wwwdev@monash.edu.au
Tue Apr 13 14:11:13 EST 1999
Auth: C Whip, University Webmaster's Office
Copyright © Monash University 1998 - All Rights Reserved - Caution
The
School of Information Management and Systems' mission has both a technical
component, concerned with the design and use of information systems, services
and products, and a social sciences component, concerned with understanding how
people create, seek, obtain, evaluate, use, and categorise information.
The school occupies the social science end of the information technology
spectrum. It advances through teaching and research, the organisation,
management and use of information and information technology, and enhances our
understanding of the impact of information on individuals, institutions, and
society.
The school's programs focus on both the general professional discipline of
information management and systems, as well as specialist professions within it
including systems analysts, librarians, records managers/archivists, electronic
publishers and multimedia practitioners. The majority of academic staff have
significant professional experience and the school enjoys close links with the
relevant professional bodies, and corporations who are leaders in the
information field.
The activities of the school take place on the Caulfield, Clayton and Berwick
campuses. A new program in electronic commerce is being developed for the
Berwick campus, and a new masters program in logistics is being developed for
the Caulfield campus.
SIMS offers programs in information management, information systems, multimedia, electronic commerce, recordkeeping and librarianship. In addition the school makes a major contribution to communications, computing and electronic commerce degrees. Courses are offered at all levels from bachelor degrees to doctoral study. The school's courses are:
The school's courses focus on studying
how people working in organisations can use information technology to achieve
their goals. Much of the discipline is concerned with describing and analysing
complex organisational problems. It is also concerned with systems development
- the design and implementation of systems which involve people, technology,
information and organisational procedures working systematically together.
Courses in information management and systems cover the planning, analysis,
design and management of information systems. Courses draw upon a number of
reference disciplines, including computer science, psychology, economics and
management. In the study of information systems human factors are at least as
important as technical factors. A systems analyst must be able to work in a
variety of industrial settings and must communicate effectively with clients,
users and programmers.
The school's courses also explore concepts and methods for improving
information flows and recorded memory. Information management assists the
well-being of societies, communities, organisations, and individuals through
development of information values and policies that are beneficial both for
economic prosperity and quality of life. It enables them to maximise
opportunities and minimise risk through knowledge based on appropriate
information practices. As increasing numbers of people become participants in
global information networks as users and contributors, there is much to gain
but there are also dangers. These dangers include polarisation of society
through differential access to information technology and telecommunications,
and threats to cultural quality through information glut.
Information management and systems graduates must have technological,
information-content, and policy skills. They can find employment wherever
corporations or other groups, large or small, aim:
Currently, within organisations, such goals are being
pursued through the implementation of best-practice groupware and intranet
regimes; while externally organisations project themselves through a
strong Internet presence. The specialisations of librarianship, recordkeeping
and publishing underpin much of this endeavour.
Career options for graduates of information management and systems typically
occur within the information systems and management departments of large
organisations such as telecommunications providers, banks, insurance companies,
government departments, semi-government instrumentalities and academic
institutions. Career opportunities include applications programming, systems
analysis, project management, librarian, archivist, records managers and a
range of specialist positions. In smaller organisations the employment
positions often include a combination of the above roles.
The school's multimedia course is multidisciplinary and covers information
technology, art and design and the business aspects of this innovative and fast
growing application of information technology. Graduates of this course will
find career paths as web site managers, project managers, electronic
publishers, graphic designers, systems analysts etc.
Within its academic areas the school is one of the most active research organisations in Australia. The school's research program is centred around four formal research groups. Each group has a large number of research and honours students. The school has excellent research facilities and its research is well respected internationally.
The DSS laboratory, led by Professor David Arnott, is investigating ways to design and implement systems to support management decision making. The DSS laboratory has projects in the areas of evolutionary development, decision biases, decision specification using influence diagramming, executive information systems, data warehouses, and organisational issues in DSS. The DSS laboratory takes a strong behavioural view of decision support. The laboratory has created the Monash DSS Development Method and the Monash EIS Development Method.
The knowledge management research group, led by Dr Frada Burstein, is extending the notion of decision support by adding techniques originating from artificial intelligence such as knowledge bases, neural networks, and genetic algorithms. The group has projects in organisational memory information systems, knowledge reuse, hybrid soft computing techniques for intelligent decision support, adaptive decision support systems, and cognitive overload in decision support systems.
The
information continuum research group, led by Professor Don Schauder, seeks to
explore and articulate a new theoretical framework - the information continuum.
This theory serves as a conceptual aid for understanding a wide range of
information phenomena; as a tool for analysing and addressing practical
information problems in organisations; and as a 'map' which helps pinpoint
opportunities for innovative information products and services.
Each year, under the broad umbrella of the theoretical work, it is intended
that a selection of practical issues and problems will be addressed, often
through collaboration with industry partners such as corporations, government
departments, libraries, schools, archive authorities, publishers, and community
groups; or in the development of Australian and international standards. Such
empirical projects not only use, but also test and refine, the theory while
hopefully also bringing immediate benefits to the world of information
management practice.
The
records continuum research group is led by Associate Professor Sue McKemmish.
The scope of the research group includes the full information spectrum
comprising accountability information, knowledge-base information, and
infotainment. These are interpreted in terms of attributes (action/structure,
memory, technology and metadata), and dimensions (create, capture, organise and
pluralise) which are in a continuous state of interplay.
In addition to the formal research groups research is also conducted into
information systems strategy, quality management, information systems security,
geographic information systems, information systems education and historical
bibliography.
The
first contact point for information on any of the school's programs is the
school office, telephone (03) 9903 2208, fax
(03) 9903 2005. Information may also be requested electronically from
info@sims.monash.edu.au You can also visit the school office at level 7,
Business and Economics Building, 26 Sir John Monash Drive, Caulfield
campus.
More details about SIMS's teaching and research are at
http://www.sims.monash.edu.au/
Monash IMS is the trading name of the School of Information Management and Systems' Centre for Information Management and Systems Practice. The centre was established within the former Department of Information Systems in July 1996 to manage the increasing industry related activities of the school. The centre makes the research capability and the skills of the staff of the school accessible to industry and provides expertise in the areas of integrated logistics information systems, decision support systems, executive information systems, data warehousing and project evaluation. Monash IMS, through the centre, offers services in the following areas:
The centre undertakes applied research projects for individual or group client companies. These projects are aimed at delivering business solutions to current problems. The centre works from a methodologically independent base and provides solutions drawing on most recent research findings and international best practice.
The academic staff of the school, acting either as individuals or through research groups, provide consulting services through the centre. For particularly complex projects, the centre collaborates with leading commercial organisations.
The strength of the academic base of the school has allowed the development of a range of industry training services through the centre. Commissioned work is being undertaken to develop and deliver on-site training on complex information systems, intensive residential professional education programs in decision support systems and electronic commerce and one day events such as programs on data communications and internet access, and a forum on OLAP, EIS and data warehousing.
The centre is developing a range of publications extending from reports on commercially relevant academic research and case studies through to specialised reports on business activity for particular sectors of the Australian economy.
wwwdev@monash.edu.au
Tue Apr 13 14:11:13 EST 1999