Level 3 Unit 2 Exam Notes

Information system notes. What is an IS (Information system): An integrated set of components for collecting, storing, processing, and communicating information.  The collection of technical and human that provides, the storage, the computing, the distribution and communication for the information required by all/some part of an enterprise. A special form of IS (information system) is a management information system (or MIS), which provides data/information for managing an enterprise.  Features: Data, People, Hardware, Software, Telecommunications.  Two types of systems in organisations: Open system interacts with its environment through giving and receiving information. Closed systems are closed off from the outside environment, and all interaction and knowledge is transmitted within the closed system only. 

Data Analysis Tools. Data tables: A structured table of data in a database that can show different types of information. (an example of a Data Table). Visualisation of data: Is a tool which helps people to understand the significance of the data by putting it into a visual context. Patterns, trends and correlations are much easier to recognise when data visualisation is used. Trend and pattern identification: This is similar to the visualisation of data where you would use  a comparison line graph to analysis (e.g.) sales over a month period for the last five years. Data Cleaning: Is used to make sure that is the data is up-to-date and is held relevant while removing any useless data. Geographic information system/location mapping: Is the ability to track the geographical location of staff or items that are being shipped around the world, and finding lost items.

Stages of Data Analysis.

Data, Information and Knowledge. Data:  Data are raw facts and figures that on their own have no meaning, (until given context). Examples of this can be: Alphanumeric characters. i.e. text, numbers, symbols. (yes,no,yes,no data sets have any meaning until they are given a context and processed into a usable form). Information:  Data that has been processed within a context to give it meaning, or data that has been processed into a form that gives it meaning. Examples: yes,no,yes,no --> Responses to the market research question--> "would you buy brand x at price y".  Knowledge:  Knowledge workers have specialist knowledge that makes them "experts".   -Based on formal and informal rules they have learned through training and experience.  -Examples include: doctors, managers, librarians, scientists e.c.t.  Information=Data+Context+Meaning                                    \__Processing__/  

Information Management. Collecting, storing and retrieving:  Information needs to be collected, stored and, if it is going to be easily used, available for retrieval. A database store allows information to be collected via a form, stored as records and then retrieved and sorted using queries. For example, if you wanted to join a swimming club, you could fill in a form on its website. This information would be stored on its members' database and a search to find all members who have joined in the last seven days would bring up the email address you supplied. Manipulating and processing;  This is the stage where information is processed for analysis. The swimming club could produce a graph showing how many members joined for each of the preceding 12 months.  Analysing:  At this stage, the information is looked at so that patterns can be identified. This information is useful on its own, but if these dates linked with other events, such as a June campaign to get new membe