Test #1 Review Sheet

The first exam will cover the following material:

The IDEA framework, College and the Real World, Cheating and the risks of multi-tasking and how smartphones may hurt your learning

Chapter 1: Business Driven Technology

Chapter 2: Strategic Initiatives for Implementing Competitive Advantages

Cloud Computing

Spreadsheets and Microsoft Excel

Business Analytics/Intelligence and Decision Making Systems (Decision Support Systems)

  • Pages 1-12 regarding DSS from Haag text.

If you would like to see an example of the types of questions that I ask, and my “style of questions”, then please click on this link right here. Please be aware that these are items that you will NEVER see on any of your exams so don’t waste any time trying to memorize the answers to these questions. Use them to get a better idea about the style of questions that I might ask.

There will be multiple choice and True/False questions. The questions will cover the following topics:

IDEA Framework: Please review the class syllabus and the FAQ page regarding the IDEA framework that is being used in this course. Due to its importance, I have placed one or more questions on the exam related to the IDEA framework and how students should be using it to focus their study efforts.

College and the Real World: In order to get the most out of your college educational experience, it is important that you approach your classroom experiences as meaningful chances to practice the skills and activities that you will be doing in the workplace. Due to its importance, I have placed one question on the exam related to this concept. If needed, please use the hypertext link to obtain another copy of the article.

Having a computer available during class is generally a good thing, but one must be aware of the risks of digital distractions and multi-tasking. Please use the hyperlink to see if multi-tasking in class affects your ability to learn and retain class content. Expect to see one question on the exam covering this as well.

Smart phones also tend to cause distractions and reduce both learning and retention. One research study has even found that your smartphone makes you stupid. Please use the hyperlink to review that article/study. Expect to see one question on the exam covering this as well.

Everyone knows they are not supposed to check. However, cheating still occurs, as students do not always take the time to think about how cheating truly impacts them as a person. Please use the hypertext link to explore cheatings impact on you as a person. Expect to see one question on the exam covering this as well.

Chapter 1: Introduction to Information Systems

Identify

  • Make sure that you review which business function areas (chapter 1 slide) would benefit most from using information technology.
  • Please review the contents of the slide “Information Technology enables business success)

Describe

  • Be able to distinguish between data, information and business intelligence. Know examples of each.
  • What are the most important resources in any organization and what is the relationship between each of those items? Which is the most valuable and why?
  • Know which IT skills are most commonly used in each of the business professions (don’t just know your area, but know all areas)? Which ones appear to be common to all business areas? Expect to see several questions related to this topic. In the lecture notes, you will also see several more detailed slides (that I did not directly mention in class) that cover this topic. Please make sure you review those detailed slides, as well.
  • Describe Business Intelligence and what is included in business intelligence? How is it used in making strategic business decisions?
  • Make sure that you review the information technology goals that an organization might have (see class notes). Know the rank order of those goals.
  • What is business analytics?
  • Be able to explain the two major focuses of the class this semester
  • Be able to describe the relationship between business (business needs) and technology. Which should drive which and why?

Evaluate

  • What is the difference between data and information and how can one be distinguished from the other?

Chapter 2: Strategic Initiatives for Implementing Competitive Advantages

Identify

  • What is a competitive advantage?
  • What is the concept of Business Process Improvement?

Describe

  • Describe how a business might use information technology to gain a competitive advantage? What specific things might a business decide to do?
  • What is automation and how is it an example of an operational business process change?
  • What is streamlining and how is it an example of a managerial business process change?
  • What is business process reengineering and how is it an example of a strategic business process change?

Cloud Computing

Identify

  • What is cloud computing?

Describe

  • What is the platform for cloud computing? Where is data stored in cloud computing? Where do applications run from?
  • Explain the software as a service model.
  • Explain the benefits of the software as a service model?
  • Who is the recognized leader in cloud computing? Who might be #2?

Evaluate

  • What is the difference between each of the following and how does one compare to another (Infrastructure-as-a-service versus Platform-as-a-service versus Software-as-a-service)?

Spreadsheets and Microsoft Excel. Although you won’t have to create anything in Excel, being able to apply the Excel skills that you learned will be crucial for success on the exam.

Describe

  • What is the difference between absolute, mixed and relative cell references? How do you create each type of reference?

Apply

  • Be able to apply and use the rules that Excel follows to evaluate formulas.
  • Be able to create an absolute and mixed cell reference.
  • Know how to create interactive cell references that refer to other locations.
  • I would also go back and review what you were required to do in your Excel activities lab activities since questions will be asked about some of the activities that you did on lab while working on the Excel assignments.
  • In the PMT function, why did you divide something by 12? Why did you multiply something by 12? Why did you enter the loan amount into the 3rd function argument box as a negative number?
  • In the IF function, what are the three required arguments? What is the purpose of the IF function and what does it allow you to do?
  • What are the three required arguments found in the VLOOKUP function? What is the purpose of the VLOOKUP function and what does it allow you to do?
  • When creating a table that will be used in a VLOOKUP function, what is the rule that must be followed when arranging items in the first column of the lookup table (how must words be arranged and how must numbers be arranged in that first column?)
  • Make sure that you know the Excel formatting rules that were seen in class.
  • Make sure that you know and understand the following functions and/or features: COUNT, MAX, MIN, AVERAGE, TODAY.
  • How do you create a formula that goes between one sheet and another, or between one file and another?
  • Make sure that you UNDERSTAND HOW YOU USED each of the Excel functions in your assignments and why you used that one, and not a different one.
  • In the PMT function, know what each argument represents.
  • PMT function, how do you set it up when doing the monthly PMT?
  • NEW:For each of the following, know what it is, how it is used and be able to compare and contrast: Solver, Goal Seek, What-If Analysis, One Variable data tables, Two Variable data tables, Scenario Manager.
  • NEW:For each of the items listed in the prior bullet, know what you created in tutorial #2 and how you used that particular feature.

Excel Macros.

  1. What is the difference between a recorded macro and a written macro?
  2. What are the benefits and weaknesses of using a recorded macro?
  3. How do you record a macro?
  4. Which Excel tab/menu is used to access Excel’s macro functionality?
  5. Make sure that you study the PowerPoint slides seen in class.

Business Analytics/Intelligence

Identify

  • What is business intelligence?
  • What is the center of any business intelligence effort?
  • Having BI promotes understanding and asking ______?

Describe

  • What does Sun Tzu say in The Art of Warand how does that apply to the concept of business intelligence?
  • Know examples of different forms of business intelligence.
  • What role does data mining play in business intelligence?
  • What is the business intelligence tool used by most organizations (software program and specific functionality within that program)
  • Pivot tables help you see what?
  • What is the difference between Business Intelligence and Data Mining?
  • What are some of the various data mining operations? (What are you trying to do/see through data mining)?

Evaluate

  • How does business intelligence compare to data and information?
  • Compare and contrast the most common forms of data mining. Know what each one is and applied examples of each.

You will need to know the systems listed below in quite a bit of depth. You should be able to compare/contrast the systems, knowing the characteristics of each system and how it is typically used. On the exam, you will see LOTS of situational questions, where I will describe something that is happening, and then you will need to select the system from the 5 choices on the exam that will BEST meet the needs of that situation. KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THE EXAMPLES GIVEN FOR EACH ONE.

  • Decision Support Systems
  • Geospatial Information System
  • Transaction Processing System
  • Artificial Intelligence (general information)

You must THOROUGHLY UNDERSTAND the systems listed above. A significant number of exam questions will cover the systems listed above.

Another reading to take a look at in regards to Decision Making Systems is hyperlinked below. It is from another textbook. This pdf file forms the basis of the classroom presentations for Decision Making Systems and Artificial Intelligence. You can access the pdf file by clicking on this highlighted link.

Decision Making Systems

Describe

  • What types of problems can best be solved with a decision making system (also known as a decision support system)?
  • What is the basic difference between programmed/structured decisions and nonprogrammed/unstructured decisions? Know examples of each type of decision/situation.
  • What are the characteristics of a geospatial information system? Know several examples of how it is used, or how it can be used. Please review the Geospatial Information Systems (Geographical Information Systems) pages in your text and in the pdf file.
  • Command Post of the Future (CPOF) is an example of what?
  • What is the basic purpose of an executive information system and what are its features/characteristics? What is a digital dashboard?
  • What is the purpose and role of a transaction processing system? What are its characteristics and what type of data or information does it interact with?
  • What is the difference between optimization and satisficing?
  • What is the basic difference between a decision making system (DSS) and artificial intelligence systems?
  • What is the difference between something that is subjective vs objective?
  • What is the difference between something that is qualitative vs quantitative?
  • What is the Excel Solver? What does it do? What are constraints and what are the role of constraints? When using the Solver, are you using a satisficing technique or an optimization technique?

Evaluate

  • What is the difference between what-if analysis, goal seek, sensitivity analysis, optimization, and satisficing? When would you use each method?
  • What is the difference between analytical information and transactional information? What are the characteristics of each? As you move through the organizational pyramid, how to information needs and types of information change?
  • Know the difference between the following systems: TPS, DSS, Executive Support Systems, Geospatial Information Systems
  • You will see scenario questions where I will ask that you indicate which system would BEST solve the problem. Expect 4-5 of these types of questions for each system mentioned above.

Artificial Intelligence

Describe

  • What is the basic difference between a decision support system and artificial intelligence systems?

Make sure that you review the PowerPoint presentations. You may also see exam questions that cover material covered in class that may not be in your actual texts. At the same time, please make sure that you have read the material in the text for the topics that will appear on the exam.