This study compares a linear keyword language interface and a restricted natural language interface for data retrieval by a novice user. The comparison focuses on the effect of different data base ...interfaces on user performance (as measured by query correctness and query writing time) in a query writing task across varying query types and training levels. To accomplish this objective, a laboratory experiment was conducted using a split-plot factorial design using two between-subjects factors and one within-subjects factor. The results indicate that the restricted natural language subjects performed significantly better than the linear keyword language subjects in terms of both query correctness and query writing time.
Leading MIS executives and academicians have identified systems development as one of the most critical issues of the 1980s. Their concerns include providing user accessibility to stored information, ...reducing development cost and delay, increasing developer productivity, and increasing MIS's impact on organizational growth, productivity, and profitability. Among the number of proposed alternative approaches to traditional systems development, prototyping is mentioned frequently. Prototyping is routine in hardware development but not software. The authors review published references to prototyping and related concepts, and synthesize a process model for information systems. In this model, resource requirements are enumerated and discussed. The article includes an analysis of the economics of prototyping, and a brief discussion of several examples. Prototyping for information systems development addresses today's critical issues; it will no doubt raise a new set of research questions for tomorrow.
This paper provides an overview report of the first joint curriculum development effort for undergraduate programs in information systems. The curriculum recommendations are a collaborative effort of ...the following organizations: ACM, AIS, DPMA, and ICIS. After a summary of the objectives and rationale for the curriculum, the curriculum model is described. Input and output attributes of graduates are delineated. Resource requirements for effective IS programs are then identified. Lastly, there is a proposal for maintaining currency of the curriculum through electronic media.
A recent survey of software generator products was made to determine what generators are on the market and what their capabilities are. A true software generator ought not to be limited in the type ...of output it can produce. While the environment necessary to support an application generator does not have to be a mainframe, most of the products surveyed are intended for the mainframe environment. The products are mostly suited for the nontechnical user, but they can be valuable to the data processing professional as well. An important feature of any application generator is its ability to link applications and their data sources. Some of the products that stand out have been classified as code generators (CG). CGs are generally intended to be used by professional programmers. Lists of manufacturers of application generators and CGs provide such information as product name, vendor, and machine requirements.
The role of the Information Analyst is growing more important in the development of Management Information Systems. This paper introduces a non-traditional subject-body language - to the techniques ...employed by the analyst. The role of the Information Analyst and the relevance of body language (kinesics) is discussed. A conceptual model of the human communication subsystem, emphasizing total body language communication is developed. Individual elements in this model, with numerous references to the kinesics research findings, are presented in some detail. The authors conclude that body language is much too powerful a communication construct to be ignored by the Information Analyst. An annotated reference bibliography is available from the MIS Quarterly office for those readers interested in further information on this subject.
ONE OBJECTION TO USING DATABASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM SOFTWARE AS AN AUDIT TOOL IS THAT IT COMPROMISES THE AUDITOR'S INDEPENDENCE. HOWEVER, INDEPENDENCE IS ONLY ONE ISSUE TO CONSIDER WHEN DBMS SOFTWARE ...IS USED AS AN AUDIT TOOL. THERE ARE VARIOUS STRATEGIES FOR DETERMINING THE INTEGRITY OF THE OPERATING SYSTEM AND DBMS SOFTWARE. THE APPROACH OF USING A GENERALIZED AUDIT SOFTWARE PACKAGE WITHIN A DBMS ENVIRONMENT ALSO INVOLVES SOME COMPROMISE OF INDEPENDENCE. SINCE SOFTWARE INTEGRITY IS ALWAYS SUBJECT TO QUESTION, THE AUDITOR MUST CONSIDER HOW CRITICAL SOFTWARE INTEGRITY IS WITHIN THE INTERNAL CONTROL FRAMEWORK AND ASSESS THE RELATIVE COST/BENEFIT TRADEOFF IN DETERMING THE EXISTENCE OF SUCH INTEGRITY. IT IS ARGUED THAT INTEGRITY IS PRIMARILY A STATE OF MIND, AND THAT SINCE THE INTEGRITY OF THE SOFTWARE AFFECTS THE QUALITY OF THE EVIDENCE OBTAINED ONLY, IT CANNOT AFFECT THE AUDITOR'S INDEPENDENCE. THE BASIC PROBLEM IS THAT THE AUDITOR MUST ASCERTAIN THE INTEGRITY OF THE SOFTWARE.
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