Information System

Executive Summary

This report covers and is based on the Evaluation of the UWS library system at Parramatta campus in evaluating this system we aimed at classifying the library system as an Information system (IS) and determining its strengths and weaknesses. . The report also provides the reason for why meeting the users’ needs is an important criterion that all information systems must meet and how information that is being collected from users is important to business’ in achieving their goals and objectives. One of the most important sites for a university community is the Library, both in a physical sense and a virtual sense; therefore it is very essential for the system to work sufficiently well.

In the evaluating process of the system we first recognized there is both a virtual library based upon a website and the physical library system which is based in the actual library.

There after the evaluation process consisted of step-by-step plan to evaluate the on-line library system of the six major sectors which consist within the IS.

The main purpose of evaluation of these were to determine whether the service was reliable where users and most importantly students can rely on, which are as follows: responsiveness, promptness and helpfulness to all users, assurance, competence and credibility empathy, common understanding and good communication. In order achieve accurate and precise results in the above sectors an evaluation form was conducted of all demographics of Blacktown campus, to define the problem, analyse findings, report findings, recommend if necessary. In order to improve the information system of the library.

Also there were few considerations that needed to be undertaken regarding the design of the layout, content of the website, technical problems, help functions and the graphical user interface (GUI) of the website.

Introduction

This report was conducted to introduce how information systems are run and to explain the importance of it to every organization. In today’s society we see information systems in our everyday work whether it be at work, school, universities and even above earth in the international space station. An information system is basically required to collect the information, process it and then eventually present the information back to the user.

An information system is a set of interrelated components that collect, manipulate, and disseminate data and information and provide feedback mechanism to meet an objective(Fundamentals of information systems). They contain five key elements, which include: hardware, software, data, processes and people. People play an important role; this is because they are the main source of information for any organisation.

An organization is a social arrangement which pursues collective goals, which controls its own performance, and which has a boundary separating it from its environment. It is a system about money, people, materials, machines equipment, data, information and decisions are constantly in use in any organization. Considering this it is vital that needs of the users using the IS are met. The reason being that the data is collected from the users via the IS to assist organizations in processing and analyzing data which has been input by these users this allows and gives originations the information required to to achieve their goals and objectives.

The university of western Sydney (Library) uses a complex IS which is used by university students and staff in this organization. This information system provides staff and students a variety of links that allow them to move across the web pages providing them with the required information they seek. The available information on this system consists of the availability/location of books, e journals, video’s,