MIS and DSS

The main goal of MIS is in allowing you to see (like in those sci-fi movies) the entities of the real world as they really are in all their properties, changing views, angles and focuses as you need to inspect some features closer and some from a bigger perspective. For example, when you walk through the College you actually do not see much beyond the walls, offices, and posters. Once you access the College MIS – you immediately see (supposedly) all involved entites and processes in their normal activities and deviations that have to be notices and corrected. Augmented reality (AR) allows you to combine physical vision with MIS orientation (this is where the research on MIS and AR will be appropriate!).

Decision Support Systems serve not as much as vision enhancers but as enhancers of your abilities of making decisions based on the vision. Human abilities to juggle numbers and keep various relationships among multiple parameters in mind are severely limited. Here come DSS. They allow you to use such tools as scenarios (when you change some assumptions and see what will happen to ALL parts you are interested in by providing formulas of the corresponding relationships), optimization (when the system quickly finds for you the best decision among many possible), and many others. Armed with such tools (especially now available in mobile formats) you become super beings (cyborgs, if you wish, as part human and part systems) far more advanced in your mental abilities than those who doesn’t use special supporting systems. I actually run a special course fully dedicated to DSS where students learn the decision theory (on how to always make best decisions in all situations) as well as how to arm yourselves with simple (and more advanced) DSS dramatically enhancing your decision making abilities and outcomes in all your activities. Recently one student emailed me that he got a job because of this knowledge.

You can use this power throughout all your life experiences no matter what you do and where you work. Although many industrial systems of this kind are very expensive, there are some simple tools (like spreadsheets in advanced forms of use) that already upgrade your abilities significantly. Some of them we are learning in this course. This is kung fu of modern life. The more work and understanding efforts of the material of this week you apply – the more you will get out of it. This is the way to compete with AI allowing the mankind to stay relevant.

Grading W3P1 Research

Research for W3P1 showed big differences in how attentively students read the tasks and how they visit Moodle (even after the reviews). I gave an extra day for the students to read the reviews and make some corrections in order to improve the grade. Some students that were in REAL need to do the corrections ignored this opportunity.
In W3P1 I stressed the importance of reading the tasks in order to satisfy the requirements. Then the description of grading clearly stated the deductions to be done for less than 3 references and for the lack of bolding and proper credits to the external source of the information (even if rephrased). Still a number of students didn't do the bolding or didn't correct this problem after reviews mentioned it. In such cases if the posts were also done on a below average level - the grade was zero. In some cases I added bonus points for the research work that was above average.

An experiment with hidden grading showed differences in the level of critical analysis. The grades assigned by the students this week were significantly lower than when they were shown to the authors.

I also want to remind you that the grading is done on the curve and although the max points for the research are 9 - nobody got it. It means that more important was to get a grade above normal work showing an extra effort. Since nobody had highest points for the task - 6 or 7 points showed advanced efforts and quality moving students up the curve.

For future research - please pay attention to the requirements (that basically will be the same) and do not cut on time of reviewing your work once again to make sure that all referencing is done properly with necessary bolding of the used external material. The focus/conclusion should be clearly stated and REALLY serve the goal of narrowing this small research without covering generalities from wikipedia.

Grading was quite average (average of 4 points) with nobody doing really adequate reviewing. But the proper spreadsheet work made the points for grading somewhat higher than would have been otherwise.

Web 2.0 and CI

The best way of learning systems, and IS features in particular, includes the design of a small information system versus just learning buttons for the current version of Excel and Access. Normally, the development of an IS, even of a small size, is quite expensive and/or requires a lot of man/hour investments of highly skilled systems developers. Only organizations with sufficient capital were able to develop and use IS...

The evolution of software as a service (SaaS) or even Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) with various types of accompanying web services (and apps) created a possibility of new methods in IS development – assembly of systems out of existing services LEGO – style. This simplicity has led to a dramatic increase in end-user creativity and development capabilities. In this course I want you to learn the most simple but effective ways of such system development for personal and organizational use. Become a one-person army... The basic services we were using so far included free blog development and support services, Zoho spreadsheet and database services and, what is most important, services allowing sharing and collaboration. Already this set of tools, if learned a bit deeper than you've done so far, allows for some basic IS development.

The new, mostly free, and easy to use services that can be incorporated in any custom IS design/redesign led to a new phenomenon: social networks. But the most important effect goes beyond increased activity of emerging social structures. This new unleashed power is studied in Collective Intelligence (CI) dealing with creation of super intelligences out of rather simple processing performed by its parts. Examples include ant societies, various swarm intelligence examples, and... effective teams and organizations. This possibility of acquiring enhanced intelligence is the biggest asset and advantage an organization can dream about nowadays, which comes not as much from the mere infrastructure presence, but its proper architecture and processes in accordance with this new Web 2.0/CI developments.

Web 2.0 technologies released the power and creativity of regular IT users making them producers/consumers (prosumers). These Web 2.0 technologies paired with proper CI organization (where effective collaboration is the key) are the main and the most fascinating developments in modern IS.
Another important event, not to be missed, is rapid growth of cloud computing (see the textbook) that makes Web 2.0 services and accompanying networking even easier.

Moodle problems

Moodle is not functioning tonight. I am waiting for ITS to fix it.

Notes on Databases

Although a database table might look like a spreadsheet, the capabilities of a database management system (software engine behind the databases) are quite different. For better understanding you might go to the Featured Samples (while on the Home page in your Zoho Reports site) to see that after the initial tables are created and filled with data, the rest of the database consists of various queries (that could be saved for future easy customer use), reports, charts, etc. All other database products, created from the data tables by using simple and effective tools, allow to SEE and ANALYZE a LOT of DATA form MULTIPLE POINTS OF VIEW, as compared to the relatively small amount in typical spreadsheets.

Well designed and developed (in terms of convenient analysis) databases - is what create added value to the initial data collection often stored in some input “flat” files. Data warehouses (or smaller data marts) are systems enhancing this analytical and decision support function of organizational (and even personal) data.

In my professional capacity, I was often asked by organizations that invested a lot of money into collection of valuable data – to help them make better use of this information (bang for the invested buck, if you want). This usually results into the development of an information system with a database at its core (this is why they call them “information systems” :)

Blog List

Students can use http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExUrvw3KHg0
as a video instruction for Blog List setting.

Blog addresses of other students can be taken from my blog or from the Blog forum of the past.

Results of week 1

Week 1 went rather well with very good work, thoughts and efforts of the majority of students.
In the following weeks expect more selective grading:
1. Work submitted after the deadline will carry 0 points
2. Replies to the research posts are not used as "was-ss up"  kinda replies in the facebook. Forums in this class are used as shared memory for research result exchange. Replies should be used as additional research detailing/correction/extension of the original post described in the tasks.

 The quiz averages will be always posted in the News Forum. Since this course uses the curve nobody fails the quiz. All points will be counted toward the end of the course. We also have plenty of assignments that can offset quiz problems. Those who didn't do well on the quiz should try to collect extra points for early posting, quality of work (trying to do even more and better than asked) as well as showing good regular attendance by checking Moodle and quickly reply if there is a question or a comment requiring it.

All forms of learning will be considered, since some might be not as good on quizzes, but show merit and effort in good early work. On the other hand skipped/missed tasks are much more dangerous even if carry a few points since 3 missed tasks will fail you in the course. Last day work is also not good for merit/effort assessment as well as will lead to poor grades just because many unpredictable things might happen in technical parts of the tasks requiring much more time than planned (all problems that happen the last day will be seen as a result of doing it the last day and not sharing the problem on the forums!). Also consider that help WILL NOT BE PROVIDED the last day before the deadline to stimulate early work that will leave time for quality and corrections.

Helping other students on Q&A forums will also carry extra points. Use this option. If you had a problem that you finally solved - you can add a post to Q&A with the question about the problem that you encountered  and offering a solution to it.

More About Systems

Congratulations with the successful start of the course (since you are reading this post :) ! This course is designed to enhance/offer an understanding in systems theory and information systems and technologies in particular. The first week is may be the most important since you are getting here the fundamentals of the "so-called" systems vision. Regardless of the variety of entities and processes surrounding you in your personal or organizational lives a stunning discovery has been made by Karl Ludwig von Bertalanffy - the founder of the General System Theory (GST) - that they all are systems. More than that there can be created a science that can cover all types of systems as having common properties, features, and traits. Since then the theory has been evolving and now many organizations require from their leading employees "systems thinking" as ability to apply GST to any situation of any kind that they encounter.

After you get familiar with the main systems concepts we move to the applications of this theory to a specific type of systems – information systems (IS) and information technologies (IT). You will often find a term ICT (information and communication technologies) instead of IT. And finally, we will move to the role of IS/ICT in business and organizational systems. The Information Systems major in the Business School (has a minor too) offers students a professional grasp of the most general and widely useful knowledge, which nowadays is being used in all organizations/jobs – IS/ICT. With deeper knowledge and skills in this area students learn of how to dramatically enhance individual abilities by using various methods, skills, and tools that are offered in the major in order to enhance personal ability of consistently making best decisions under all circumstances, of how to put artificial intelligence to your personal and organizational service, of how to design systems that are the most important competitive resource for individuals and organizations, and how to develop electronic businesses and start-ups. This course offers you a glimpse (although important) into the IS/ICT world.

As one of the extensions of the IS activities we offer a completely online Web Development Certificate Program (just like Business Essentials) increasing your knowledge and skills in developing modern Web-based systems, sites, and organizations. This course might be a good foundation for this program.

There is a lot more to the systems theory than we can fit into this course. Such areas a Complex Systems Theory, Dynamic Systems Theory, Chaos, fractal systems, and Theory of Catastrophes are some of the more specific areas that being actively used in economics, finance, business, marketing analysis, medical and biological studies.

How to use your Time More Effectively

You online attendance is automatically registered. You are required to log in at least once a day to see if there is any need in your reaction or something new and important has been posted  (like help materials and messages regarding the quiz, etc.). The most important parts where you get a lot of explanations saving your thinking time and enhancing the quality of your work can be found in Q&A forums – read them all as I assume that you did it, see the posts of the leading students doing the early work to which I usually comment if there is a way of improving the post. Read the News forum (if there is anything new – since MOST important messages will be posted there).

More About theCourse

The first week we start with the use of Moodle. The work will be done on half-week basis with new tasks posted each half-week. All tasks will be graded and since you are on the curve – any bad job or task skipping effectively puts you behind the rest of the class with the only hope that later other students will decrease the quality or be late with tasks. The curve method also makes requests to other students for copying the homework or helping with quizzes unethical, since such students decrease the helper’s grade by illegally increasing their own (curve – effect). Later we will use additional technologies not only to improve your online experience but also to learn the way of working with web-based systems (as our learning environment).

Since this class looks strong and motivated, there might be very few chances to compensate for grade (point) losses in the past tasks. All points from all tasks will be summarized and put on the final curve. Another feature of this class is in a variety of point-making activities that might compensate for unexpected losses on the online quizzes. They are more difficult than classroom tests because you will have limited time and will need to know the material well in order to come with a quick answer. The book in front of you will be of no help. The quizzes will be offered at the end of each week on the material of that week. Therefore thorough reading of the book, understanding the text, doing thoughtful required research and discussions are the best ways to prepare for quizzes while earning important points.

Blog Purpose

In this blog I will write reflections on your performance, on grading methods, explain possible task difficulties, provide additional help if needed, etc. Also will be a part of a small information system that you all will co-design, which will use blogs as one of its components. Check this blog periodically or start following it (figure out how).

Meaning of the Gadget Task

After you add a gadget to your blog you should realize that leading blogs are not just diaries but special carriers of various types of media, software objects, and live services that could be placed on them. Such services might include games, live images, GPS-based regional information, current events/weather, and practically and app that you can have on your phone. They can be used for secure group collaboration (adding me as a co-author showed it) and many other features.  Later we will use these blog capabilities to build on its base a small networked information system to supplement the theoretical aspects from the textbook. They also have static pages allowing to build real web sites, as well as RSS broadcasting of their content (this is how posts from my blog automatically appear in the bottom-right gadget pane of the Moodle front page).