Introduction to Information Systems and 2.
Software → The programs that tell
Technology hardware what to do.
o Operating systems: Windows,
What is an Information System?
iOS, Android.
• An information system (IS) is a mix of o Applications: Word, Excel,
tools, people, and steps that work Facebook, Zoom.
together to collect, store, process, and 3. Data → Raw facts (addresses, numbers,
share information. social media accounts). When analyzed, it
• We use them everywhere—computers, helps companies make better decisions.
laptops, phones, even cars. 4. People → Users, IT staff, developers.
Without people, IS cannot work.
Examples of How They’re Used 5. Process → The steps or rules to achieve a
Traditional uses: goal. Companies improve productivity
when they design good processes, not
1. Supermarkets (like Walmart) use IS to just buy new tech.
track sales, manage supplies, and
understand what customers like. Example: FedEx package delivery system.
2. Delivery companies (like FedEx/UPS) use
• Data: sender & receiver details.
IS to schedule drivers and track packages.
• Software: tracks where the package is.
3. Cities use IS for things like traffic lights
• Hardware: computers, scanners, phones.
that adjust to traffic.
• People: delivery staff.
4. Cars use IS for safety (airbags), parking,
• Process: steps to move package from
and engine control.
point A to B.
Modern uses:
History of Information Systems (The 5 Eras)
1. Online school enrollment.
1. Mainframe & Minicomputer Era (1960s–1970s)
2. E-learning platforms (like eLMS, Google
Classroom). • Big centralized computers (IBM 360).
3. Social media (Facebook, Instagram) and • Mostly used by accounting departments
entertainment apps (Spotify, Apple for management.
Music). • Used old languages like Fortran, COBOL.
What is Technology? • Networks like Ethernet were born.
2. Personal Computer Era (1970s–1980s)
• Technology is applying science, math, and
skills to make tools and solve problems. • PCs started appearing.
• It changes cultures and societies (e.g., • Other departments (not just accounting)
from inventing the wheel to using began using IS.
electricity). • Companies created committees to decide
• It is part of almost everything in life, work, what IS projects to build.
and school today.
3. Client/Server Era (1980s–1990s)
5 Components of an Information System
• Systems became more spread out (not
1. Hardware → The physical parts just in one place).
(computer, phone, mouse, keyboard). • Costs went down, info sharing became
important.
• New job role: CIO (Chief Information
Officer).
• Internet started to emerge.
4. Enterprise Era (1990s–Present) Modern Applications of Information Systems and
Technology
• IS became available to almost all
employees. How Companies Worked Before
• Businesses connected across platforms • In the past, when you ordered something,
(PCs, laptops, phones). companies used paper forms.
• Each department had to type the order
• Added social media, search engines,
again → more chances for mistakes.
wider networking.
• If you wanted an update, you had to call
5. Cloud Computing Era (Now & Future) the warehouse to check manually.
• Apps and data can be used anywhere How Companies Work Now
(Google Drive, iCloud).
• Today, businesses use modern
• No need to rely only on specific hardware. information systems.
• Orders and data are stored digitally →
• Smartphones + Wi-Fi = flexibility. fewer errors, faster processing.
• Companies use IS to be faster, cheaper, • Managers use these systems to get the
and more competitive. info they need for better decisions.
Major Categories of Information Systems
In summary:
Information systems = hardware + software + data 1. Transaction Processing Systems (TPS)
+ people + process working together.
They evolved from huge mainframes to PCs, then • Handles day-to-day business transactions
to the internet, then enterprise systems, and now (purchases, sales).
cloud computing. • Example: Grocery checkout, Amazon
They are used in every part of life: shopping, processing thousands of orders every
learning, communication, transportation, and hour.
work. • Data from TPS is stored and analyzed (like
Amazon suggesting items you might
want).
2. Management Information Systems (MIS)
• Organizes TPS data into reports for
managers.
• Helps with inventory management,
planning, and decision-making.
• Example: A sales report showing how
much a company earned last year.
3. Office Automation Systems (OAS)
• Supports everyday office tasks.
• Examples:
o Word processors (MS Word)
o Spreadsheets (MS Excel)
o Presentations (MS PowerPoint)
o Emails and calendars (MS
Outlook)
• Helps people work together even if Output Technologies (getting results out of the
they’re far away. system)
4. Knowledge Management Systems (KMS) • Printers → print documents (inkjet, laser).
• Stores and shares a company’s • Monitors → display information (LCD
knowledge. screens are lighter/thinner than old CRTs).
• Examples: Training manuals, company
Contemporary Application Software
policies, step-by-step guides.
• Helps employees learn and do their jobs 1. Electronic Communication Tools
better.
• Apps for sending messages and sharing
5. Decision Support Systems (DSS) files.
• Examples:
• Helps managers make better choices
o Outlook (email + calendar)
using data analysis.
o Viber (chat + calls)
• Example: Forecasting sales by looking at
o Discord (chat + voice/video for
past sales and seasonal trends.
communities)
• Also used in loan approvals, investment
analysis, resource management. 2. Electronic Conferencing Tools
6. Mobile Applications • Apps for online meetings.
• Examples:
• Apps designed for mobile devices.
o MS Teams (large meetings +
• Example: Instagram, WhatsApp, Office
screen sharing)
Mobile.
o Zoom (video calls, webinars,
• Useful for businesses that mainly target
recordings)
online customers.
o Google Meet (business video
7. Intelligent Systems calls)
• Uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to act like 3. Collaboration Management Tools
humans.
• Apps for teamwork and joint work on
• Examples:
projects.
o Bank loan evaluation systems
• Examples:
o Self-driving cars
o Google Docs (group editing of
o Virtual assistants like Siri or Alexa
documents)
Information Systems Hardware & Technologies o MS Office Online (Word, Excel,
PowerPoint on browser)
Input Technologies (getting data into the system) o SharePoint (team collaboration
• Keyboards, mouse, touchpads, tablets → and file sharing)
normal input. In summary:
• Biometric scanners → fingerprints, face Modern information systems make businesses
ID. faster, more accurate, and more connected.
• RFID & smart cards → used for payments, They exist in different forms (TPS, MIS, DSS, OAS,
building access, contactless data. KMS, mobile apps, AI).
• Scanners → turn physical documents into They use hardware and software tools
digital files. (input/output devices, communication apps,
• Voice input → speech recognition (like conferencing apps) to improve productivity and
talking to Siri). teamwork.is
