Mining
Link to notes
•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.
Questions
2009 Section 2
Q16. Upgrading software is one aspect of a software strategy. Describe two other
aspects of a software strategy.
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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.
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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.
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Questions
2007 Section 1
Q10. Other than the cost, state two criteria for evaluating computer software.
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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.
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(b) State two types of strategy that the company should put in place to prevent
this situation occurring.
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Information System
Hardware
Computers
Peripherals
Supercomputers
Mainframe
Personal/PC
Mini
Laptop
Notebook
Handheld
Graphics Tablet
Scanners
Printers
Mice
Touch screens
Pens
Voice Recognition
People
End
users/clients
Accountant
Engineer
Administrators
Clerks
Managers
Software
Systems
Operating
Network
Applications
Packages Bespoke
WP
SS
Dbase
Data
Specialists
Systems Analysts
Programmers
Software Engineers
Systems Designers
Timely
Completeness
Reliability
Accuracy
Presentation
Availability
Level of Detail
Relevance/Appropriateness
Accounting
Payroll
Sales
Manufacturing
Classes of Software
1 - Presenting Information for Print Media
- Word Processing and Desk Top Publishing
WP
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.