The best methodology for selecting an information system

The best Methodology for selecting an information system Stephanie Gratton The best Methodology for selecting an information system The company has a problem. The current information system has been failing due to the companies’ recent growth. The system that is in place at the moment is not capable of handling the new higher volume of information. The administration has also detected a need for new features to be incorporated that the current system does not provide. The administration has come to the conclusion that a new information system must be incorporated in order to prevent any possible errors from occurring due the old system not functioning as needed. Using Methodology In order to address the current problem, the company will use a methodology to determine which type of system would be most beneficial to the company. The stakeholders and administrators have a complicated decision making process in front of them. Acquiring implementing and training staff on a new system is difficult and requires a great deal of capital investment as well as time and commitment to the project. Communication among those who will be using the system is of upmost importance in order to determine what features need to be incorporated and the ease of use for the staff that will be using the system. The best methodology consists of three steps. Step one-determine the need for a new system. Step two-Select an implementation process. Step three-Choose the contractor or supplier to will install and maintain the information system. Pay special attention to the contractor or supplier that is chosen, (this can make a huge impact on how the project turns out)! [pic] Image source (Proceedings of the International Symposium on the Analytic Hierarchy Process 2009) Final decision making Now that the team has found a methodology that will be useful for making this type of decision a few other things must be considered. For one the economic aspect is the most important factor for most companies. The economic aspect uses factors such as external costs; these costs will include licenses, development and updates to the infrastructure some internal costs will be required as well and must be taken into consideration. The company must determine what their level of dedication and resources are for the project. Keeping in mind there will be training costs that requires company capital as well. The functionality and also the adaptability of the new IT system is another factor to be taken into consideration. Can the IT system be changed or altered in the future if the companies need change? This can come into the category called cost containment. How much capital must be set aside for the regular updating of the equipment? The timeline for the project must be considered and taken into account since the date the system is acquired by the company will not be the same date it is fully ready to be put into use. The employees will need time to adapt to the new system and problems or loses could occur during this process. Administers should expect a certain level of error to occur during this time Therefore extra precautions will need to be taken to ensure the security and safety of the patient’s that are being cared for or treated during the adaption process. Quantitative Analysis Quantitative analysis is the most important step when determining the possibilities of random variables that can happen with the system. These variables include, investment, number of incidents that happens in any given year, even the inflation price. Also the time spent to fix errors or problems and loses that occur during the time that is spent to repair damage. The quantitative analysis is the process used to determine alternatives to possible problems within the new information system. The point of the analysis is to weigh and consider the options when the company is trying to choose a new information system. Summary The goal of this paper was to explain the process that a company must use in order to determine which type of information system will best fit their needs. The functionality and adaptability of the system must be considered along with the cost and time issues associated with the project. References D. Gómez, M. Castillo/Methodology for identifying and selecting the best alternative Proceedings of the International Symposium on the Analytic Hierarchy Process 2009 A METHOD FOR BUILDING A REFERENT BUSINESS ACTIVITY MODEL FOR EVALUATING INFORMATION SYSTEMS: RESULTS FROM A CASE STUDY. (2007). Communications of AIS, 2007(20), 872-891.