Evaluation of MIS

How Organizations evaluate the MIS.

Ans.: After the MIS has been operating smoothly for a short period of time, an evaluation of each step in the design and final system performance should be made. Evaluating should not be delays beyond the time when the system analysts have completed most of the debugging. The longer delay, it will be more difficult for designer to remember the important details.
The evolution should be made by the customer as well as by the designers. It is less important than the previous evaluation, the financial specialists should evaluate the project in terms of planned cost verses actual cost of design, implementation and operation. They should also attempt to identify cost savings and increased profit directly attributable to the MIS.
 

Following structure is generally used to partial evaluation :
Structure : The measurements of the costs and benefits are the measurement of the changes or differences between the old and new. The measurement of the change must be related to the basic goals of the MIS, the principle activities that further these goals, or the many minor activities that further these goals. In other words, we may measure the changes in the total output of the system or measure the many changes accomplished throughout the system. The former is obviously the most desirable.
What we have is the hierarchy of levels at which we are consider measuring costs and benefits.

For a particular MIS, The designer may select the level at which measurement is to take place based upon specific objectives of the MIS. It is probably rare that a measurement of the total system is attempted at the system level. At the system level, judgment of broad concepts might be employed :

(i) System Integrity : How well the subsystems integrated into the total system without redundancy? How flexible is the system? How easily may the system be explained?
(ii) Operation Integrity : How skilled are the people operating the system? What backup is there to prevent the system breakdown in the event of loss of key personnel or equipment failure?
(iii) Internal Integrity : How well does the system do what it is supposed to do? How valid are the system outputs? How sources is the system against human error, manipulation, sabotage, or theft.
(iv) Procedural Integrity : How good is the documentation of the system and procedures? Are procedures such that employee are motivated to follow them? How well are procedures followed in practice? What controls ensure that the procedures are followed?
Formulation of the Measurement : Once the variables of interest have been identified, a table should be set up to formalize the measurement. Table can contain the costs and benefits.