One of the essential elements of an information system is people. The information is required by people and at some point will be collected, organised, analysed, stored or retrieved, processed or displayed for people. Every information system requires people at some point. This page examines some of the roles that people play in an information system.
There are three different aspects to human involvement in an information system:
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Design and construction involves either creating new systems or in modifying existing systems. They include: system analysts, software engineers, (programmers), computer engineers, computer technicians, project managers, instructional designers and many others:
Systems Analyst: develops a system to meet a new need or to modify a system to solve a problem in an existing system. A systems analyst will coordinate the planning, implementation and maintenance of a computer system A systems analyst is largely the same as a computer analyst, systems consultant or systems officer. To become a systems Analyst you would normally complete a computer Degree.
Project Manager: Now days a project manager will often replace a systems analyst. However a project manager will not always be involved in Information technology.
Computer programmers: write programs (software) that directs the hardware to perform a particular task. There are two types of programmers:
System programmers and application programmers. System programmers will program the system such as Windows, Linux, Novell etc
Application programmers will write programs to work on the system such as Word processors etc…
These people are involved in keeping the information system running so that it achieves its purpose and includes managers, computer operators, data entry operators, computer consultants, training specialists, technical support staff and computer technicians
Managers: coordinate the people and teams working under them to ensure the effective running of the information system. The managers may have a degree or qualifications in IT but not necessarily.
Computer Operators: Look after resources in a large computer system. Their tasks include starting up the computer and trying to ensure the smooth running of the computer.
Data Entry operators: Data entry operators enter data into the system. They must have very fast typing skills.
Computer Consultants: are employed on contracts to fix specific problems. They would normally specialise in specific computer systems, applications or environments such as education, retailing engineering, ATMs and banking etc…
Training Specialists: Teach the users how to operate the system. Trainers are particularly required when new systems or applications are implemented.
Technical Support Staff: Assist by answering questions, normally at a help desk or over the phone. The help may be hardware or software dependent on the company for whom they are working. For example Big Pond will have a help desk to try to solve problems in trying to logon or download information.
Computer Technicians: Installs, maintains and repairs hardware problems and installation of peripheral devices. Computer technicians would normally do a course at TAFE, specialist courses such as MSCE and other similar style qualifications.
Users are people affected by computer systems. There are two types of users: direct users and indirect users.
Direct Users: interact or are in control of a computer system (i.e. they directly use the computers in the system)
Indirect Users: do not use the computers but use the system which the computers support or are affected in other ways by the system. If a video store uses a computer system to track their videos. A person who hires a video from that store but does no directly touch the computers or enter information are indirect users. (i.e. indirect users do not use the computers in the system)