1

Components of an Information System

Student's Name

Institutional Affiliation

Course

Professor

Date
 2

Components of an Information System (IS)

An IS combines software and hardware, and telecommunication networks that

individuals form to gather, create and issue important data, usually in a business. It describes

how data flows in the system. Its main aim is to deliver the right information to the consumer,

collect the data, process it, and transfer information to the required procedure. An information

system comprises five components: hardware, software, database, network, and people. The

five components incorporate to achieve input, process, feedback, and control. The most

important components are people, as all others heavily depend on it.

Computer hardware involves physical equipment required by a computer to operate. It

comprises all equipment with a circuit board that functions on a PC or laptop. The structure of

hardware relies on the size and type of the association. It has an input and output device,

operating system, processor, and media devices, including outer computer devices. Input

devices allow the operator to enter information into the system or control its function (Gill et

al., 2018). Most computers have a keyboard and mouse as input devices, but laptop systems

use a touchpad mostly rather than a mouse. Other standard input devices include joysticks,

microphones, image scanners, and webcams. Output devices are those that show information

in a human-readable form. Examples include monitors, printers, braille embossers, and

speakers.

Computer software is a program used to control and direct the hardware constituents.

Its primary objective is to examine and process data. The programs contain several guidelines

used for information processing. They are software design codes implemented on a computer

processor. The program can be machine-level code or code transcribed for an OS. Operating
 3

systems are software intended to deliver a probable and reliable layer to allow other computer

operators to build other software identified as applications. The computer software provides a

reliable layer for hardware manufacturers. Such adjustment generates an effective setting for

the computer operator to make smaller programs, which millions of computers can run.

Software is categorized into two primary programs: application software and system software

(Gill et al., 2018). System software involves programs that control the resource of a computer

system and simplify applications programming. They require a database management system,

translators, networking software, and software utilities. Application software is those programs

that lead the presentation of a specific use or use computer applications to achieve the desires

of a final user of information processing. They contain spreadsheet packages, word processing,

and other internally and externally developed software meant to meet an organization's

specific needs.

Databases are also another component of an information system. Data are the raw

details and disorganized facts which can be transformed into information. Software is used to

form and provide data to the user and manage the physical storage of media and virtual

resources. As the hardware depends on software to work efficiently, the software also relies on

data for processing. Data is accomplished using a DBSM (White et al., 2017). The database

software efficiently accesses required information and operates knowledgeable bases. DBSM is

a software package to describe, influence, recover, and manage a database. It permits the

operators to access and relate with the primary data in the database. The arrangements can

range from only questioning data to describing database graphics that primarily affect the

database structure.
 4

Computer networking involves interconnecting computer devices to exchange data and

share resources. Such devices use a system of guidelines known as communication practices to

communicate information over physical or wireless technologies. Computer networks were

initially developed in the late 1950s, mostly used in the military and defense (White et al.,

2017). These networks transmitted data over telephone lines and had narrow commercial and

scientific applications. With the arrival of internet technologies, a computer network has

become essential for organizations. The present network resolutions supply more than

connectivity. The networks are significant for the digital revolution and businesses success. The

primary network proficiencies have become more programmable, secure, and automated. The

present-day computer network can operate virtually where nodes can be transmitted through

multiple physical paths. They also react instantly to fluctuating circumstances since they are

software-defined. Traffic is easily directed and organized centrally via a digital interface.

People are the most important among the five components since they relate to the

workforce needed to run and control the computer system. They are the final use of the

information system. People use the data for their resolution, which relates to the primary

objective of the information system that involves benefiting the final user. By final user, we

mean people such as engineers, customers, accountants, clerks, salespersons, and managers,

among others (White et al., 2017). They are accountable for creating and operating information

systems. This includes computer operators, system analysts, programmers, other clerical,

managerial techniques, and IS personnel.

The success of a business organization depends on human resources, which is part of an

information system. For instance, in a personal experience, when I was working as an intern in
 5

one of the organizations, my computer had some system failure, and I could not use it until a

computer operator was informed to come and check the system. After some system checkups, I

went back to work as expected. The computer operator is part of the organization's human

resources who repair the computers in case of failures. Without such personnel, more system

failures would occur, hindering the day-to-day operations, which depends on the computer

system.
 6

References

Gill, A. Q., Loumish, A., Riyat, I., & Han, S. (2018). DevOps for information management

systems. VINE Journal of Information and Knowledge Management Systems.

White, G. B., Fisch, E. A., & Pooch, U. W. (2017). Computer system and network security. CRC

press.