Cover -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- List of Figures and Tables -- Preface -- Acknowledgements -- List of Acronyms and Abbreviations -- Introduction to the Book -- Purpose -- Tools and methodology -- Structure -- Chapters -- Appendices -- Glossary of buzzwords -- Suggested reading and references -- CHAPTER 1 Information Systems and Organizations -- Introduction -- Information systems: A catalogue of failures? -- Conclusions -- Exercise -- CHAPTER 2 What is Systems Analysis and Systems Design? -- Introduction -- Basics of a systems analysis and systems design methodology -- Example of a systems analysis and systems design methodology in action -- The reductionist -- The systemic -- What is the research approach and methodology of this book? -- Conclusion -- Exercise -- CHAPTER 3 The Role of the Systems Planner or Systems Analyst -- You the analyst: First thoughts -- The history of the analyst -- You the analyst: Second thoughts -- Present reflection and self analysis -- Reflecting on the development of the analyst -- Conclusions -- Exercise -- CHAPTER 4 Terms of Reference and Selecting our Planning/Development Tools: Sequence and Schedule -- The reality of analysis: Terms of reference -- Understanding the information environment: Information audit -- The context of an analysis methodology: Selecting the right tools -- The soft systems approach -- Information modelling -- Social and technical requirements -- Human-computer interface -- Technical aspects -- Ways of using Multiview -- Conclusion -- Exercise -- CHAPTER 5 What is the Problem? The Human Activity System: Making a Model -- Introduction to the human activity system -- The rich picture -- Preparation -- The primary components of the rich picture: Structures -- The primary components of the rich picture: Processes -- Putting together the rich picture -- The root definition.

Introduction -- Three examples of CATWOE -- The new system (in concept) -- Introduction -- Conceptual model/systems model -- Conceptual model: Main activities for the information system project -- Systems model: Main systems involved in the information system -- Final considerations -- Conclusions -- Exercise -- Part 1: The human activity system phase -- Part 2: On root definitions and systems models -- Part 3: Developing a systems model -- CHAPTER 6 Information Modelling: Making a Workable System -- Introduction to information modelling -- Entities, attributes, functions and events -- Entity models/tables -- Attributes -- Functional decomposition -- Double checking on entities and functions -- Events -- Tying it all together -- Conclusions -- Exercise -- CHAPTER 7 Technical Needs, Social Needs: Getting the Right Balance -- Introduction to socio-technical systems -- Predict future environment analysis -- Outline social and technical objectives -- Social objectives of the proposed information system -- Technical objectives of the proposed information system -- Generate social and technical alternatives -- Rank the alternatives -- Cost-benefit analysis -- Tabulate and grade -- List major factors -- Human and computer tasks -- People tasks -- IT tasks -- Conclusions -- Exercise -- CHAPTER 8 The Human-Computer Interface -- Introduction to the human-computer interface -- The nature of the interface -- Some interfaces -- The technical interface -- Social issues -- Security -- Considering the technical interface -- The case study: Specific issues -- Considering the social interface -- The case study: Specific issues -- Considering the security interface -- The case study: Specific issues -- Implementing the interface design -- Conclusions -- Exercise -- CHAPTER 9 Technical Aspects: What is Needed? -- Introduction -- The application area: What we want to do.

The case study -- The database area: The data store -- The case study -- The retrieval area: What we want from the system -- The case study -- The management area: How to control the system -- Controlling your system with the operating system -- Job priority control -- Security -- User support -- The management area: How to control the system going -- Preventative maintenance -- Corrective maintenance -- The monitoring and evaluation area: Learning about the system -- Rule of thumb -- Key indicator -- The logical framework -- An issue of risk? -- Assessing risk value -- Prioritizing the risks -- Putting it all together: The technical package -- Conclusions -- Exercise -- CHAPTER 10 The Total Design, Training, Hardware, Software and Implementation -- Introduction to implementation issues -- Training -- The communication of skills -- Repetition of skills out of the training room context: Self confidence and self reliance -- Specific training issues to be aware of -- Software selection -- Case study -- Hardware selection -- Case study -- Implementation -- Conclusion -- The Multiview methodology -- The learning organization methodology -- Appendices -- APPENDIX 1: Systems analysis and systems design: Methodologies in relation to each other -- APPENDIX 2: The project cycle: Seeing the task in perspective -- APPENDIX 3: Some thoughts on answers to the exercises -- Glossary of Buzzwords -- Suggested Reading -- References -- Index.