Abstract
Information systems have been seen to help in simplifying business processes. It has been seen that information systems reduces cost of business operations. Information systems are by no means a source of competitive advantage. Many organizations are investing towards information systems to reap the benefits that are associated. Information systems have been known to enhance business processes and bring competitive advantage for many organizations. With the proliferation of technology and the increase in use of automation, there has been a need to have information systems installed and managed to get the best out of them.
Automation comes with many advantages. One main advantages is that it comes with the benefits of increases efficiency and effectiveness of business processes. It is therefore beneficial for businesses to adopt automation and put into consideration the factors that need to be considered when automation is being undertaken. Information systems have been adopted widely in most organizations to undertake various operations. Integration of information system that will be used for booking will make it easy to make bookings and have a smooth communication. Clients want the best out of a given business. It is for this reason that most organizations adopt information systems. London Underground organization requires well-established information systems in order to improve the delivery of services and to enhance its booking system. These systems are important in booking and managing the people that want to be booked and use the system, London Underground administration, performance evaluations and policy analysis. It is therefore essentials for considerations such as population-based application, objectives, data sources, integration strategies as well as information privacy and protection measures to be considered during development of information systems.
Presently information systems have emerged as an essential in travel companies and agents. Modern information systems have the capability to provide real-time data that assists in the London Underground decision making process. Information systems are used by many companies to gain competitive edge amongst the competitors. This report will assess the business need for London Underground to integrate information systems in their operations. The objectives of the organization are to come up with systems and structures that will enable it to tap into the online opportunities widely seen to be a great opportunity.
They are striving to take advantage of the opportunities to be popular platform that will be used by many online shoppers. Their mission is therefore to develop their platform to get the best out of the processes. With the emergence of enterprise application systems, it is common to see staff and organizations moving from paper-based systems to paper-less systems. There is therefore the need to prepare users to operate in this environment. The way a paperless environment operates is so much different from a paper-based environment and there is therefore a need to have users know this new environment. Poor training will mean that the people who are supposed to be using the system are in the dark in the running of the system. There is need to be part of the implementers of the system rather than be mere spectators.
Objectives
This research proposal will be guided by the following objectives:
i. To find out information systems that will be used in London Underground booking process
ii. To assess the processes that will need the use of information systems in London Underground Company.
iii. To analyze the impact of integrating London Underground booking system to the booking process of London Underground.
Deliverable 1: Computer and server listing
It requires precise selection mode and a more data reliability methods which to apply. Data is usually inadequate at the beginning and quite unreliable, therefore virtualization project scope needs to be defined and listed according to:
Booking realization
Inventory data e.g. model, processor core number
Inventory data accessibility, validity of security credentials, and correspondence
Workload data accessibility
Compliance of servers with virtualization feasibility criteria
The phase involving scope definition has a list of computers and configuration of these computers as being the main deliverables. This is obtained by selecting from a complex list of certain criteria. This will include performing:
Technological platform: specific types of servers may be used e.g. Intel servers only, redefinition of backup systems, revision of storage systems, and definition of SW management and listing of virtual network layer constraints.
Age: computer systems and servers not exceeding certain age say 2 years be used
Location: specifies servers at a specific location to be used e.g. using datacenter B servers
Organization ownership: specifies that servers which are owned by certain organizations are used.
Management: specifies that only computers managed by IT functions and no other parties be used.
Operating system platform: specifies that only MSDOS or UNIX programs are to be used.
Application category: provides that all the servers should be brought for instance those hosting database management system
Performance requirements: provides a case of servers with Input-Output utility does not go beyond the threshold be included.
Deliverable 2: Inventory and Workload Data Collection
Data collection is important element that should be embraced by all IT experts. Data collection goes alongside accurate presentation, analysis and interpretation. Workload data for example requires high sampling frequency for errors to be minimized. The data collection sufficient for a server virtualization project needs
Inventory data collection- model, memory capacity, and processor number and models
Workload collection: utility of processor and its memory
Uniquely, any data collected does not have to suit a convention of server design. There are instances where inventory data may constitute altered values like serial numbers of server models. Workload data similarly may contain flaws arising from server shutdown or situational network connectivity problems. Therefore performance data obtained from servers with different configurations makes comparison difficult only if data is brought to normal. It is difficult to compare data utilization of processors with varieties with respect to type and number unless good estimate is given to sever performance. In addition, project analysis phase is tricky if servers under consideration have multiple servers with corresponding multiple data points.
Deliverable 3: IT Artifact representing Design Mode
It explores two areas; role of automation in business processes. It would be easier to find information system design through guesswork but indeed difficult to find the cheapest alternative. Finding the optimal solution is a considerable brain cracking phenomena.
Deliverable 4: Document on Test Procedures and Results
Very precise and all inclusive tests are very important and thus recommended. Tests require comprehensive and accurate plans. The areas of focus are:
Hardware optimal performance assured
Management of information systems
Policies on use of information systems
Deliverable 5: Virtual Server
With all prior arrangements made precisely, the risk of problems at implementation are minimized, though situations in the IT have the potential to deteriorate in spite of earlier efforts. There ought to be a fall-back of using the manual booking system so that if the information system does not pick up then the manual process will be reverted to. These can happen at the implementation phase. Interaction testing and booking information system testing could be difficult so deployment should be slowed down, by deployed the booking system gradually. Besides, monitoring is important to prevent any unpredictable issues arising.
Interest reason
One reason that I am interested in this field is the fact that it is hard to book enough clients in London Underground system. It would be interesting to have a system that would make it easier in undertaking the booking process. It has been interesting to see problems that can be solved using information systems.
Project Gannchart
Data collection
There is the carrying out of a literature review so that the theories of social networks and their roles in communication can be understood.
Survey
There will be the use of a self-administered questionnaire that will be sent to all London Underground selected employees. This provides a chance to conduct a snowball research where the views from the few employees who are working in London Underground can be applied to other areas of research. The questionnaires which are negative and are leading are avoided as much as possible; there will be a careful consideration that will be given to sequencing and a clear layout and design (Proctor, 2003; Jobber, 2004; Fisher, 2007 and Saunders et al, 2007).
The themes that are used for the question are got from the literature and the resultant model. The questionnaire is not intended for managers, directors, and the booking system implementers. It entails the views and the perception that manual booking employees in London Underground have towards the use of automation and integrating an information system in the London Underground system. The questions that will be asked are as follows: to find out the perception that London Underground employees have towards integrating information system in booking process; the confidence that London Underground employees have towards the adoption of information system, the likeliness of employees towards a computerized booking process, the view and the perception that companies and the management towards the use of automated booking system. The use of open-ended questions allows the expression of views by the respondents. The final section is used to assess the extent in which the staff participated and to ensure that all-important staff has been included.
A pilot test will have to be carried out with few staff so that the various grades and responses can be evaluated and see which of the points seem to bring confusion to the respondents. The feedback includes the comments about the effectiveness of the questions that have been asked.
Semi structured interviews
At the end of the questionnaire, staff will be asked if they are willing to take part in an interview. The various employees will be interviewed. The semi structured interviews allows for cross-validation and also to overcome the limitations that come with questionnaires as argued by Cadley (2004) like the misinterpretations or ambiguities in the self-administered questionnaires and the unwillingness to make comments in writing.
The interviews will take a maximum of one hour and will take place in places where the interviewees will deem fit to be comfortable. The structure of the interviews will seek to find out the perception of employees towards adopting an automated booking process. The researcher seeks to find out first the acceptability of the information systems in booking process of London Underground. From the qualitative analysis, will be done, the researcher will seek to find out the use of information systems in booking process of London Underground system. This will allow for cross-validation and the views of various professionals and to be got in deeper in recognition of the limitations that come with interviews like the unwillingness to give comments in writing. Having some of structure is a good gesture in doing qualitative research but the researcher strived to remain as neutral as possible; the researcher tried to give the interviewee the freedom required so that they are able to talk on matters that matters the most without coercing or leading them to talk of issues that concerns the researcher alone.
References
Bakos, Y & Brynjolfsson, E 1993, 'Information technology, incentives, and the optimal number of suppliers', Journal of Management Information Systems, vol 10, no. 2, pp. 37-53.
Cadley, Y 2004, Project management for information systems, Pearson Education, London.
Cascarino, RE 2007, Auditor's guide to information systems auditing, John Wiley and Sons, London.
Champlain, JJ 2003, Auditing information systems, John Wiley and Sons, London.
Dhillon, G 2007, Information systems security and principles, John Wiley & Sons, New York.
Gelinas, U, Dull, R & Wheeler, P 2011, Accounting information systems, Cengage Learning, New York.
