Conceptual System DesignDuring the system analysis, the analysis of system data is very important. Analysis of data is made up of more than one level at the beginning (first level) and different ideas are used at each level. At first level, analyst develops a conceptual system design. Since the conceptual design sets the direction for the management information system (MIS). It is vital that managers participate seriously and heavily at this stage. Conceptual design is sometimes called feasibility design, gross design or high level design. The conceptual design phase takes as input. 1. A crisp statement of a management information requirement and 2. a set of management objectives for the MIS In the conceptual design stage that the alternative overall MIS designs are conceived and the best one is selected by the system analyst in consultation with the top management. The feasibility of meeting the management objectives for the MIS is assessed showing how the system will work at the high level is drawn. Therefore, conceptual design is also known as gross design; high level becomes the basis for the detailed MIS design. Hence, conceptual design is a pre-design for the detailed design. In fact, conceptual design is the “centerpiece” of the process. Only after conceptual design is completed, it can be sure that the MIS can successfully be constructed. The conceptual design involves the following tasks. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Defining problems in more details. Refining the management objectives to set system objectives. Establishing system constraints. Determining information needs and their sources. Developing alternative designs and selection one from these various designs. Document the conceptual design and preparing the report. 1. Define the problemThere is no doubt that problems exists in any dynamic business. The most important is that what are usually lacking are clear definitions of the problems and the priority system on the basis of problem is the mainsolution. Therefore, management must take the first step in MIS design by formulating problems to be solved. The problem can be solved by the iterative process. The goal for the business leads to the objectives of the general business. From the objectives, plans are derived. Each business objectives and business plans are derived. Each business objectives and business plans are associated with information needs. These Information needs are the problems to be solved by the MIS function. The statements of needs are enough for designing process. 1. Stating the information need. 2. Asking questions about that need. 3. Suggesting interpretation of that need. 4. Detailing the original statement. 5. Reviewing the more detailed statement of need with management. These steps are repeated until the information needs and the problem to be solved are really understood. The process of problem refinement flows naturally into the system objectives. A good environment for information systems must be set. This view disregards the real objectives of the system design. Establish System Constraints The iterative nature of the systems design process is easily understood when we consider the third step in the process-establishing constraints. If some outputs from the system are not acceptable to the customer. Set System Objectives Most of the time it is quite difficult to state objectives for systems that covers all the functional areas.” provide quality education” and a government bureaucrat may say” provide more jobs for the unemployed”. External Constraints The external environment of the organization is concerned by the customer. That may be the need to maintain the security of certain classes of information to comply with law and regulation in the conduct of business (e. reporting). It can also be called as problem boundaries or restrictions. Establishing constraints will help to ensure that the design is realistic. In summary. the type of design effort cannot be implemented. Constraints may be viewed as a negative limitation on systems design. constraints enable the designer to stipulate the conditions under which objectives may be attained and to consider the limitations that restricts the design. Company policies frequently define or limit . The value of system lies in the benefits of the users. Suppliers are also an important group to be considered when designing information systems because these systems frequently interface with that group. The government imposes certain restrictions on the processing of data. Despite its difficulty being specific is necessary.g. Unions can also affect the operations of systems involving members in working conditions. management’s effectiveness. taxes. the first steps in systems design attempts to answer the question” what is the purpose of the system?” why it is needed? What is it expected to do? Who are the users what are their objectives? 3.2. System analyst tends to stress processing efficiency and staff and functional supervisors commonly believe that their objective is “to complete the required report in time for management use”. a college principal may reply. When we ask for the objectives. Constraints may be classified as external or internal to the organization. there is a positive benefit also. The manager must define the system objectives in terms of the importance of information demands and not in terms of the satisfaction of demands that are not related to an objective. The two steps of setting objectives and establishing constraints may be considered together as one. billing and other systems that interface with the customer’s needs in mind. System objectives should be expressed in terms of what managers can do after their information requirements have been met. Organizational and policy considerations frequently set limit on objectives and modify an intended approach to design of the system. Internal Constraints If top management support is not obtained for the systems concept and for the notion that computer based information systems are vital for management planning and control. a definite limitation must be faced up. and one essential requirement is the approval and support of the top management. Order entry. Sometimes one concept will dominate all others by major criteria. The manager will also restrict the amount of time and effort devoted to investigation. If conceptual design is the skeleton. without first determining the real information needs of management: the information that can increase the ability of managers in critical areas such as problems. One concept produced is a sketch showing a detail about the particular places describing its culture. alternatives. The type of needs at various times and various purposes depends largely upon two factors. a clear statement of information needs is very important and necessary. which guides and restricts the form of the detailed design. Alternative conceptual designs and selecting one The development of a concept of a system is a creative process that involves synthesizing knowledge into some particular pattern. the inputs and the outputs. 4. The concept is the sketch of the structures or skeleton of the Information System. To achieve the objective. The manager should be involved to the extent that the system provides the information required. channels of information and roles of managers and competitors. opportunities and plans. The optimum results cannot be achieved unless managers can provide the specifications for what they want out of an information system. Determining Information needs and sources For a good system design. patterns of information flow. Self-imposed restrictions are these placed on the design by the manager or the designer. Computer and systems skills are among the most critical in the nation. It is obvious that each alternative concept of a system has advantages and disadvantages. The information sources are important for determining information needs. two teams of students are trying to do project on the tourist guide and contact information system. Hotels and trade. The cost to archive the objectives should be compared with the benefits to be derived. the designer is concerned with the nature of the materials and equipment as . 5. The concept of an MIS would consist of the major decision points. then detailed design is the flesh. heritages along with the colleges. Personnel needs and personnel availability are a major limiting factor in both the design and utilization of information systems. The manager needs information for variety of reasons concerned with the management process. Many organizations spend huge amounts on hardware and software to maintain existing systems or build sophisticated data banks. the manager may have to scale down several requirements to make the system fit with other outputs. Document the best design Sufficient information has been accumulated to begin a more detailed description of the system concept. Where as another team produces a sketch of description of colleges along with the description of faculty and the fee structures on various needs.g. E. a) The personal managerial attributes of the individual manager and b) The organizational environment in which decisions are made. 6. The system may require external information or the internal. equipments or constraints.the approach to systems designs. The most significant constraint of all is the one concerning the people. This description includes essentially a flowchart or other documentation of the flow of information through the system. Cost is a major resource limitation. Feedback form the user Database design. the details of how processing is to be done.well as with technical processing considerations. which are important in planning and control of a detailed design. the first step in the detailed design is planning and controlling. . Detailed System Design Conceptual design in itself is not the end of the design process. The performance requirements specified by the conceptual design become inputs to the detailed design phase. Procedure design. are given below. it is very important that a detailed design process should in itself be considered a complete project. rather it servers as a basis for the detailed MIS design. Details to be worked out later by the designer will include exact instructions as what data are to be captured and when. the main objective of the detailed system design is to prepare a blue print of a system that meets the goals of the conceptual system design requirements. Some of the main points. Thus. Design Documentation 1) Project planning and control In order to ensure an effective and efficient design of an MIS. so that standards may be established and a proper follow-up is made. Therefore. Involve the user Define the detailed sub-system. what outputs will be generated by the system etc. in which these are further refined. detailed and finalized to be called the system specifications. Input/Output design. the files are to be used. Project planning and control. Detailed system design involves the following phases. Schedule the work as per the requirements of the user. budgets and technical plans. Project control Get a feedback of the actual performance of the project with respect to time. In some of the cases. but at this stage they are specifically defined to work out every detail concerning the sub-system. users are assured that changes will benefit them or that they will not be at disadvantage because of the new system. Formulate the project objectives. In this phase. Prepare a budget for the project. 4. every system needs to be broken down to ascertain all activities required and their respective inputs and outputs. Decomposition of the system to operational activities in general is carried out as follows. 3) Detailed sub system definition In detailed system design. Take corrective action where required so as to maintain control. Define the project tasks. sub systems are broadly defined in the conceptual design phase. System Sub System Functional component . 5.Project planning 1. 3. 2. Prepare a network diagram of all events and activities so as to specify sequential and parallel events. 2) Involve the user System designers must inform the user regarding the new information system being developed and gain their support and acceptance. cost and work of the project and compare it with schedules. storage and fast retrieval of data. For designing a database. This step will also reassure the top management of the user organization that the detailed design project is processing as per plans. the system designers now define the specifications of outputs and inputs for each sub-system. the designer should keep the following points in mind. the designers once again involve the user to get feedback. 1) Database design A database is an orderly arrangement of all the records related to each other. Identify fields for each table. by way of flow diagrams and a through discussion with the users of MIS. Identify all data tables and record types. in more detail. These specifications will later be used by programmers to develop programs to actually produce the output/input. To have optimum performance. The system analyst should demonstrate the proposed MIS to the users of the system/sub-system. database design is an important phase in the detailed design of a system. . 5) Feedback from the user Having specifically defined sub-system. the key fields for each table and relations between various tables.Task Sub Task Operation element 4) Output/Input Design Having defined the subsystem well. It servers as a data resource for the MIS of an organization. This step will increase the acceptance of the MIS being designed. output and inputs. the system analyst should very carefully document the detailed design. 8) Design Documentation Detailed design starts with the performance specifications given by the conceptual design and ends with a set of design specifications for the construction of MIS. Sometimes they perform the task of a supervisor over operators. i.e. . which include: Data entry procedures. Data files. design documents should consist of comprehensive details of all the design phases. and Document all the procedures. Inputs/outputs. Normalize the data tables. Therefore. The procedures detail about the tasks to be performed in using the system. In designing procedures. Run time procedures. design specifications. 7) Procedure design Procedures are the rules. Design documentation of detailed design report. Error handling procedures. There are a wide variety of procedures. Properly document data dictionary. Design constraints. They serve as the ready recovers for the designers as well as for the users. generally. standards or methods designed to increase the effectiveness of the information system. The outputs from the detailed design. Software documenting procedures. Determine the data type and width for each field of the tables. are handed over to the programmers for writing codes to translate system specifications into a physical MIS. designers should: Understand the purpose and quality standards of each procedures Develop a step-by-step direction for each procedure. Security and back up procedures. In fact. consists of System objectives. Procedures (manuals) Proposed system (a summery and detailed flow charts). Cost of installation and implementation. and System test conditions. . Input/Output specifications. Program specifications. Database specifications.