Information System Development Life Cycle: of Apple - Case Study Example

? Information System Development Life Cycle s) Introduction According to Apple Inc , Apple Company was incorporated in April 1976 by three co-founders namely Steve Wozniak, Steve Jobs and Ronald G Wayne. The company was established in a competitive computer market previously dominated by Atari, Commodore, IBM and HP. The company strengthened its financial base and diversified their operations to production of consumer electronic products and by 1980 it had dominated the market with a share of 50% and thousands of employees. As the company expanded its operations and increased workers, there was a problem of communication between newly recruited employees and the existing workers. The company established various departments including marketing & sales, manufacturing, customer services, research and development, administration, and human resource and so on to handle different operations and products. The structure of the company is complicated due to its global operations and products diversification. Apple Inc has a lower level managers and middle level mangers based in different parts of the world and dealing with different issues. This complexity has posed major challenges in disseminating information across various supervisors at different levels. System Analysis The use of information system in organizations like Apple enables them to screen and obtain data from the surroundings, capture data from business operations, separate, control, select and disseminate information to the supervisors more frequently as required for decision making (Whitman & Mattord 2011, p.53). Availability of information to the managers of Apple Inc is vital for effective operations of the company. Therefore, information system enables Apple Company to increase its competence by coordinating the activities of all the workers in various departments and in different locations to ensure they pursue common objectives of the organization (Mark 2006). Training information system enables Apple Company to achieve its objectives through standardized information. Approaches used by Apple Inc to acquire information from the employees The system analyst will have to enquire from the employees on challenges they face with the present system in the organization (Whitman & Mattord 2011, p.574). The employees will provide details of their encounters and give suggestions on what they want like to be changed in the current system (Taylor 2004, p.38). In order to achieve this, the analyst may utilize either one or a combination of approaches that will enable them to get that information from the employees and other system users (Barry & Lang 2009, pp.289). These approaches include interviews, questionnaires or employees diaries. The analyst will enquire from the system users on what they think is best in the current system and require no change and what they think is not doing well as expected and need some change (Whitman & Mattord 2011, p.83). The analyst should also examine the knowledge employees have regarding the system operation and the availability of expertise either internally or externally to offer the required knowledge about the new system after it has been developed and adopted in the company (Beynon 2009, p.14). During the interview, the system users will be required to explain how they acquired training and the name of the trainer including whether they were internal or sourced from outside the organization (Shelly & Vermaat 2009, p.141). During the interviewing process, the analyst may use phone calls, video, social media or face to face interviewing in order to reach different users located in various places (Song 2011, p. 83). The use of interview method to acquire information about the current system in Apple organization is quite expensive due to diversity of the employees and size of the organization (Whitman & Mattord 2011, p.92). Furthermore, some employees may not be open to give all their experiences or may not be able to recall all the essential details. However, this can be overcome by utilizing social media, which friendly hence will enable workers to disclose some fine details as opposed to face to face interview. Another approach the analyst may use to gather information about the current system and the needs of the users is by assessing the performance of the organization (Whitman & Mattord 2011, p.136). However, this may be cumbersome to establish the link between the contributions of the current system to the level of performance attained by the company. System Design Input Processes Output Source: Author’s Design Input The company requires both hardware and software components to enable the system perform according to the management expectations. The hardware components include CPU, keyboard, mouse, monitor, storage devices; Different departments require training system in the organization for different purposes (Marakas & O'Brien 2011, p.484). The accounting department will require information that will enable them to work out for the expenses of providing training to the employees, the amount of fees paid by each employee, the number of trainees at each particular moment and the number of workers who have attained which level of training (Song 2011, p.123). The human resource department will require the names of the employees undergoing training, the grade attained, duration of training and the course undertaken for promotion purposes (Haag 2006, p. 13). The managers will require reports after certain intervals to assess the probability of attaining the organizational goals. All the other departments like supply chain will require the number of workers who have attained training relevant to their field to improve the operations of the department (Song 2011, p.156). The system provides start and completion date, names of the trainees, names of the tutors, amount to be paid, age, position of the worker, gender, department, and the goal of training. Output The managers will require reports about the progress of training over time. Therefore, this system will provide printed reports for managers who will use the same in assessing the performance of the employees in accordance to the management plan (Song 2011, p.196). The human resource department will require the details of the employees who are undergoing training in order to assess the availability of manpower to meet the workforce needs in the organization (Blanchard & Fabrycky 2006, 27). The details will be availed on the monitor and in printed forms. The accounting department will require invoices for the fees paid and the amount paid by the sponsor the trainees. The trainees will require information regarding the results of their training and certificates in printed form. The training information system was validated to ensure that it gives out the expected results. This was achieved by ensuring that all the fields were available and that none was missing in the input process (Song, W 2011, p.203). The confirmation for the actual data to be input was done variety established to ensure that were in the allowed parameters. Finally, the value of input data as examine to ensure the values did not exceed the allowed threshold. Implementation The hardware and software aspects of the system were installed and system developed (Barry & Lang 2009, pp.324). The users were trained on how to use it, and an examination made to ensure it achieves the targeted results. Finally, the system was evaluated and documented to provide users with information on how to operate the system (Satzinger, Jackson & Burd 2008, p. 198). The observation of users as they use the system assured the system developers that the users had fully understood the operation of the program. User guide ======================================================= == SELECT One ================ 1PAYROLL/PERSONNEL SYSTEMS 2. FINANCIAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS == 3. PROCUREMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS == 4. ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION SYSTEMS == ======================================================= DATA BASE TEST SYSTEMS == ENTER APPLICATION NAME OR SELECTION NUMBER == == == XXX = EXIT == ======================================================= MESSAGE BOARD ==== EMPLOYEES NAME __________ CONTACT ADDRESS __________ DEPARTMENT --------------- LOCATION OF TRAINING SITE------------------ COURSE TITLE ---------------------- COURSE OBJECTIVE ------------------ CATALOG/COURSE NO ------------- TRAINING PERIOD ? START YYMMDD END YYMMDD COURSE HOURS---- DUTY ----- NON?DUTY ----- TRAINING CODES ------- PURPOSE ------- TYPE ----- SOURCE ---- EXPIRATION DATE ------ TRAINING STATUS CODE------- PAYMENT METHOD CODE ----- EMPLOYEE ADDRESS------- TUTOR NAME----------INTERNAL/EXTERNAL---------- Review The information flows from the top manager to the employees. However, once the employees have identified the need to upgrade their training, they can apply for the courses offered in the organization (Barry & Lang 2009, pp.341). The system also captures the information about the trainers both internal and external including their names and expertise. It also includes the period when the training commences and ending period as well as the resources required for providing training (Elliott & Strachan 2004, p. 86). The managers structure the training according to the organizations objectives in regard to quality of workforce they intend to achieve. For the employees, they can access all the details of the training online by logging in the organization's website using the pass word offered to them (Barry & Lang 2009, pp.362). Those employees who qualify for the courses offered in the organization are required to submit their application online by filling in their details, the course they want to pursue, the starting and ending period, mode of payment or whether it is fully sponsored by the organization and the goal of training for that particular course (Ingrid & Andrew 2009, p.13). The management has a strategic role to play in ensuring that the organization is operated by the best workers who are adequately trained to meet the organizations goals (Barry & Lang 2009, pp.367). Therefore, the managers are responsible for reviewing the organizational workforce requirements and recommend training for workers. Once the workers are made aware of the organization goal and available opportunities for training, they will make a request by applying to the management for an opportunity to be considered for training (Satzinger, Jackson & Burd 2008, p.154). The management will make a decision on who should undergo training based of the available resources and opportunities (Barry & Lang 2009, pp.387). They will also set duration through which workers will be trained and the time of completion of the training. The information system used by Apple Inc is appropriate for training the workforce to improve the performance of the organization (Post & Anderson 2006, p.4). The system captures the names of the employees, personal details of the employee, department, current position and qualification, contacts, training period, role, tutor, achievement or training goals are indicated at the onset of training to ensure the management is in the right track (Satzinger, Jackson & Burd 2008, p. 221). Due to changes in innovations, the employees should be informed of new developments and be equipped with relevant skills to cope with those changes. According to Rohtas et.al (2004), the management or the employees identifies the gap in knowledge and structures courses which they intend to offer at each particular time in order to meet the organizations targets. Bibliography Apple Inc 2013, Apple press Info: Apple Sells Three Million IPads in Three Days, retrieved on 11th May 2013 from http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2012/11/05Apple-Sells-Three-Million-iPads-in-Three-Days.html Barry, C & Lang, M 2009, Information Systems Development, vol.1, Springer.pp.123-435 Beynon, P 2009, Business Information Systems, Palgrave, Basingstoke. Pp.7-16 Blanchard, B & Fabrycky, W 2006, Systems Engineering and Analysis (4th ed.) New Jersey: Prentice Hall. P. 22-31 Haag, C 2006, Management Information Systems. Toronto, McGraw- Hill Ryerson pp.5-14 Ingrid, B & Andrew, P 2009, Towards a Dynamic Theory of Boards: An Organizational Life Cycle Approach pp. 11-14 Laudon, K & Laudon, J 2010, "Management Information Systems: Managing the Digital Firm." 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