Better+investment+decisions+about+Information+Systems

=Making Better Information System Investment Decisions= Tuesday, September 6, 2011 << prev next >>

**Topic overview:**
In today's class we will look at a variety of techniques for evaluating information system investment decisions. We will consider some of the different types of resources that an organization (or an individual) has available to invest, as well as ways to think about the costs, benefits, and risks of the information system under consideration. We will not be using rigorous quantitative models for evaluating these decisions yet. Instead we will focus on understanding the parameters that serve as inputs to an information systems investment decision, and different potential outcomes of such a decision.

**Preparation for class:** There is no required reading for today's class. You are, however, expected to come to class with an example of a specific information system with which you are familiar (perhaps as somebody who has used that system, or having worked at an organization that used that system). You need to list the organization and the information system in the 'Pre-Class Exercise' area below before noon on the day of class.

You should come to class on Wednesday prepared to discuss the following questions about the information system and organization that you identified on the wiki. Please note that you do not need to post answers to these questions, just come prepared to discuss them in class.


 * Describe the organization - it's name, what it does, where it operates, etc.
 * Describe what the information system does and how the organization makes use of it
 * Describe the benefits that the information system provides to the organization
 * Think through the costs that the organization incurred in creating or buying the system
 * Think through the costs and risks that the organization faces to keep the system running
 * Do you think that the organization has received a positive return on their investment in the system?
 * How do you think they justified making the initial investment? Do you think they would make that investment again if they could go back in time for a ‘do-over’?

I realize that you probably do not have precise answers to these questions. That is ok. I just expect that you will have thought through the questions well enough to discuss possible answers to the questions and why you think that the answer you came up with might be correct.

Reference materials:
Slides:

**Pre-class exercise:**
Please post the organization and the name and/or brief description of the information system that you analyzed as part of your preparation for today's class. = =
 * [Bob Monroe] Example: Carnegie Mellon University's student information system known as The HUB.
 * [Bob Monroe] Example: State of Qatar, MOI, Traffic Department's system for ticketing speeding vehicles, displaying the details of the ticket, and processing payment of the fine for being caught speeding.
 * [Bob Monroe] Example: Qatar National Bank's network of Automated Teller Machines (ATM's)
 * [Mohammed Kamal]: Sheraton's hotel website for room bookings and hotel restaurant reservations.
 * [Nahan Arif]: Dukhan English School's recently introduced Website and Intranet.
 * [Khadeejah Al-Husseiny]: International School of Choueifat's testing system
 * [Layal Al-Alami]: Carnegie Mellon University's Online Registration System (OLR)
 * [Firas Bata]: Qatar Foundation's Tech4work website.
 * [Amal Osman]: Apple app store, it's used to sell Mac applications online.
 * [Fatma Al-Khayat]: Qatar Airways Website for Online Booking and Check In.
 * [Anas Ali Chaudry}: Lahore Grammar School introduced a biometric system.
 * [Najla Al-Madhadi]: The Group Company's website for online trading.
 * [Maryam Al-Subaie]: Qatar's government uses an information system known as Hukoomi (translates to 'Governmental' in Arabic) where you can apply for exit/entry permits, check/renew health cards, check phone and water bills, search/apply for jobs, post vacancies and access many other services.
 * [Walied El Hag Ali]: Ebay which is a website for online shopping and auctioning.
 * [Hind Al Khulaifi]: QNB's EasyInternet service. Online banking.
 * [Abdullrahman Al-Muftah]: Hotel room reservation system.
 * [Al-Jawhra Al-Mana]: travel agencies uses Amadeus system to book flights, tours, hotel rooms, and car rentals.
 * [Sara Al-Mannai]: Apple uses itunes as music and application purchasing system.
 * [Ahmad Al-Sarraf]: Qtel online bill payment.
 * [Mohammed Al-Rawahi]: qfoody.com, order food online from various restaurants in Qatar
 * [Mohammed Al Ahmadani]: Facebook's platform for ads.
 * [Mughees Ahmed]: **expedia.com** aids its customer **plan** and **book** flights, hotels and various rentals. It also offers a wide range of **promotional** packages depending on availability. Furthermore, they **assist** their customers in finding the **cheapest** or **greatest** deal by **comparing** it to all possible **alternatives**in the market.
 * [Orkhan Rustamzade]: PayPal for online money transfers.
 * [Patrick Steinhagen]: Interpol is an international organisation which utilizes databases and networks to enable police collaboration and fight crime and terrorism.
 * [Mohammed Hadi Takiddin]: CMU-Q blackboard/ digital drop box to submit assignments online.
 * [Maryam Al-Thani]: Amazon's sales order entry system.
 * [Hussain Hejji]: Skype's service of having an online video conference call
 * [Laura Jaber]: Harvard University's online digital library system called "Hollisweb".
 * [Ognjen Popovic]: General Electric International Inc. GBS, Oracle software used by accounting and finance departments for various purposes. In a way it replaces a ledger and provides a variety of tools that minimize the chance of mistake in the communication between different parts of the company (project sites, local and global finance departments, etc.)
 * [Jevika Shetty]: Loan processing software used in banks for managing large number of loans and mortgages; keeping a track of regular and irregular payments; fees, etc.
 * [Ayah Abujarbou]: Metrash by the Ministry of Interior.
 * [Dalia Saleh Hassan]: Banks system which through it they open new accounts and check the existing accounts for the clients.
 * [Haya Al_Mannai]: QNB retail internet banking: allow me to check my account, transfer amounts to a third party, pay bills and take loans.
 * [Hamsa M Al-Massri]: CMUQ's mailing lists; a system in CMUQ used for sending emails from the authorized to a specific group (for example: Class of 2013).
 * [Jim Briggs]; Google street view: it displays real images of streets.
 * [M. Hammad Abbasi]: Carnegie Mellon's RFID and ID badge database. The information system used to check and grant access to Carnegie Mellon faculty, staff and students through ID cards.
 * [Noor Al-Mohannadi]: Itunes online store operated by Apple, where Apple users can download music, movies, games and other applications.
 * [Nasser Al-Khori]: Ebay- the world's online market to sell/buy cars, electronics, collectibles, etc. Making a membership and signing into your account to view your store items and others you want to buy.
 * [Aisha Al-Zaman]: Qatar Charity for collecting charity online and through SMS
 * [Nijat Ibrahimov] DHL Tracking, Warehouse control system, DHL Scheduling
 * [Noof A. Al-muzaffar]:HSBC access card system
 * [Fatima Abdulla]: Air traffic system used by the control towers in airports.