Date of Defense
12-12-1989
Department
Computer Science
Abstract
When I started studying the field of Computer Information Systems, my professors made me aware of some basic concepts necessary to understanding IS. Of those basic concepts were the "Five Components of the [Computer] System"—hardware, software, data, rules and procedures, and—what I thought stuck out like a sore thumb--"people". Included in this list of requirements to developing, updating and maintaining a system was the human input. I had overlooked that part. I was waiting for my professor of "Application and Programming with Micros" to give me some other technical or computer-sounding term, but, he said "people". Why was I caught off guard when he said that? As, I continued through my chosen area of study and completed my internships with IBM and Meijer, Inc., it became more obvious to me why I found that last- -but, most crucial—component somewhat foreign. I, also, came to realize that I wasn't the only one who overlooked people when it came to Information Systems. It wasn't just something done by a college student; this was happening every day in the work force. It is the case in government, health and corporate environments, to name a few. People were being left out of the system.
Recommended Citation
Terrell, De Anna R., "People: The Component Too Often Ignored" (1989). Honors Theses. 1496.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/honors_theses/1496
Access Setting
Honors Thesis-Campus Only