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Chapter 8

Personal Productivityand

Problem Solving

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Improving Personal Productivity Productivity has to do with how

much a person contributes to a business in a period of time.

Individual information systems include computer applications that assist individuals in storing and analyzing data, presenting information and in locating and retrieving information on the Internet.

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Managing Stored Data Individual information systems

often require that data be stored in secondary storage in either data files or databases.

Using a database to manage data consists of three main functions: Creating a database Accessing (Retrieving) a database Updating or changing a database

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Creating a Database Creating a database consists of

two main steps:1. Entering a description of the

structure of the data and the relationships.

2. Entering the initial data in the database, a process sometimes called populating the database.

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Accessing a Database Accessing data means retrieving

the data from the database in secondary storage and bringing it into primary storage.

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Updating a Database Updating a database involves

three main tasks:1. Adding new data to the database2. Deleting old data in the database3. Changing data in the database

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Analyzing Data The most widely used analytical

software is spreadsheet software. A spreadsheet is an arrangement

of data into rows and columns that is used to analyze the data.

With spreadsheet software an individual creates an electronic spreadsheet, or worksheet.

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Analyzing Data (cont’d.) One of the main reasons for

making changes in a worksheet is to see what would happen to other figures when changes are made. This technique is called what-if-analysis.

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Presenting Information Information is prepared for

presentation in a text form by using word processing software.

Functions available in word processing software include: Formatting text by selecting the font,

the font size, font color and font style. Editing the existing text. Printing the document.

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Presenting Information (cont’d.) Information is prepared for

presentation in a graphical or pictorial form by using computer graphics software.

Examples include: Charts Diagrams

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Presenting Information (cont’d.) Common types of computer graphics

software include: Charting software: bar charts, pie

charts, line charts Drawing software: auto shapes, free

hand drawing Presentation graphics software Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software Computer Aided Software Engineering

(CASE)

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Searching the World Wide Web A browser lets a user follow links

from one Web page to another to locate information.

A better approach is to use a search engine.

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Searching the World Wide Web (cont’d.)

Three main types of search engines A search engine Locates pages on the

Web periodically by sending programs, sometimes called spiders, wanderers, or robots, over the Web to look for new pages. Example – Alta Vista, Hotbot, Google.

A meta-search engine does not search the Web, rather it searches other search engines. Example – MetaCrawler, Lycos

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Searching the World Wide Web (cont’d.)

A portal is a Web site that provides multiple services for its users. Examples www.netcenter, www.yahoo.com, and www.snap.com.

Searching the Web using a browser can be thought of as pulling information into the users computer.

Having information sent to you automatically uses a technique called push technology.

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Searching the World Wide Web (cont’d.) For information obtained from the

Web, the user must carefully analyze the credibility of the source of the information to ensure that what is received is accurate.

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Problems, Solutions and Solution Procedures A problem is a question to which

someone does not know the answer.

The solution to a problem is the answer to the problem question.

A solution procedure is a set of steps that, if carried out, results in the solution of a problem.

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End-User Computing End-user computing is the development

and use of personal computer applications by end users.

The user identifies the problems to be solved, decides on the appropriate software, determines the appropriate procedures, customizes the software, and uses the software to develop a solution.

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The Problem-Solving Process The five main activities of the

problem-solving process are:1. Understand and define the problem2. Define the solution procedure3. Implement the solution procedure,

using the selected software 4. Test the software implementation

and correct any errors5. Document the result

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Understand & Define The Problem

At a minimum the problem definition should include descriptions of the following: The output to be produced. The input data necessary to produce the

output. The type of the calculations to be performed. Other types processing to be done. Software selection.

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Software Selection Determine the appropriate type of

software that will be used to implement the solution procedure. The most common alternatives are database, spreadsheet, word processing, graphics software, and statistical software, among others.

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Solution Procedure Design Steps necessary to solve the

problem must be carefully planned.

Written notes should be made of the solution procedure.

The designing activity does not involve setting up the software to solve the problem.

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Software Implementation Completing the implementation

requires knowing how to use the software selected.

Spreadsheet software requires that the numbers, text and formulas be entered.

Database software requires that the data is defined and entered, and that the query specifications and formats of forms and reports be created.

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Implementation Testing The user must test the software

implementation to see if there are any errors.

Three types of errors:1. Syntax error – an error in a command.2. Execution (exception error) error –

errors appearing during execution of the software.

3. Logic error – generally resulting in incorrect output.

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Documentation Documentation is a general term used

for any written description of a computer application.

Two types of documentation1. User documentation – provides

information so the user can understand how to use the software.

2. Developer documentation – is for the person who developed the software.