obstacles to mis detail

7/28/2019 Obstacles to MIS Detail

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Q3OBSTACLES TO MIS

The following are the main hindering factors to the development of MIS:

1. Lack of proper objectives and goals for many MIS projects. Too many MIS projects are embarked upon byorganizations without clear objectives and goals, which leads them into not being able to design and implement a goodMIS. With a lack of objectives many organizations have failed to coordinate their information systems, which isessential for the proper working of MIS. The result is that the uncoordinated efforts of the different departments end upbeing wasted.

2. Lack of management participation and development. There has been a general lack of top management participationand involvement in many MIS projects. Too many MIS projects are left to project leaders who neither have theauthority nor know much about the management process. Some managers, in order to appear that they are involved,delegate the participation to one of their assistants. The thing these managers fail to realize is that they are the onesgoing to use the information, and not the assistants. The main reason for this lack of management participation isbasically the fact that many of the managers find themselves in a dilemma. On the one hand there are those enthusiastswho believe an MIS can do everything, while there are those who think that MIS should be abandoned. Most managers

are then caught in the middle of these views and they find it difficult to make a decision one way or the other. As aresult they either do not commit themselves or they delegate the work to a junior person who predictably fails to attainthe expected results.

3. Control measures and evaluative criteria are inadequate or absent. Lack of control is a direct result of lack ofmanagement involvement and results in a lack of proper MIS objectives. Many organizations that have contromeasures have found them dysfunctional to the MIS development. For example, tight controls have put pressure onMIS executives, forcing them only to seek short cuts.

4. False assumptions are used in designing MIS. MIS information analysts must make many assumptions, some ofwhich hold while others do not. False assumptions often lead to improperly defined system objectives.

5. Inability of many system designers to identify information needs for managers. It is very difficult to determine theinformation needs for managers. Because managers, by the nature of some of their decisions, cannot determine theirown information needs. System designers, not being sure what information the managers actually require, go ahead anddesign systems they hope will satisfy the managers. Sometimes systems designers are able to determine the informationneeds of the operating management and they try to apply those needs to all the other management levels, which is oflittle use.

6. Lack of flexibility in many MIS. Some MISs fail the test of time when the environment they were designed forchanges. Any MIS requires a degree of flexibility to meet changing and diverse information needs of managers.

7. Poor implementation program.Just as a good MIS design program is required, a good implementation program isalso of high priority. Many well-designed MISs have failed because of lack of proper implementation programs. When

considering implementation, a number of issues are involved, such as how should MIS be implemented? Also connectedwith the implementation program is the fact that there is a tendency for many organizations to try to implement MISthrough the same techniques and people as used for data processing.

8. Too much emphasis is placed on technical aspects while placing relatively little emphasis on human factors. ManyMISs have been designed around only technical factors giving little or no consideration at all to the humans who willuse the system. Many good technically designed systems have failed to work because the designers have failed torecognize this important man/machine relationship.

What are Pitfalls in MIS Development?

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Ans.: Following are the pitfalls of the MIS development :(A) Fundamental Weaknesses : Following are the fundamental weaknesses ofthe MIS development :

(a) No Management System to Build Upon : The MIS must be builton top of a management system that includes the organizationalarrangements, the structure and procedures for adequate planningand control, the clear establishment of objectives, and all the other

manifestations of good organization and management. The lackmanagerial and operational application is serious because itimplies that the process not being performed well. if we can saythat the information is the raw material of decision making , and ifinformation is not generated, disseminated and used formanagement, then no system-manual or computer-is going to solvethe problem.

(b) What business are we in? : Not having the crispy stated missionand purpose for the company is a common weakness. Since if it isnot terrible clear what business we are in, each major challenge thecompany must face is a completely new challenge and must beanalyzed from the ground up. If there was a mission statement,some of these problem could be dealt with routinely as opposed to

their being major crises.(c) Company Objectives : written objective are also often missing inthe company. A firm without objectives is much like a companywithout a statement of mission and purpose it is a ship withoutrudder. Without the business objectives, the chances of the MISsatisfying management needs are slight.

(d) Managerial Participation : MIS development has been viewed asresponsibility of management. This includes both top levelmanagement and operating line management. The reasonableconclusion that manager must reach is that MIS is too to be left tothe computer technician.

(e) Organization of the MIS Functions : Another significant cause ofcomputer failure is the lack of proper organization of the EDP andMIS. The exact location in the organization and the authoritygranted to the MIS manager is, of course , a function of the type

business the firm is in and how important the information resourceis to its operation.

(f) Reliance on Consultant of Manufacturer : Some computermanufacturer and some consultant will try to sell the system, onethat is designed and debugged and ready to push the button orturn on the key. Consultant and the manufacturer is concernedmore with the machine than with the management solutions.Before buying the a solution from a consultant or manufacturer ,

be sure that it is the whole solution , that you understand it

thoroughly, and that you understand you legal resources whenthings do not work the way your expected.

(g) Communication Gap : It is unlikely that for the foreseeable futurethe computer technician will be able to speak the language ofmanagement, and managers for the most part are not prepared tospeak the languages of the computer. The result is acommunication gap that some times causes a design stand off.

(h) The People Involved : There is no substitute for competence. Good



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performers of people will worth the price.

(B) Soft Spots in Planning :(a) MIS Response to the Business Plans : The purpose of MIS groupis to support line management in the companys main business. Asbusiness plans are made and modified , the corresponding MISplans must be made and changed. Each MIS plan must be a properresponse to a business plan.

(b) A System View : A Master Plan : Another cause of computerfailure is the lack of a master plan to which hardware developmentand individual MIS design can be related. The reasons for MISplanning are the same as for planning in general : A system.(c) Setting Project and System Objectives : setting objectives forprojects and systems is not itself a planning activity. However notmeaningful plans can made until these objectives have at least beenroughed in. These two activities are co-requisite.(d) Facing Constraints : Freedom from constraints on financialdefinition, system performance, system cost, developmentschedule will leads to enormous MIS problems. It is essential thatboth managers and technician recognize the reality of those

constraints and plan accordingly.(e) Plan to Sale the MIS : Most system designers admit to theunpleasant reality that the toughest part of the designing andimplementation an MIS is gaining acceptance of the user for whomthe system is designed. So the system should be designed in themanner that it can easily sale or accepted by the users.(f) Detail Planning : It is only method that permits one successful MISproject to follow another. All veteran MIS development managersknow this and plan in detail for every phase of the project.

(C) Design Problems :(a) Consider Alternatives Designs : This is essential for the Managerto require the key designer to lay out the several alternative

designs and explain the positive and negative features of each.Then he can select one(b) Beware the User Interface : It is a technical problem. The userinterface should be according to user. User should be comfortablewith the design or interface of the system.(c) The Real World the acid Test : Business organizations are notresearch institutes. The MIS is being implemented to support thefirms main line of business, not to extend the state of art in MISdesign.(d) If It Moves Automate It : Some things could be automated but notall. Like designer can easily design the computerized system forvisitor. But people want and expect human interaction to at least

immediately available when they enter the lobby of place ofbusiness.(e) The Computer Obsession : Computer should not be obsession insystem. It is a tools and used as a tools only.(f) Documentation : Documentation should include: All plans, Projectand system objective, specifications of functions and performance,user interface specifications, user instruction and referencemanuals and maintenance guideline. These items are necessary tomanage and use MIS over time. Not documenting these things indetail is a guarantee of failure in some part of the operation of MIS.



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(D) Implementation Problems :(a) Test It and Test It Again : The most common error made withregards to testing is not planning to do enough of it. A good rule ofthumb to use in project estimating and planning is 1/3 planningand design, 1/3 implementation, 1/3 testing. For an MIS project ofany reasonable size, this figure for testing is by no means too much.Testing must be done at the fictional level, the component level,and the system level.(b) Controlling the MIS Project : although controlling is the one of thefour basic management functions, it remains one of the preeminentcause of MIS development project failure.


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