Electronic Commerce

1
Electronic Commerce

• MIS 6453 -- Spring 2001

2
Overview

• FrontPage Express Demo
• Review Course Outline / Project
• Systems Development
• IS planning
• SDLC
• Articles
• Cronin
• Delio
• Web Forms
• eMetrics

3
FrontPage Express

• What is it?
• Compare to NS Composer
• Licensing issue
• How to get it
• How to install
• Use to create simple page
• Documentation
• CliffsNotes
• Creating Your First Web Page
• Office Max

4
Recall Course Outline from Syllabus

• Business Fundamentals
• Business Functions, Strategy, Management
• Supply Chain Management
• Information Systems Fundamentals
• System Components Data Communications
• Systems Analysis Development Basics
• eCommerce Fundamentals
• Models for eCommerce
• Website Analysis
• Global and Legal Issues
• Case Studies (Success/Failure Stories)
• IT for Enabling eCommerce
• Web Page and Site Development
• Design Issues
• Security Issues
• Tools for eCommerce

5
Systems Analysis Development

• Part of overall IS plan
• Examine traditional stages
• Address within eCommerce context

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Information Systems Planning

• Challenges
• Risks and uncertainties in systems development
• Benefits largely intangible
• Sets direction for system development
• Provides rationale
• Assesses current situation
• Supports management strategy
• Generates implementation plan
• Considers budget issues

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First, a Clarification

• Information System comprehensive system
  (collection of related components working
  together for a common goal)
  
• Information Technology the hardware, software,
  etc. that automate and facilitate the processing
  of information

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Information Systems Components

• Recall
• Any information system (IS)
• People
• Data
• Procedures
• Information technology (IT)
• Hardware
• Software
• Networking -- makes this possible across a
  distance (telecommunications)
  
• Consider with respect to eCommerce

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Purpose of the Information Systems Plan

• Provide overview of plan contents
• Highlight changes from current situation
• Integrate IS with firms strategic plan
• Consider current organization
• Provide long term IT management strategy

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Strategic Business Plan

• Assesses
• Current situation
• Current organization
• Consider changing environment
• Set major goals for organization

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Assessing Current Systems

• Identify major systems supporting business
  functions
  
• Summarize current IT capabilities
• Hardware
• Software
• Database
• Telecommunications
• Identify difficulties meeting requirements
• Consider anticipated future demands

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Keeping Abreast of New IT Developments

• New system projects
• Project descriptions
• Business rationale
• New capabilities required
• Hardware
• Software
• Database
• Telecommunications

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IS Management Strategy

• Acquisition plans
• Milestones timing
• Organizational realignment
• Internal reorganization
• Management controls
• Major training initiatives
• Personnel strategy

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Systems Analysis Development

• Part of overall IS plan
• Stages (traditional)
• Analysis
• Design
• Construction
• Implementation
• Maintenance
• Other names are used, depending upon source, but
  same process is involved

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Systems DevelopmentMotivation Results

• Understand IT capabilities impacts
• Realize how organizational change results from
  eBusiness / eCommerce
  
• Realize the risk versus reward concept

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IT Capabilities Impacts

• Analytical bring complex analytical methods to
  bear on process
  
• Informational makes vast amounts of detailed
  information available
  
• Sequential enables changes in sequence, parallel
  tasks
  
• Knowledge management allows capture,
  dissemination of knowledge, expertise
  
• Tracking allows detailed tracking of task
  status, inputs, outputs
  
• Disintermediation Connects parties who otherwise
  depend on an intermediary

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Organizational Change via eBusiness / eCommerce

• Automation
• Using technology to perform tasks efficiently /
  effectively
  
• Rationalization of procedures
• Streamline sops eliminate bottlenecks
• Business reengineering
• Radical redesign of processes to improve cost,
  quality, service maximize benefits of
  technology
  
• Paradigm shift

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Keep in MindRisk versus Reward
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Role Of End Users

• Users drive systems effort
• Must have sufficient control to ensure system
  reflects business priorities, needs
  
• Functional users drive system needs

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Systems Analysis

• Analysis of problem to be solved with an
  information system
  
• Involves
• Investigation of existing
• Information flows
• Needs
• IT
• Determining system/user requirements
• Feasibility study can problem be solved within
  constraints?

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Feasibility Studies

• Technical
• Assess hardware, software, technical resources
• Economic
• Will benefits outweigh costs
• Operational
• Is solution desirable within existing conditions?

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Systems Design

• Details how system will meet needs
• Logical design
• Components, data as needed by applications
• Physical design
• Physical location of components and data

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Design Specifications

• Output
• Input
• User interface
• Database design
• Processing
• Manual procedures
• Controls security
• Conversion training
• Organizational changes

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Design of Inputs, Outputs, User Interface

• Output
• Medium
• Content
• Timing
• Input
• Origins
• Flow
• Data entry
• User interface
• Simplicity/efficiency/logic
• Feedback/errors

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Designing Database Processing

• Database design
• Logical data relations
• Volume speed requirements
• File organization design
• Record specifications
• Processing
• Computations
• Program modules
• Required reports
• Timing of outputs

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Design of Procedures

• Manual procedures
• What activities who performs them
• How where
• Controls
• Input/Processing/Output
• Procedural
• Security
• Access controls
• Catastrophe plans
• Audit trails

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Planning for theTransformation

• Conversion training
• Transfer files
• Initiate new procedures
• Select testing modules
• Cut over to new system
• Select training techniques develop modules
• Identify training facilities
• Organizational changes
• Task job redesign
• Process design
• Office / organization structure design
• Reporting relationships

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Systems Development Construction

• Programming Translating needs to program code
• Write software if custome
• Buy configure if off-the-shelf
• Testing Does software produce desired results?
  Must map out plan for testing
  
• Unit Tests each unit separately
• System Do modules function as planned?
• Acceptance Final certification

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Systems DevelopmentImplementation

• Acquire hardware
• Create databases
• Test system (as with software)
• Train personnel
• Make conversion

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Conversion

• Approaches
• Parallel Old new run same problems. Give same
  results?
  
• Direct cutover Risky conversion to new system
• Pilot Introduce into one area. Does it work?
  Yes introduce into other area
  
• Phased Introduce in stages
• Conversion plan Develop a reasonable schedule
• Documentation Description of how system works
  (as-built) levels (user, developer)

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Systems DevelopmentMaintenance

• Postimplementation review
• Monitor system
• Evaluate system
• Modify system
• Maintenance Upkeep, update, corrections over
  time
  
• Leads to next iteration of cycle
• Especially true with prototyping
• As technology advances, gap between maintenance
  and investigation shortens

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Articles (General Comments)

• Cronin
• Delio

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Whats Different about Web Commerce?

• Same old idea
• Mail order
• Door-to-door sales
• New twists
• Variety
• Speed (response time)
• Selectivity
• Interaction, not just promotion
• Redefines (enriches) the product

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Beyond BrochureWare

• Internet enables 2-way communication
• Enabled interactivity
• E-Mail
• Forms
• Limitations on interactivity
• Response
• Form processing capability
• Builds sense of community

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Web Techniques for Collecting Information

• Cookies (behind the scenes)
• Text files on users computer
• Stored at c\windows\cookies
• Contain user info
• Positive aspects
• Negative aspects
• Forms (overt rather than covert)

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Overview of Web Forms

• Why?
• Customer quick, easy
• Provider cheap, better response (anonymity)
• Warning avoid long forms (even if multipage)
• Dual purpose
• Gather information to send to server
• Process information locally

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Form Concepts

• DOM (Document Object Model)
• Window (the browser display)
• Document (the file being displayed)
• Form (can be more than 1 per document)
• Controls (described by attributes)
• Start/end with . . .
• Typical controls
• Input (text, textarea, submit, . . . )
• Button
• Select box (combo box)

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Form Controls

• Input control types
• Text
• Textarea
• Submit
• Radio
• Checkbox
• Use in conjunction with Select/Option

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Using Forms

• Can be attractive, quick means of acquiring
  information
  
• Send to server/database
• Store as cookie
• Biggest hassle processing at server
• ASP (active server pages)
• CGI script
• E-Mail
• Intelligent agents

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eMetrics

• Whats important?
• Primer whitepaper from NetGenesis
• Basic measures
• Hits
• Views
• Visits
• Users
• Customers
• Stay tuned . . .