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INFORMATION MANAGEMENTModule 7.1

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INFORMATION MANAGEMENTModule 7.1

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Content

• Introduction• Gathering data and information

• Creating questionnaires• Create electronic forms and questionnaires with for

m fields

• The storing of data from electronic forms • Importing from text files into Excel or Access

• The creation of a formal report • Structure of a report • Use of spreadsheets

and databases in professional reports

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INTRODUCTION

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The role and use of data, information, knowledge, and conclusions or decisions as part of information management:

Data Information Knowledge Decision

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The role and use of data, information, knowledge, and conclusions or decisions as part of information management:

1. Clearly identify a problem or task

2. Gather as much relevant data as

efficiently as possible

• Collection of data – data has no meaning on its own.

• Store data in a spreadsheet or database table.

3. Process that data into information

• Obtaining information by processing data

• Detect patterns and relationships – usable information.

• Produce information – spreadsheets and databases to process data.

• Interpret data graphically – produce charts in a spreadsheet.

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The role and use of data, information, knowledge, and conclusions or decisions as part of information management:

4. Combine the information and knowledge gained into a report or

presentation

• Application of data and information (Acquiring knowledge)

• Gather, integrate and analyse applicable information (processed data), - see relationships between the various bits of information.

• These relationships help us obtain ‘new’ information and to develop the knowledge to allow us to answer the ‘higher-level’ questions such as ‘how’ and ‘why’.

5. Allow the decision makers to make an informed decision based on an

accurate, comprehensive and relevant report

• Decision making• Understand the knowledge which we

obtained, obtain answers to assist us to make decisions and solve problems

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GATHERING DATA AND INFORMATION

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Creating questionnaires

• Designing the questions: • Closed questions• Multiple choice

• Use effective layout:• Instructions on what to do with the completed survey.• Adequate space for respondents to give their

responses.

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Activity 1

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Possible solution for No. 1

Activity 1

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Create electronic forms and questionnaires with form fields

• Create forms in Word • Filled in directly on a computer. • Store the data recorded on these forms electronically.

• Instead of using controls as placeholders (Grade 11), we are going to make use of form fields.

Developer tab in the Controls group –

Legacy Tools.

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Create electronic forms and questionnaires with form fields

• The Developer tab doesn’t appear by default. If you cannot see the Developer tab:• Click on the File tab and choose the Options button.• Click on Customize Ribbon and select Developer in the

list (on the right).

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Form Fields

Icon Type of field Function

Text Form Field A field where text can be typed in

Check Box Form Field

A box where an item can be chosen or ‘ticked’

Drop-Down Form Field

A field where you can choose a single item (from a list)

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Form FieldsWe place a form field on an electronic form as follows:• Place the cursor where the form field must be added.• Go to the Developer tab, Controls group.• Click on the Legacy Tools icon and choose a Form Field.

Select Restrict Editing icon under Protect on the Developer tab.

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Activity 2

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The storing of data from electronic forms

• Open completed electronic form in Word.

• Click on the File tab, Options, Advanced.

• Scroll down until you see Preserve

fidelity when sharing this document and

ensure that the Save form data as

delimited text file box is ticked.

• Now save the completed form under a

different name.

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Activity 3

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Importing from text files into Excel or Access

Combine the data from the various text files into one text file

• Open a new, ‘blank’ Word document.

• Use Insert, Object (in the Text group), Text

from file to add the text from each text file

below one another.

• You can select all the text files simultaneously!

• Now save the document as a text file. (It is this

text file which you will import into Excel or

Access.)

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Importing from text files into Excel or AccessImporting the data into Excel or Access

In Excel: • Data tab, Get External Data group, From Text.• Select the text file containing all the data and click on

Import. • Follow the steps of the Text Import Wizard.

• Remember to tick the Comma option as a Delimiter in the second step of the wizard.

• Note the representation of the data in the Data preview section.

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Importing from text files into Excel or AccessImporting the data into Excel or Access

In Access:• External Data tab, Import & Link group, Text file.

• Follow the prompts (the default values set for each step should be fine) to import the data.

• Note that you will have to give names to the fields that have been created in the new table that was created with the imported data.

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Activity 4

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THE CREATION OF A FORMAL REPORT

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Structure of a report

Introduction

• General background information.

• What led to this investigation?

• What is the report about?

• What can the reader expect?

Main body (Discussion)

• Use the information that that you have gathered to analyse, interpret and explain.

• Use headings to group related information.

• Ensure that paragraphs are in a logical order.

• Use diagrams and graphics to support and reinforce information.

Conclusions

• Summarise the main points.

• Describe what you have learned (new knowledge and insights) about the problem.

• Don't add new information here.

• Include recommendations.

• The preceding discussion must support the conclusions.

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Structure of a report

• Round off your report with

• a cover page with the title of the report, the author’s

name and a short extract or summary of the report

• a table of contents with the main points

(headings/subheadings) as well as a list of any

diagrams or tables

• a list of references with details of the sources you used

• appendices, e.g. the questionnaire that was used.

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Use of spreadsheets and databases in professional reports

• Spreadsheet or database?

SpreadsheetsStatistical &

Mathematical functions

Analyse data

Produce graphs

DatabasesLarge

amounts of data

Data to relate or link

Queries and Reports

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Use of spreadsheets and databases in professional reports

• The results of calculations and other data

processing done in spreadsheets and databases

can be included in professional reports:

• Graphs – from spreadsheet

• Statistics – averages, minimum, maximum, mode and

median values from spreadsheet

• Access reports that can be converted to RTF files and

added as appendices in a report, etc.

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Activity 5