Management of Quality in the MIS

 

Information is a corporate resource, as important as the capital, labor, know-how, etc. and is being used for decision making.  Its quality, therefore, is required to be very high. Low quality information would adversely affect the organizational performance as it affects decision making.  The quality of information is the result of the quality of the input data, processing design, system design, system procedure which generate such a data, and the management of the data processing function. Quality, unlike any other product, is not an absolute concept. Its level is determined with reference to the context and its use, and the user.  Perfect quality just as perfect information is non-achievable and has cost benefit implications.

 

However, it is possible to measure the quality of information on certain parameters.  All these parameters need not have a very high value in terms of the unit of measure.  Some parameters may have lesser importance in the total value on account of their relevance in the information and its use.

 

The quality of the parameters is assured if the following steps are taken:

 

• All the input is processed and controlled.
• All updating and corrections are completed before the data processing begins.
• Inputs (transactions, documents, fields and records) are subjected to validity checks.
• The access to the data files is protected and secured through an authorization scheme.
• Intermediate processing checks are introduced to ensure that the complete data is processed right through, I.e., run to run controls.
• Due attention is given to the proper file selection in terms of data, periods and so on.
• Back-up of the data and files are taken to safeguard corruption or loss of data.
• The system audit is conducted from time to time to ensure that the computer system specification is not violated.
• The system modifications are approved by following a set procedure which begins with authorization of a change to its implementation followed by an audit.
• Systems are developed with a standard specification of design and development.
• Computer system processing is controlled through programme control, process control and access control.

 

Proper people organization is basic to the management of any activity or function. The same thing is true for the development of the MIS. The principle of the organization and structuring the organization to the specific needs of the function is a prime necessity. When we talk with reference to the MIS a number of issues come up and they are not the same in all the organizations.  Hence, the organization structure of the MIS would differ from one organization to the other.

 

The type, the size and the structure of corporate organization becomes the basis for the MIS organization for handling the MIS function and management alternatives. The major issues involved are:

 

• Whether the function should be handled as a centralized or decentralized activity.
• The allocation of the hardware and software resources.
• The maintenance of the service level at an appropriate level.
• Fitting the organization of the MIS in the corporate organization, its culture and the management philosophy.

 

The question of centralization versus decentralization is resolved by assessing the status of information resource in the organization, i.e., whether the status is the information system management or the information resource management.

 

In a centralized set, the responsibility of acquisition of the data, of providing the information to the users, becomes the centralized function.  The centralized organization is also recommenced when the information needs are more or less static. 

 

Depending upon the situation, hardware and software solutions are available. In a decentralized set-up the allocation the hardware is a centralized decision but the collection of data and its processing becomes the user's responsibility. Training, problem solving and system development, however, is a centralized function.  In all such situations, the information processing is based on the database management system. Therefore, the management of the database becomes the centralized responsibility and its use becomes the responsibility of users.

 

The MIS functions in any organization would vary on account of the issues mentioned earlier and too that extent the variations of these two models would be the organization of the MIS.