Considerations relating to the effective design of a computer based information system (original) (raw)

Computer-based Information Systems (CBIS) is the term used to describe any application that exhibits functional characteristics and aims to provide support in an organizational environment. It is essentially an information system that uses computer technology, a type of technology that supplements, extend, or replace human, manual operations or devices. It is a system that uses information in order to perform, control and coordinate the whole processes that perform its functions and achieve its goals to maximize the effectiveness of the overall functions of these processes through its performance that will promulgate organizational success. The key to designing an effective CBIS and promulgate organizational success is to know what a CBIS does, how it works, and how you can use it to achieve good performance, thus, this paper will be done through considering the following questions: (1) What is Computer-Based Information Systems (CBIS), (2) What is CBIS Effectiveness, (3) What are the evaluation techniques or assessment models used to measure CBIS effectiveness, and (4) What are the issues that will hinder an effective implementation of CBIS and how to handle them? The purpose of this paper is to answer these questions through undergoing a comprehensive review about several assessment methods and models to measure IS effectiveness, as well as CBIS definitions and concepts that will help researchers especially system developers become familiar with appropriate assessment methods and models used to assess CBIS effectiveness to achieve IS implementation success. The review will present various literatures and previous studies that will focus on the following topics: (1) Defining Computer-based Information Systems (CBIS), (2) Defining CBIS effectiveness, (3) Designing an effective CBIS through the use of evaluation techniques and assessment models, and (4) Identifying Key Issues for CBIS Implementation Success and Key Factors to Handle Them. Defining CBIS will include important terms relevant to its nature and concept like information systems and computer technology. Moreover, several terms are used in this study to describe the field of CBIS such as information systems, management information systems, data processing management, systems management, business computer systems, or just systems. However in this paper, computer-based information systems or CBIS will be used to describe all. In this topic, the goal and CBIS role was also comprehensively described. Defining CBIS effectiveness on the other hand was done in this study to supply readers various definitions of effectiveness because frequently, CBIS are used without a full understanding of the term or its efficacy. Segvi Ozkan and Murat Cakir, Hamilton and Chervany, Carlson, and Cyrus are one of the few researchers who discuss and argue system effectiveness definition. Each of them defines and describes effectiveness in various ways but all of them connects to achieve one organizational goal at the end - the success effect of IS on organizational performance. The findings from the past researches show proofs and evidences that a comprehensive understanding on the concept and theories of CBIS and its effectiveness will be a great help in the design and development of an effective computing facilities and applications that aims to provide support in an organizational environment. Moreover, the consolidated references in this paper about considerations related to IS implementation success such as important factors that will hinder IS implementation to become successful and the proper selection of appropriate methods and models for assessment will supplement readers and system developers with enough information about CBIS issues and become familiar with various assessment methods and models to achieve effective design and development of CBIS and its success in implementation.