The document discusses several operational issues related to information systems including security, backups, health and safety, organization policies, business continuity planning, costs, and the increasing sophistication of modern systems. Key points include the need to dictate secure access to data, regularly back up information, follow appropriate ergonomic practices, manage costs through a business case, and provide more training as systems become more complex.

1. Information Systems
Operational Issues

2. Security of Information
• Security means that data is safe from unauthorised or
unexpected access, alteration or destruction
• Management should dictate who can view and update
information
• This could be:
– Everyone in the organisation
– Those on authorised lists
– More controlled access following complex rules, with
logging of access to data
• IT Department is usually responsible for advising and
implementing rules

3. Backups
• Organisations need to safeguard against
physical data loss or processing problems
• Information should be backed up regularly
• Could be full or partial backups of information
which has changed
• IT Departments should practise data recovery
and restores

4. Health and Safety
• MIS are relatively low risk
• Regulations for using, and the position of
screens and monitors
• Keyboards, mice, chairs and tables must be
positioned appropriately
• Computer users are entitled to eye tests
• Computer users should take regular breaks
away from the computer
• All existing office and workplace environment
laws apply to using information systems

5. Organisation Policies
• Organisations can have policies related to
the use of information systems
• Examples:
– Keeping information confidential
– Correcting data that is incorrect

6. Business Continuance Plan (BCP)
• Plan in case any major part of an IT System fails
• IT Department should have procedures to follow
in case of a failure so that they can at least
provide a limited service.
• Example: Dual network with alternate terminals
connected to each network. If one network
fails, half the terminals will still work.
• Organisations need to plan their BCP, e.g. having
additional servers

7. Costs
• It is important to manage the costs of IT Projects
• The total benefits of a project should exceed the
total costs
• Two areas to consider regarding costs for a
business case:
– Additional resources required e.g.
• New computer equipment and installation
• User testing and training
• Additional IT resources to run the systems
– Cost of development
• Cost of getting/developing the new system
• Costs of future developments of the system

8. Impact of Increasing Sophistication of
Systems
• Early MIS often automated manual systems
• Software was relatively simple and users did not
need extensive training
• Today's systems are more complex. They need:
– More trained personnel – training needed in using
equipment and using the software
– More complex software packages are provided for
business experts to build information systems
– Problems may need both business experts and
development experts to solve them