Crystal, Josh and Michael studied medicine in university and started their own practice. They hired several office staff and nurses. They leased a large building with many exam rooms and a large waiting room. Patients call for appointments but often need to wait a very long time to get in to see a doctor. Once at the doctor's office they spend a long time in the waiting room and little time with the doctor. They feel that the doctors are rushed and don't really seem to know much about their medical status. Medical details about each patient are stored in paper file. Sometimes these files get misplaced. The medical practice is barely making money due the large payroll obligations requried to pay all the staff and minimal reimbursement from Medicare.
Crystal recently heard about a study done by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and read an article called Starting a Revolution in Office-based Care. She proposes to her partners that they consider redesigning their systems in their medical practice based on this article and one by Gordon Moore called Going Solo: Making the Leap. Dr Moore leased a small space and did not employ any clerical staff. He made better use of technology to communicate with his patients and to store data about his patients. He was able to improve his customer service and reduce the costs of running his practice.
Crystal's partners, Josh and Michael, have some reservations about this change.
The medical practice is in the Preliminary Investigation phase of the System Development Life Cycle (SDLC). The Preliminary Investigation has two components (as per our class handouts). Identify each component of the Preliminary Investigation and explain it in terms of this case study. (Note: simple definitions will not receive full points.) (7 Marks)
Case Study #2 Mesa Public Library
You have been retained as a systems analyst consultant to document the borrowing processes at the Mesa public library. Systems analysts obtain information in a variety of ways. Your colleague, Kris Olson, has been to the library and observed how it work. She has obtained source documents from the library and interviewed the staff. The following is a synopsis of her interviews. If you have questions please post them as comments on this blog. (Additionally, you can review system documentation at the library web site.)
When a library clerk receives new books or other materials, he records the information in the library inventory file. Each book is given a unique number which is recorded in addition to a bar code on the book.
New library members must fill out an application. The application requests personal details and a pin number. The librarian records this data, which is stored in the member file, and issues the new member a unique library card number which is on a library card along with a corresponding bar code that represents the library card number. See libary card - front and back.
Members may search for and reserve books or other materials by accessing the library system from home. The web site provides a variety of search mechanisms. (Consider what data is being used here and what data store might be accessed). Once a book or other material is found it may be reserved using the member's number and pin. Reservation data is stored in the reserves file. The library notifies the member when the book or other material is available (notification can be by phone, mail or email).
Members go to the library to pick up items and then check them out themselves using a self check out process. First the library member puts their card under the scanner. The scanner reads the library card bar code and the computer retrieves the information about the library member. Next the member puts their first library item under the scanner. The bar code on the items is read and information relating to that item is retrieved. This is done for all library items. The member presses print receipt when finished. A receipt is printed that shows each item check out, when it is due (three weeks from check out date), the total number of items checked out and the date and time. The library system also records this information in the borrowing file.
When the member return the item, the return date is recorded in the borrowing file.
Daily the system checks for overdue items and sends notices to members regarding overdue items (mail, email, or phone). Follow-up notices are sent every two weeks with the amount of fine owing.
Every three months the following reports are generated for the head librarian.
- number of days on loan per item sorted from highest to lowest
- a list of items that have not been borrowed in over 365 days sorted by the last loan date in ascending order
- number of days on loan by item type (book, CD, DVD, VHS, map, etc)
- a list of members owning more than $50 in fines
Define the term datum/data (1 Mark)
Give an example of data from this case study (1 Mark)
Define the term information (1 Mark)
Give an example of information from this case study. (1 Mark)
Give an example of a transaction processing system in the library ( 1 mark)
Give an example of a managment information system in the library ( 1 Mark)
Why is the transaction processing system necessary for the management information system? (1 Mark)
Is this an open or closed information system ? Support your answer or no credit given (1 Mark)
When accessing the library web site to search or reserve a book from home, the home computer browser is doing part of the processing and the library web site is doing part of the processing - is this a centralised or distributed information system - support your answer or no credit given (1 mark)
A previeous systems analyst has prepared this Context Diagram depicting the library borrowing system. What is the purpose of the Context Diagram? (1 Mark)
You have been asked to create a Level 0 LDFD for the library system. How will this diagram differ from a Context Diagram? (1 Mark)
Why would you use diagrams, such as Context Diagrams and Level 0 LDFDs, to describe a system in addition to a written textual description? (1 Mark)
Given this scenario and this Context Diagram you will be asked to create a Level 0 LDFD in class. You may work on this at home and ask questions as necessary. You will have one block in class to create the Level 0. You must follow the suggested standards and you must follow the system as defined by the Context Diagram. You will not be allowed any notes but your teacher will provide you with a fresh copy of the scenario(26 Marks)
The library wants to use expand its services to provide services to member via mobile devices such as PDA and/ or mobile phones. Would you suggest using a prototyping approach or a SDLC approach? (support your answer or no credit will be given) (1 mark)
The Mesa Library relies heavily on computers in its information systems. Does that mean that it had no information systems prior to the introduction computers in society (support your answer or no credit will be given) (1 Mark)
Case Study #3 (6 Marks)
Read the article Britons angry over trash bin tracking (don't skip the second page - its important). You may also want to look at the Webopedia entry on RFID.Is the RFID device on the trash bin a communication system or an information system (support your answer or no credit) (1 Mark)
The article says that the RFID tags hold lots of information. Based on our definitions of data and information, do the RFID tags hold lots of data or lots of information - again support your answer or no credit (1 Mark)
It appears that a direct implementation of the new system has occured. Describe each (including direct) of the types of implementation as they were/ could have used in the RFID wheelie bin system. (4 Marks)
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