JARAMOGI OGINGA ODINGA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

SCHOOL OF INFORMATICS AND INNOVATIVE SYSTEMS

DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE & SOFTWARE ENGINEERING

NAME: ATE ROBERT ARINGO

ADM NO: I132/0121/2019

COURSE NAME: INFORMATION SECURITY POLICY AND COMPIANCE

COURSE CODE: ICB 1403

LECTURER: PROF. SOLOMON O. OGARA

1. Discuss TEN Features of Information
 Accuracy
good information is based on correct and complete data, and it has been processed correctly as
expected. Accuracy is crucial. The IS function can develop a bad reputation in the organization
if a system is known to produce inaccurate information. This characteristic refers to the
exactness of the data. It cannot have any erroneous elements and must convey the correct
message without being misleading. This accuracy and precision have a component that relates to
its intended use. Without understanding how the data will be consumed, ensuring accuracy and
precision could be off-target or more costly than necessary.
 Timely
Information should be given in a timely manner. A report that is 6 weeks late is most likely
useless. In that case, the information would have been received well after decisions for that
material have already been made.
 Relevant
Information should be relevant both to the context and to the subject. There must be a valid
reason to collect the data to justify the effort required, which also means it has to be collected at
the right moment in time. Data collected too soon or too late could misrepresent a situation and
drive inaccurate decisions.
 Just barely sufficient
Information needs to be sufficient for the purpose it is generated, but just barely so. There is a
lot of information out there in the world and as you grow in management you need to decide
what material to ignore and what to use.
 Worth its cost
Information is not free. It costs money to develop a system, and to maintain it. For information
for be worth its cost there must be an appropriate relationship between the cost of information
and its value.

 Completeness and Comprehensiveness

Incomplete data is as dangerous as inaccurate data. Gaps in data collection lead to a partial view
of the overall picture to be displayed. Without a complete picture of how operations are running,
uninformed actions will occur. It’s important to understand the complete set of requirements that
constitute a comprehensive set of data to determine whether or not the requirements are being
fulfilled.
  Reliability and Consistency
Many systems in today’s environments use and collect the same source data. Regardless of what
source collected the data or where it resides, it cannot contradict a value residing in a different
source or collected by a different system. There must be a stable and steady mechanism that
collects and stores the data without contradiction or unwarranted variance.

 Availability and Accessibility

This characteristic can be tricky at times due to legal and regulatory constraints. Regardless of
the challenge, though, individuals need the right level of access to the data in order to perform
their jobs. This presumes that the data exists and is available for access to be granted.

 Explicitness
A report is said to be of good quality if it does not require further analysis by the recipients for
decision making.
 Impartiality
Impartial information contains no bias and has been collected without any distorted view of the
situation.

2. Discuss EIGHT Components of Information System

 Computer Hardware

Physical equipment used for input, output and processing. The hardware structure depends
upon the type and size of the organization. It consists of an input and an output device,
operating system, processor, and media devices. This also includes computer peripheral
devices.
 Computer Software

The programs/ application program used to control and coordinate the hardware components. It
is used for analyzing and processing of the data. These programs include a set of instruction
used for processing information. software is further classified into 3 types:

System Software
Application Software
Procedures
Databases

 Data
 are the raw facts and figures that are unorganized that are and later processed to generate
information software are used for organizing and serving data to the user, managing physical
storage of media and virtual resources. As the hardware can’t work without software the same
as software needs data for processing. Data are managed using Database management system.
Database software is used for efficient access for required data, and to manage knowledge
bases.

 Network
Networks resources refer to the telecommunication networks like the intranet, extranet and the
internet. These resources facilitate the flow of information in the organization. Networks
consists of both the physicals devices such as networks cards, routers, hubs and cables and
software such as operating systems, web servers, data servers and application servers.
Telecommunications networks consist of computers, communications processors, and other
devices interconnected by communications media and controlled by software. Networks
include communication media, and Network Support.

 Human Resources

It is associated with the manpower required to run and manage the system. People are the end
user of the information system, end-user use information produced for their own purpose, the
main purpose of the information system is to benefit the end user. The end user can be
accountants, engineers, salespersons, customers, clerks, or managers etc. People are also
responsible to develop and operate information systems. They include systems analysts,
computer operators, programmers, and other clerical IS personnel, and managerial techniques.

 Processes
these are series of steps undertaken to achieve a desired outcome or goal. Businesses have to
continually innovate to either create more revenues through new products and services that fulfill
customers’ needs or to find cost-saving opportunities in the ways they run their companies.
Simply automating activities using technology is not enough. IS are becoming more and more
integrated with organizational processes to deliver value in revenue-generating and cost-saving
activities that can give companies competitive advantages over their competitors.

3. Identify and explain FIVE Functions of information system

 Input

Input is done in two parts, the input of information that is stored, processed and then forms the
basis of the output of the system, the user must also tell the system what kind of analysis they
want from the system. This part is done by the IT department and is not available to users.

 Storage
When data is stored, it is stored at the highest detailed level possible, the IT department will
make regular backups of the data, at least one copy of the backup should be stored separately in
case of a disaster.

 Processing

This step is where the data get turned into information, it could range from adding values to
make a total for items sold by a supermarket in a certain period of time, to complex calculations
done by a computer program that can adapt to missing information or select different criteria that
maybe included or excluded.

 Output

Output can be displayed in either a graphical or textual format:

Graphical is often best for trying to understand trends from the information and is a better format
to present information to the management. Textual is best for when the information needs to be
analyzed for specific details and to find exact values. They can both be used together, graphical
can be used to focus on details and textual can be used to focus on smaller details.

 Feedback Loop

Feedback loops are the results of the use of the outputted information. This can either be a direct
effect or lead to something which will benefit the organization in the future.

4. The following are some of the categories of information system

a) DSS
 Time savings.
For all categories of decision support systems, research has demonstrated and substantiated
reduced decision cycle time, increased employee productivity and more timely information for
decision making. The time savings that have been documented from using computerized decision
support are often substantial. Researchers, however, have not always demonstrated that decision
quality remained the same or actually improved.

 Improve interpersonal communication.

DSS can improve communication and collaboration among decision makers. In appropriate
circumstances, communications- driven and group DSS have had this impact. Model-driven DSS
provides a means for sharing facts and assumptions. Data-driven DSS make "one version of the
truth" about company operations available to managers and hence can encourage fact-based
decision making. Improved data accessibility is often a major motivation for building a data-
driven DSS.

 Competitive advantage.
Vendors frequently cite this advantage for business intelligence systems, performance
management systems, and web-based DSS. Although it is possible to gain a competitive
advantage from computerized decision support, this is not a likely outcome. Vendors routinely
sell the same product to competitors and even help with the installation. Organizations are most
likely to gain this advantage from novel, high risk, enterprise-wide, inward facing decision
support systems. Measuring this is and will continue to be difficult.

b) MIS
 It allows real-time performance reports
By receiving performance reports in real-time, the organization can become more dynamic in its
operations. Its employees may be able to discover and respond to opportunities more quickly.
They may also be able to detect potential threats and find appropriate solutions to avoid or
minimize them. Additionally, when everyone is better-informed about the business operations
and long-term results, their work productivity may improve.

 It generates analytical reports

The principal function of MIS is to organize and analyze data and use it to generate informative
reports. With these reports, the organization’s management can monitor its performance and
identify new business opportunities. They can formulate plans to improve the organization’s
processes and increase its production efficiency.

 It compares projections and performances

Organizations regularly set business goals and make business and financial forecasts, but they
need to monitor their effectiveness. For that, they must compare them with actual performances.
An MIS facilitates performance reviews and accurate comparisons with the projections. That can
enable the management to make better business decisions.

c) TPS

 Productivity

By using TPS, the staff of the company increases their productivity. Also, customers get more
trust and satisfaction in the company.

 Fast

The transactions are carried out in fast time and there is no delay. The real-time transaction is
also a type of TPS in which no delay in time occurs.

Low cost
As most of the work is carried out by TPS so less staff is needed to be hired.