1.0 Introduction
Information systems have become the backbone of most organizations. Banks could not process payments, governments could not collect taxes, hospitals could not treat patients, and supermarkets could not stock their shelves without the support of information systems. In almost every sector education, finance, government, health care, manufacturing, and businesses large and small− information systems play a prominent role. Every day work, communication, information gathering, and decision making all rely on information technology (IT). When we visit a travel agency to book a trip, a collection of interconnected information systems is used for checking the availability of flights and hotels and for booking them. When we make an electronic payment, we interact with the bank's information system rather than with personnel of the bank.
Modern supermarkets use IT to track the stock based on incoming shipments and the sales that are recorded at cash registers. Most companies and institutions rely heavily on their information systems. Organizations such as banks, online travel agencies, tax authorities, and electronic bookshops can be seen as IT companies given the central role of their information systems.
Information Management System (IMS) is a general term for software designed to facilitate the storage, organization and retrieval of information. IMS is also the name of IBM's mammoth software program developed in the 1960s to support NASA's Apollo space program. This IMS version was the precursor to IBM's premier hierarchical database management system (DBMS).
Electronic document and records management system (EDRMS) is a type of content management system and refers to the combined technologies of document management and records management systems as an integrated system.
Unlike DB2 (IBM's relational database software), an IMS database uses segments, or data blocks, as building blocks of the hierarchical model. Within each segment are multiple data pieces, which are known as fields. At the top of the hierarchy, the segment is known as the root segment. Segments of a specific segment are known as child segments. The child segment order represents the order in which each entry is entered in a database.
Hierarchical IMS databases generally come in three forms:
1. Full function database:
Derived from the Data Language Interface (DL/I), this database form may have more than one single access method. Overflow Sequential Access Method (OSAM) or Virtual Storage Access Method (VSAM) may be used to store and access database fields.
2. Fast path database:
Designed to facilitate an optimum transaction rate. Examples are data entry databases (DEDB) and main storage databases (MSDB).
3. High availability large databases (HALDB):
Handles large volumes of data and provides reliable availability for each piece of data in the database.
IMS (Information Management System) is a database and transaction management system that was first introduced by IBM in 1968. Since then, IMS has gone through many changes in adapting to new programming tools and environments. IMS is one of two major legacy database and transaction management subsystems from IBM that run on mainframe MVS (now z/OS) systems. The other is CICS. It is claimed that, historically, application programs that use either (or both) IMS or CICS services have handled and continue to handle most of the world's banking, insurance, and order entry transactions.
1.1 Background of the Study
Paper-based Information management system are rapidly becoming outdated. They are easily lost, are subject to wear and tear, are costly to handle, cannot be transferred electronically, may be difficult to interpret, and are inefficient. These fundamental drawbacks are driving a transition across the globe towards Electronic Health Records (EHRs).
This research work offers a practical solution using cryptography to protect these sensitive electronic records of students and staffs in computer science department, Federal college of Agriculture,Ishiagu, and gives them privacy control over who views their records, details and every other sensitive information in other units of the school.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Computer science department of Federal college of Agriculture is to an extent manually operated and manage records and data. The recording of students admitted and their activities are done manually in a book, which looks/appears rough. Thus, the books or files are exposed to physical damage by ants and pests, accumulation of dust particles; this makes the contents to be lost, misplaced or even altered.
1.3 Aim of the Study
The aim of this study is to design and implement an efficient Information Management System that enhances the accurate collection, storage, processing, retrieval, and management of organizational information to support effective decision-making and operational efficiency.
1.4 Objectives of the Study
The specific objectives of the study are to:
- Create a centralized platform for efficient storage, organization, and retrieval of organizational information;
- Develop a reliable database structure that ensures data accuracy, consistency, and security;
- Design a user-friendly interface that supports easy data entry, processing, and reporting;
- Design appropriate system architecture that aligns with organizational information management needs; and
- Implement the Information Management System to enhance information handling, operational efficiency, and decision-making processes.
1.5 Significance of the Study
This study is primarily aimed at computerizing the manual system of information management system as used in the departments of FCAI. It will help in a good number of ways to ease the process of retrieving data and records in the system. This study will also highlight the importance information management system to an organization and business centers too.
1.6 Scope of the Study
This study focuses on the design and implementation of an Information Management System in a selected organization in Nigeria. The scope of the study covers the analysis of the existing manual and semi-automated information management processes within the organization, with emphasis on data collection, storage, processing, retrieval, and reporting of organizational records.
1.7 Limitations of the Study
This research work thou is on information management system but it is dependent on human operation and manipulation in other to perform its work effectively. Also this research work is limited to power supply as it happens to be the only source of energy therefore without power holding the system cannot work.
Finally this research work is constrain and limited to computer literate those who can operate a computer system effectively and its operation therefore a computer illiterate cannot make use of this research work as expected.
1.8 Definition of Terms
Information Management System (IMS):
An Information Management System refers to an organized combination of people, procedures, hardware, software, and data designed to collect, store, process, and distribute information in a meaningful way. In this study, it represents a computerized system developed to improve how organizational information is handled, accessed, and managed for effective operations and decision-making (Laudon & Laudon, 2020).
Design:
Design involves the planning and structuring of the Information Management System before actual development and deployment. It includes defining system requirements, database structure, user interfaces, data flow, and overall architecture to ensure the system meets organizational needs and functions efficiently (Sommerville, 2016).
Implementation:
Implementation refers to the process of putting the designed Information Management System into operation. This includes coding, installing software, configuring databases, testing the system, and deploying it for actual use within the organization (Pressman & Maxim, 2020).
Database:
A database is a structured collection of related data stored electronically and managed using a database management system. In this study, the database serves as the central repository where organizational records are securely stored and retrieved when needed (Elmasri & Navathe, 2019).
Database Management System (DBMS):
A Database Management System is software that enables users to define, create, maintain, and control access to a database. It ensures data consistency, security, and efficient retrieval within the Information Management System (Connolly & Begg, 2015).
System User:
A system user is any authorized individual who interacts with the Information Management System to input, update, retrieve, or manage information. Users may include administrators, managers, and operational staff within the organization (Laudon & Laudon, 2020).
System Administrator:
A system administrator is a user with special privileges responsible for managing system operations, user access rights, data security, backups, and overall maintenance of the Information Management System (Sommerville, 2016).
Data Security:
Data security refers to the measures put in place to protect information from unauthorized access, loss, or misuse. In this study, it includes authentication, access control, and data protection mechanisms integrated into the system (Whitman & Mattord, 2018).
User Interface:
The user interface is the part of the system through which users interact with the Information Management System. It includes screens, forms, and menus designed to be user-friendly and to support easy navigation and efficient data handling (Pressman & Maxim, 2020).
System Architecture:
System architecture describes the overall structure of the Information Management System, including hardware components, software modules, databases, and how they interact to achieve system objectives (Sommerville, 2016).
Record Management:
Record management involves the systematic control of organizational records from creation through storage, retrieval, and disposal. The Information Management System developed in this study supports effective record management by ensuring accuracy, accessibility, and proper organization of data (ISO, 2016).
REFERENCES
- Connolly, T., & Begg, C. (2015).Database Systems: A Practical Approach to Design, Implementation, and Management. Pearson Education.
- Elmasri, R., & Navathe, S. (2019).Fundamentals of Database Systems. Pearson Education.
- ISO. (2016).ISO 15489-1: Information and Documentation – Records Management. International Organization for Standardization.
- Laudon, K. C., & Laudon, J. P. (2020).Management Information Systems: Managing the Digital Firm. Pearson Education.
- Pressman, R. S., & Maxim, B. R. (2020).Software Engineering: A Practitioner's Approach. McGraw-Hill Education.
- Sommerville, I. (2016).Software Engineering. Pearson Education.
- Whitman, M. E., & Mattord, H. J. (2018).Principles of Information Security. Cengage Learning.
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