An automated information system (AIS) is an assembly of computer equipment, software, firmware, or any combination thereof, configured to perform specific information processing operations, such as communication, computing, distribution, processing, and storage. It includes computers, word processing systems, networks or other electronic data processing systems and related equipment. Management information systems are a common example of automated information systems.
Concept and definition
In 1995, the developers presented two views on the concept of AIS. According to one view, these are systems that include software and hardware, data, people, and procedures. Another look at the system also adds processes and important elements to it, such as the environment, boundaries, purpose, and interactions. According to today's view, AIS is an automated system that includes various elements aimed at integrating solutions in the field of information technology and business processes to meet the information needs of enterprises and organizations.
There are various types of such systems, for example:
- transaction processing;
- decision support;
- knowledge management;
- learning management;
- database management.
The main purpose of using most automated information systems is to use technologies that can perform tasks that the human brain cannot process: processing large amounts of information, performing complex calculations, and controlling many simultaneous processes.
AIS structure
AIS necessarily includes six components that must be combined. Their detailed description is presented below.
Hardware: the term “equipment” refers to machines. This category includes the computer itself, which is often called the central processing unit (CPU) and all of its auxiliary equipment. Other equipment is input and output devices, data storage and communications.
Software: this term refers to computer programs and manuals (if any) that support them. They are machine-readable instructions that direct the circuit to the hardware of the system so that they function in such a way as to obtain useful information from the data. Programs are usually stored on various input and output media, often on disk or tape.
Data: These are the facts that the software uses to obtain useful information. Like programs, data is usually stored in machine-readable form on disk or tape until the computer needs it.
Procedures: these are policies that govern the operation of a computer system.
People: every system needs people to be useful. This is probably the component that most affects the success or failure of information systems. It includes not only users, but also those who work and maintain machines, support data and a network of computers.
Feedback: this is another component of the information system that determines its effectiveness (although it is not needed for work).
Data is the bridge between equipment and people. They have no practical value until people take care of them. At this point, the data becomes information.
Types of Automated Information System
The “classic” look at information systems presents them as a pyramid of subsystems that reflect the hierarchy of an organization. Typically, transaction processing systems are located at the bottom of the pyramid, followed by tools for processing management information, decision support and, finally, executive information functions at the top. Although this model remains useful, over time a number of new technologies have been developed and new categories of AIS have appeared, some of which no longer fit into the original pyramid model. So, any single automated information system of a non-commercial type will look a little different.
Some examples of such systems are as follows:
- Data Warehouses
- enterprise resource planning;
- corporate systems;
- expert IP;
- search ICs;
- office automation.
Computer IS is essentially an automated information management system using computer technology to perform some or all of the planned tasks. Its main components are:
Equipment is devices such as a monitor, processor, printer, and keyboard that work together to receive, process, display data and information.
Software is software that allows hardware to process data.
Databases are a collection of related files or tables containing related data.
Networks are a connecting system that allows different computers to allocate resources.
Procedures are commands for combining the above components to process information and obtain the preferred output.
The first four components (hardware and software, database and network) make up the so-called information technology platform. Professionals could then use these elements to develop an automated information system that tracks security, risk, and data management. These activities are known as information technology services.
Such systems support both entire organizations and their parts or groups of organizations. It is worth noting that each department or functional area within the enterprise has its own set of application programs or AIS. These functional area information technology automated systems (FAIS) support the supporting elements for more general ISs, namely business intelligence systems and dashboards. As the name implies, each FAIS serves a specific function within the organization, for example: accounting, finance, production management, marketing and human resources. In the field of finance and accounting, managers use information automated accounting systems to forecast income and business activity to determine the best sources and use of funds, as well as to conduct audits. All this is necessary in order to ensure that the organization’s activities are fundamentally justified and that all financial statements and documents are accurate.
Other types of organizational information automated processing systems include transaction processing tools, enterprise resource planning, office automation, management information and decision support system, expert system, executive control panel, supply chain and e-commerce.
Dashboards are a special form of AIS that supports all organization managers. They provide quick access to timely and structured information in the form of reports. Expert systems try to duplicate the work of human experts, applying the capabilities, knowledge and experience of reasoning in a certain area.
Information System Development
Information technology departments in large organizations tend to greatly influence the development, use and application of automated information systems (AIS) in organizations. A number of methodologies and processes can be used to develop and use an information system. Many developers now use such an engineering approach as the System Development Life Cycle (SDLC), which is a systematic procedure for creating AIS at stages that occur sequentially. The latest research is aimed at ensuring the continuous collective development of such systems within the organization by the people themselves.
An automated information system can be developed locally (internally) or outsourced. This can be achieved by outsourcing certain components or the entire system. A specific case is the geographical distribution of the development team (offshoring, global information system).
Computer AIS, in turn, is a technologically feasible medium for recording, storing and disseminating linguistic expressions, as well as for deriving from them.
The development of an automated information system for an organization is carried out in stages, including:
- recognition of problems and their specification;
- collection of information;
- specification of requirements for the new system;
- system design;
- AIS design
- system implementation;
- review and maintenance.
Like an academic discipline
The research area, called automated information systems, covers many topics, including system analysis and design, computer network, information security, database management and decision support systems. Information management is connected with practical and theoretical problems of data collection and analysis in the field of business functions, including productivity tools, programming and application implementation, e-commerce, digital media production, data mining and decision support. Communication and networking is associated with telecommunication technologies. Information systems combine business and computer science using the theoretical foundations of information and computing to study various business models and related algorithmic processes for creating IT systems as part of a discipline in computer science.
Computer AIS (CIS) - a field that studies computers and algorithmic processes, including their principles, software and hardware projects, their applications and impact on society.
Several AIS researchers discussed their nature and foundations, which are rooted in other reference disciplines, such as computer science, engineering, mathematics, management science, cybernetics, etc. Information systems can also be defined as a combination of hardware, software, data, people and procedures that work together to provide quality information.
AIS differentiation from related disciplines
Like computer science, other disciplines can be considered as related and fundamental disciplines of AIS. The field of study of automated information systems includes the study of theories and practices related to social and technological phenomena that determine their development, use and influence in organizations and society. Despite the fact that in related parameters there may be significant overlap of disciplines, they still differ in purpose and orientation of their activities.
In a broad context, the term "Information Automated Systems" is a scientific field of research that covers a number of strategic, managerial and operational activities related to the collection, processing, storage, dissemination and use of information and related technologies in society and organizations. This concept is also used to describe an organizational function that applies knowledge in industry, government, and nonprofits.
Information systems often refer to the interaction between algorithmic processes and technologies. It can occur inside or outside the organization. In other words, this is the technology that the organization uses, as well as the way they interact with each other and are used in the organization’s business processes. AISs differ from information technology (IT) in that they have an IT component that interacts with process components. Thus, AIS can be represented as a system of automated information technology.
One of the problems associated with this approach is that in this case, the non-organizational use of AIS is excluded (for example, in social networks, computer games, mobile personal use, etc.).
Another way to differentiate the AIS field from related disciplines is to find the answer to the question "What aspects are most significant in the field of AIS and in other areas?" This approach, based on philosophy, helps to determine not only the direction, purpose and orientation, but also the merits, prospects and further development of all the sciences discussed.
Increase in the number of jobs
Information technology is important for the work of modern enterprises, including because they offer many employment opportunities. Information support of automated systems requires the constant work of specialists who design and build AIS, use them and are responsible for managing them. In recent years, there has been significant demand for traditional IT professionals such as programmers, business analysts, system analysts, and designers. Many well-paid jobs exist in the field of information technology. At the top of the list is the chief information officer (CIO).
Study
Research in information systems is usually multidisciplinary. They are associated with the study of the influence of AIS on the behavior of individuals, groups and organizations. Recently, scientists have developed two scientific paradigms, including behavioral science, which should develop and test theories that explain or predict human or organizational behavior and design science, which expands the boundaries of human and organizational capabilities, creating new innovative products.
Since the study of information systems is an applied field, industry experts expect that their study will lead to results that are immediately applicable in practice. However, this is not always the case, since they often study behavioral problems much more deeply than practitioners would expect from them. This may make it difficult to understand the results of research on information systems.
Study Features
Despite the fact that AIS as a discipline has been developing for more than 30 years, the main focus of the researchers is not on the information security of automated systems, but on the study of the technology itself. There are two main views in this discussion:
- a narrow view of IT as the main subject of AIS research;
- a broad perspective that focuses on the interaction of the social and technical aspects of IT embedded in a dynamic context.
There is a third point of view that encourages AIS researchers to pay balanced attention to both IT and context.
Trends today
Over the past ten years, the business sector has undergone a significant increase in the role of the functions and tasks of information automated systems (ISF), especially with regard to strategies and enterprise support. This has become a key factor in increasing productivity and supporting the creation of new products for the study of AIS itself, and not its consequences.
In addition, in our time, state-owned automated information systems operate, the scope of which is non-profit. All this together leads to the fact that development funding is constantly increasing. Thanks to this, the technology is developing very rapidly.