Information Systems + Flow

Qualitative Information

Can not be expressed in numerical terms

Based on customers information and issues.

Helps a business understand its staff and customers and develop products 

Peoples likes and dislikes + employee motivation 

Can be used through:

* Consumer Panels or Focus Groups
* Observation of behavioural patterns
*Surveys and Questionaires 

Quantitative Information

Can be expressed numerically. 

Has defined values that can be measured 

E.G Size of population + volume of sales

Information is easy to manipulate + process

Can be processed and analyse to find historic trends, size of market

Can be extrapolated to provide predictions of future outcomes. 

1. Storing Infomration

* Stored in a logical manner - Alphabetically, chronologically, numerically or geographic area

* Easily retievable + accessible

* easy to edit

2. Processing Information

* Text manipulation - edit, copy, formatting, spelling

* Mathematical Manuulation - stastical analysis

* Classification - categoring data

* Graphical Manipulation - line graphs

Diagrammatic Manipulation - Flow sharts, Gantt Charts, Critical path analysis

* Combination + synthesis - merging information, text + images

3. Retrieving Data

Manual systems - single copy of infomration of info files and records. Means data can only be accessed and used by one person or department.

Retrieving data is slow.

Duplicating files will be expensive + time consuming.

IT systems - Allow multiple users stimultaneous access to the same information from differing or remote locations