Automation, a curse or a blessing?

The business information scientist must act as an interpreter between industrial engineers and users on the one hand, and information scientists on the other hand. Nowadays, it is common practice to consider the internal aspects of an information system (the algorithmic part and the data collections) separately from its external aspects (dialogues, menu structure, reports, etc.). The internal aspects are dictated by the industrial engineers and ‘indirect users’, such as accountants, whilst the external aspects are designed according to the wishes of the immediate users.

It is with good reason that the word ‘business’ precedes the word ‘information science’ in the term ‘business information science’. By first simplifying the business processes before starting the automation, true effectiveness is achieved.

As can be concluded from this, Business Information Science studies the development of (automated) information systems for organisations.

The discipline aims to deliver people who:

• are able to consider automation and informatisation issues on a high conceptual level;
• can speak the language that is common among managers in industry and government;
• have sufficient understanding of the technical aspects of automation to be able to understand their place in the business processes.

The discipline should consist of four clusters:

basic knowledge, main subject knowledge and skills, secondary knowledge and background knowledge.

The term basic knowledge refers to knowledge (and skills) needed as a basis for an advanced BI student. First of all, this refers to matters such as systematics, cybernetics, thinking in models and speaking and writing skills. In the field of mathematics, subjects such as introduction to logic, introduction to the theory of graphs and introduction to set theory are required for an exact basis! Introductory knowledge of subjects such as formal languages, grammars and automatons, combined with knowledge about the working of computers, compilers and interpreters is necessary for a correct understanding. With respect to technical infrastructures (which include networks, hardware, operating systems and any other firmware) sufficient knowledge is required to be able to give feasible advice concerning their organisation within the information provision.

The knowledge concerning data infrastructures must be more extensive than that, in view of the strong dependency that often exists between data infrastructures and information systems.

The main subject knowledge and skills form the heart of the discipline of Business Information Science. After an introductory tutorial in the first year, which has to provide an overview of this discipline and which has to discuss the basic concepts, there must be a tutorial about the conceptual modelling techniques of the information provision system. Subsequently, attention must be given to the internal aspects of the information system, by means of tutorials in software engineering and data bases. The external aspects should be illustrated further in tutorials discussing user interface design and human computer interaction.

A birds-eye view must be given of the processes that precedes systems development (business process redesign, work flow management, information strategy, information planning and information analysis), as well as some elementary knowledge of project management and the organisation of the information provision function (including the overall management function and the administrative organisation). A thorough understanding of the quality aspect is imperative. Besides a trainee-ship, the study is concluded by an integral practical project involving the development of an information system in which many of the subjects listed above can be placed into mutual perspective.

Secondary knowledge is strongly determined by the personal taste of the future business information scientist. In this respect one could think of knowledge technology, management science, public administration, financial and economic aspects or social and human resources aspects of informatisation.

Background knowledge involves the overall training of an academic. It includes subjects such as philosophy of science, ethics and the history of information science.