info.processing
Post on 17-Jun-2015
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PROCEDURES FOR MANAGING
INFORMATION
Some of the main categories under which these procedures fall are:
Information path flows Records management systems Prioritizing jobs Ensuring privacy in multi-user
environments Assigning passwords in multi-user
environments
INFORMATION PATH FLOWS
To show the big picture, data flow paths can be used, set across an appropriate background context.
The background might be of departments or managerial decision levels or a data structure diagram.
Fig. 5.4.2 is an example of a diagram that represents the data flow paths. State Manager
Western Manager
Northern Manager
Eastern Manager
SouthernManager
Store Manager
Personnel Hardware Admin.Store GroceriesDeli
Store Managers
Whatever the representation chosen, once the flow path is documented and displayed for all staff to see.
It acts as reminder to follow the established information handling procedures
It also guides systems manager, when installing new programs and allocating passwords, on who should have access to what (see Fig. 5.4.1)
Computer Services
FILE SERVER APPLICATION
Word processing
Spreadsheets
Accounting
Database
Presentation
PASSWORD
PASSWORD
Admin.
Fresh Produce
Groceries
Accounts
PASSWORD
Deli
Fruit and Veg.
Diary
Head office
Eastern Region
Western Region
Southern Region
Northern Region
PASSWORD
Brunswick
Frankston
Dandanong
St. Kilda
Head office
Figure 5.4.1: Password allocation
RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Procedures for managing records include for example, making sure that records are printed in a particular order.
A small sports club with a simple spreadsheets, database and wordprocessing package might insist that the surname field in the members’ file is always sorted alphabetically when lists are printed, as in
Fig. 5.4.3.
Member Number
Surname First name
1
2
3
4
Jameson
Brown
Silvano
Alberto
Slyvia
Alex
Frank
Jo
Member Number
Surname First name
4
2
1
3
Alberto
Brown
Jameson
Silvano
Jo
Alex
Slyvia
Frank
Membership numbers are assigned as new members join.
Sort A to Z
Alphabetical sorting allows easy access to member information
Figure 5.4.3: Produce for sorting surname field alphabetically
In larger organizations, the clients’ personal information tables, stock lists and transaction records are all saved in different files. These files are constantly interacting electronically.
Procedures for managing these files need to be electronic to keep up with the speed at which the actions are happening.
A set of programs written to manageOpeningClosingProcessingSavingPrintingof files is a records management
system.
Libraries, video hire shops and equipment hire business lend goods to customers for a fee.
Lending businesses need two databases: one for their stock and another for their borrowers personal details.
Records management systems match the item loaned to the borrower’s record.
This creates a relationship between the two data-bases while that item is on loan.
These are called relational databases. Fig. 5.4.6 shows an example of how relationship is created.
Borrower Number
Surname
241389742381629
ChristosJohnsonAdamsNygenPolizia
Borrower Number
Video Number
389 02749
Video Number
Title
5562115872141461298102749
All the KingsJennyRed RidersRunnersThree Mice
Borrower number
Video number
Borrower/member
database file
Video database file
is attached to
Key Field Key Field
Figure 5.4.6: Creating s relation between key fields
Medical clinics have a database which includes;
patient recordsdrug and medication inventory accounts and Medicare social security reports.
The records management systems available to medical practices have electronic procedures which;
open the patient fileupdate the informationprint an account close the file store it back on hard disk.
PRIORITIZING JOBS In many organizations situations
arise in which a non-routine project has to be completed by a certain date.
The organization might be having its fiftieth anniversary, for instance, and the directors may decide to compile a history of the company.
This means that managers have to think about who should do the various tasks involved and decide in what order they should be done.
Part of this process is outlined in Fig. 5.4.7.
Investigate Design Produce Evaluate
• dates• people• resources• costs
• content• format• evaluation• survey
• template• booklet• survey
sheet• cost
estimate
• conduct survey• compile
responses
Survey
Contents
Thanks to:
History of the
Company
START
Milestone 1
Milestone 2 Milestone 3 Milestone 4
Roster of Tasks
First draft of History
Deadline to Printer
Assess success
Figure 5.4.7: One-Off Projects
Prioritizing jobs for non-routine or one-off project can be more difficult than a large volume or mass production situation. In a repetitive situation such as printing a daily newspaper, the procedures for passing information from one stage to the next can be altered if they are seen not to be working.
Microsoft Project and similar programs provide managers with a set of procedures for working through an unfamiliar project finding the clashes on paper before too much
time, moneyeffort is wasted.
In respect, programs which provide managers with such a set of procedures greatly improve efficiency.
MULTI-USER ENVIRONMENTS AND
PRIVACY
In a singular-user environment, the privacy of the information largely defends on the care and integrity of the user.
While the attitude of the group is very important in maintaining privacy in a multi-user environment, there is sometimes a sense of diminished responsibility in groups.
“If don’t’ fix it someone else will characteristics the attitude of some members of groups.
Tapping is possible when data is in transit between terminals, and events which decrease privacy in one part of the network may not occur in other offices.
MULTI-USER ENVIRONMENTS AND
PASSWORDS
Passwords can be set on a file, on a program, on a workstation or on access to a network.
Some files also have their attribute (a status defined in the file menu of a file management program) set to –P (minus P), which means they cannot be printed.
The Internet is the ultimate multi-user environment and provides an example of the use of passwords in an otherwise totally open environment.
Passwords are required to access Internet e-mail accounts and to upload Web pages.
Networks within organizations are usually closed networks; that is, they are not open to the general public unless at one very well protected access point.
Many companies who do not normally have a public point of access now have to deal with the page and e-mail.
To illustrate the various procedures pertaining to passwords in different organizations, those for a public library and those for a “closed” company are outlined in table 5.4.1
INSURANCE COMPANY –CLOSED HOME PAGE
LIBRARY-OPEN HOME PAGE
No password access
E-mail to information desk
Password access to borrowing and loan renewal.
E-mail to information desk
Open access to catalogue of books ,etc.
Table 5.4.1: Closed and open home pages
Illustrated in table 5.4.2 are some general strategies for effectively managing information.
Table 5.4.2: Strategies for effectively managing the quality of information
AREAS OF QUALITY
MANAGING OF EFFECTIVENESS
Completeness Set up reference files or checklist templates which show all areas to be included in an information product.
Accuracy Establish electronic and manual procedures to validate and test for errors and hacking.
Timeliness Ensure that times and dates are included the footers of all printed documents, and identify the last update for all saved files.
Relevance Provide users with file names and category headings which make it easy to find and select the data or information they need.
TECHNIQUES FOR EFFICIENTLY
PROCESSING AND MANAGING
INFORMATION TO MEET CURRENT AND FUTURE
NEEDS
TECHNIQUES
In computing, a technique is the skill used when handling software and hardware to perform a task.
If a skill is judged on the level of efficiency it brings to the performance, then we can examine many techniques in terms of the time, cost or effort that they save the user.
For example, one technique for copy and paste is to use the following keyboard sequence:
• Select the text or image <shift+cursor keys>
<control+C>• Move the cursor to the new location
<cursor keys> <control+V>.
If text is to be copied to a position close to the original location, say on the same page, and the user is skilled typist, then the whole copy and paste operation is efficiently performed with keyboard only.
If, however, a graphic image is to be copied to a location in another file, then a technique that uses the muse icons will be more efficient.
Below is an analysis of the savings achieved by using the mouse-icon technique in place of the keyboard only technique:
Time is saved because the user can move diagonally to the correct position on the screen for selecting and placing text and images. Movement using the keyboard is restricted to vertical and horizontal.
Effort is saved because the mouse technique relies on hand-eye coordination and visual recognition of the required icons.
Control key functions have to be memorized and recalled as they are needed.
Cost is saved because it takes less training to use the mouse-icon technique than the keyboard-only technique.
Many icons are standard packages, so that the users who initially unskilled can learn to use new software on the job.
REDUCING ERROR RATES
Computer users working under pressure to produce more given amount of time might proofread documents hastily and, as a consequence, make more mistakes.
Organizations often meet this challenge by;
Stimulating that staff use established macros
TemplatesShortcut keyswhen producing information products
that are frequently used and which show the company logo and contact details.
MACROS TEMPLATES SHORTCUT KEYS•A long series of often repeated key stokes can be recorded using the macro function; for example, the company contact details of address, phone, fax and e-mail.•Macro commands and macro buttons are used to assign and record macros.•When correspondence is to be sent via e-mail or paper, the contact details saved as a macro can be added by clicking the macro button. This saves the time and effort required to constantly retype and check this important information before it is sent out.
•A document with special layout, such as an application form, can be saved as a template.•This allows the original layout to be preserved when a new user opens the document to enter data.•Application forms saved as template files and sent electronically save work when they are returned because the data they contain in a standard format. This makes them easy to validate, saving time and effort.
•Shortcut keys are used to record frequently used commands such as tick boxes.•The user can choose to assign Alt+t to this task, and save the time it takes to call up the insert symbol menu when needing to place a tick box in a survey, for example.
CURRENT AND FUTURE NEEDS
Techniques associated with saving and backing-up files are important not only insuring the efficient processing information for current needs but also in meeting future needs.
In organization that is conscious of protecting the value of information for the future users of the information system should use the following techniques:
Templates, which include the prominent location with the date of processing clearly displayed; for example, an invoice with the current date in the top right-hand corner.
Macros, which require the user to choose a present filename structured to indicate the version of the file; for example, the fourth draft of a club magazine cover for March might be: marcovdraft4.doc.
THAT’S ALL FOLKS!
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