System Definition And Characteristics.pdf

A system is a set of detailed methods, procedures, and routines created to carry out a specific activity, perform a duty, or solve a problem. It is a group of elements integrated in the same purpose to achieve a goal. A system can be defined as a set of procedures connected and integrated with each other to perform an activity to achieve a particular purpose. The main definition of a system is "union," which is the union of subsystems that can unite and form into a supersystem. This union has a certain purpose to achieve, and there is no system built without purpose.

A system may be seen as a set of interacting smaller systems known as subsystems or functional units, each with its defined tasks. The union of subsystems and systems itself is a huge system that can be called a supersystem. All these work in coordination to achieve the overall objective of the system. To analyze how a system works, system analysis requires development of a strong foundation in understanding how to characterize a system, product, or service in terms of its attributes, properties, and performance.

There are four elements needed to understand the character of a system, product, or service: resources, procedure, data, and processes. Resources include hardware, software, or liveware (brainware). Procedure refers to the set of rules that govern the system to accomplish the defined goal of the system. Data refers to the inputs that are converted into the required output. Processes are the operational elements of the system that make use of resources to achieve the set goal under the defined procedures.

Information systems are developed for different purposes, depending on the needs of human users and the business. Transaction Processing Systems (TPS) function at the operational level of the organization. Office Automation Systems (OAS) and Knowledge Work Systems (KWS) support work at the knowledge level. Higher-level systems include Management Information Systems (MIS) and Decision Support Systems (DSS). Management Information Systems (MIS) do not replace transaction processing systems; rather, all MIS include transaction processing. MIS are computerized information systems that work because of the purposeful interaction between people and computers.

Decision Support Systems (DSS) are a higher-level class of computerized information systems that depart from the traditional management information system because they emphasize the support of decision making in all its phases. Decision Support Systems are more closely tailored to the person or group using them than is a traditional management information system. Sometimes they are discussed as systems that focus on business intelligence. Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be considered the overarching field for expert systems. Expert systems use the approaches of AI reasoning to solve the problems put to them by business (and other) users.

Expert systems are a very special class of information system that has been made practicable for use by business as a result of widespread availability of hardware and software such as personal computers (PCs) and expert system shells. An expert system effectively captures and uses the knowledge of a human expert or experts for solving a particular problem experienced in an organization. Notice that unlike DSS, which leave the ultimate judgment to the decision maker, an expert system selects the best solution to a problem or a specific class of problems.

Organizations are becoming increasingly reliant on groups to make decisions, and Group Decision Support Systems (GDSS) and Computer-Supported Collaborative Work Systems (CSCWS) aid group-level decision making of a semi-structured or unstructured variety.