91-802, Information Systems for Managers

12 units

Prerequisites: None

Required for: MPM students

Delivery Format: On-Campus

Description:

Computer-based information systems are ubiquitous in today's society, and managers can expect to have frequent contact with them. Skills in using information systems are an advantage today and will become a necessity in the future. These skills include:

understanding the capabilities and limitations of an information system base on its design
knowing how to effectively use the information within the information system
facility in specifying new information systems and unique applications
the ability to interact with the system implementers

Databases are central to most organizations' information systems strategies, and will, therefore, be the focus of this course. We will thoroughly cover the modern relational database model, using a 50-50 mix of lectures and 'hands-on' lab work. Throughout the course, we will use the Microsoft Access database package to test the database theories learned in class.

We start by introducing file-based systems, and discussing their limitations. Then the relational database is introduced, along with the entity-relationship modeling technique. Standard query methods are covered, as is the process of normalization. Finally, students will complete a database design and implementation project from an initial study of the operations, goals and processes of an organization culminating with the actual implementation of the designed database and a graphical interface to the data.

Last modified on June 13, 2006