Information as of the Processed Data That Helps a User to Make Informed Decisions - Essay Example

Information is real Lecturer: Presentation: Introduction Information refers to processed data that helps in decisionmaking (McNurlin, 2005 p 67). Data refers to the raw facts about an environment such as business, science etc. Information results from data which is captured processed and stored in a database where it can be accessed by interested persons provided they have permission to do so. Good information has its qualities which include relevance, validity, accuracy etc, which ensures that it is of high quality and integrity (McNurlin, 2005 p 56). Various developments in the storage and processing of information have also been discussed with emphasis on the positive benefits that they have brought especially in automating information retrieval and modification. This essay is a critical evaluation of information thereby discussing the major aspects and processes that make it real. Information Information is the processed data that helps a user to make informed decisions in his area of specialization (McNurlin, 2005 p 65). It can be in form of text, figures or graphics which can be translated to develop a meaningful result. For example, a person dealing with accounting uses programs such as spreadsheets to capture raw data from physical files after which processing is done to achieve the desired results (Haddon, 2004 p 44). Once this has done, the processed data is stored in an information system, which contains data bases that support various access methods which simplifies its retrieval and modification. Such access methods include macros and queries, which are special buttons that enables the user to retrieve selected information from database objects such as tables and forms. Information has characteristics that define its suitability to serve its purpose. These are well defined by ensuring that the original source of the information, that is the raw data, meet the following characteristics which include and not limited to accuracy, validity, timeliness, reliability, relevance and completeness (McNurlin, 2005 p 50). Accuracy is a characteristic that requires the data to have minimal or no errors at all due to the fact that an organization depends on this data to inform the management and other stakeholders on the appropriate actions to take as well as in making judgments. For example numeric entries in an electronic spread sheet may be prone to errors especially if the data entry personnel are not keen enough to notice at the early stages before it is processed. Such errors may include transposition errors which involves reversing of one or more digits while recording. A figure for example 109 may be entered as 190 thereby deviating from the original number by 81 (Haddon, 2004 p 32). If this mistake is not corrected, the final calculations especially if it concerns accounting, may lead to misinformation by suggesting a decrease or increase in profit margins depending on whether it is a purchases or a sales account. Validity of the data is also important in determining the effectiveness of the output which is information. This implies that all the data being captured should be up to date so as to ensure that information processed from it will be meaningful to the user (Heye, 2006 p 23). For example, you may be requiring to process statistical information from a survey such as that of census. Using the wrong data such as that of a previous survey may not be helpful to the person using the information. It may result to poor formulation of strategies especially for the government which requires such information for planning on its spending and participation in developmental projects such as building new hospitals and improving infrastructure. Timeliness is also an important aspect of information which means that the user should be able to access information on demand without having to wait. Lack of this factor was one of the challenges that faced users before the invention of information technology and computers whereby the basic mode of storing information was through manual spreadsheets and physical files (Heye 2006 p 37). These made the process of retrieving and modifying records tedious and time consuming and were prone to errors not forgetting the fact that they were vulnerable to environmental and human factors that led to their destruction and loss. These factors included and not limited to dust, water, destruction by rodents and theft by employees etc. With information technology in place, these challenges have been overcome due to the fact that it is now possible to store voluminous data and information in computers which function at a high processing speed which is defined in terms of Megahertz (Haddon, 2004 p 72). Through these, it is possible to protect information through the use of pass words especially in data bases that contain delicate information so as to restrict the number of persons who are allowed to access it. Data mining has also been made easier due to the nature of storage which allows operations such as sorting and filtering which enables the user to arrange files and documents in a certain order, which he/she has defined (Widom, 2001 p 48). This makes it easier for the user to locate the files which could be arranged in an order such as either descending, ascending or according to their alphabetical order. By doing so, the long queues witnessed in the pre-technology era especially in government registry departments where most of the records are stored are a thing of the past. These were as a result of the physical files that necessitated for manual searching from a heap of files that did not have clear labeling due to having been stored in the filing cabinets for a long time. With computers in place, it is possible to access information regardless of the time when it was captured just by a click of a button. Services in these departments have improved dramatically thereby ensuring efficiency in the delivery of services. Information systems have also changed the perception towards books as the main repositories for information. Nowadays, information similar to the ones in the books can be gotten from remote computers all over the world through the utilization of international databases which are available through the internet (Briginshaw, 2002 p 101). These come in form of electronic journals, e-books as well as text contained in various websites which are designed and maintained specifically for such purposes. This has helped greatly in improving research for students as well as creating a platform for organizations to conduct their business operations. Before this invention, students relied on books from institutional libraries, which may lack the capacity to fulfill the demand for the books. With the internet in place, sharing of information can also be achieved due to the fact that unlike books, which require sharing units that may not be enough for everyone, internet sources can be accessed by anyone in real time provided you have a personal computer which is connected to the global network (Briginshaw, 2002 p 115). From the internet, one can find information on the products and companies of his interest and be able to buy commodities through a process known as online shopping. Without relevance, information cannot be useful to the user based on the fact that users have different needs at different times and therefore, they should be able to get the right information which they require and whenever they wish (Heye, 2006 p 99). As such, the information retrieved should be good enough to satisfy the topic question in place. Levels of relevance can be measured using various metrics such as relevance assessment, which is a process that involves assigning certain levels of relevance to information obtained from an information system. Without information and feed back, having an information system would be of no value to an organization. This is due to the fact that all the systems revolve around capturing, processing, storing and protecting information (Heye, 2006 p 85). This cycle of events has guaranteed employment for a lot of people starting with the data base and system developers as well as the system users who depend on technology to help them achieve their desired goals. In the current world that we are living in, man has continued to depend more and more on technology while conducting their activities such that there is no sector of the economy can survive without it (Heye, 2006 p 110). This is due to the fact that information systems unlike humans operate under a programmed memory which makes it free from errors and human weaknesses such as fatigue and dishonesty. Conclusion Information refers to processed data that helps in decision making. There are many different ways of capturing data for processing which include and not limited to direct entry by data clerks, who obtain data from manual spreadsheets, through the use of electronic gadgets such as the magnetic ink character reader, optical mark reader, scanners etc, which can be also be referred to as input devices. This mode of capturing data has helped greatly to minimize possibilities of making unintentional errors during recording, which are difficult to track and which can lead to giving out wrong information as out put thereby making the user to conclude into wrong decisions. Information can be in form of text, numeric or graphic depending on the environment within which it is being used. For it to have integrity, information should be communicated to the receiver in time without delays failure to which it may be considered as obsolete or invalid. Considering the traditional methods of storing data and information, technology has brought a great satisfying change due to its effectiveness especially in processes of data mining. This is due to the fact that it is now possible to access information from all over the world through the help of the internet, which comprises of databases that can be accessed from any connected computer regardless of the geographical location. Bibliography 1. Briginshaw, J. Internet Valuation: The Way Ahead, Palgrave Macmillan, 2002 2. Carr, N. Does IT Matter? Information Technology and the Corrosion of Competitive Advantage, Harvard Business Press, 2004. 3. Haddon, L. Information and Communication Technologies in Everyday Life, Berg Publishers, 2004 4. Heye, D. Characteristics of the Successful Twenty-first Century Information Professional, Chandos Publishing, 2006 5. McNurlin B. Information Systems Management in Practice, Prentice Hall, 2005 6. Widom, J. Database Systems: the Complete Book, Prentice Hall, 2001 Read More