OUTPUT DESIGN

1
OUTPUT DESIGN

• Reference Whitten Bentley, Chap. 13.
• Output performs one or more of the following
• Conveys information about past activities,
  current status, or projections of the future.
• Signals important events, opportunities,
  problems, or warnings.
• Triggers an action
• Confirms an action

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Definition of Outputs

• Outputs present information to system users.
• Outputs are the justification for the system.
• Two basic types of computer outputs
• external and
• internal.

3
External Outputs

• Leave the system to trigger actions on the part
  of their recipients or confirm actions to their
  recipients.
• Most are created as pre-printed forms that are
  designed and duplicated by forms manufacturers
  for use on computer printers.
• Intended for customers, suppliers, partners, or
  regulatory agencies.
• Turnaround documents are external outputs that
  eventually re-enter the system as inputs
• Bills and invoices include a stub to be
  returned by the customer.

4
Internal Outputs

• Stay inside the system to support the system's
  users and managers.
• Fulfil management reporting and decision support
  requirements.
• Internal outputs are intended for the internal
  system owners and system users within an
  organization.

5
Internal Outputs

• Management information systems typically produce
  three types of reports
• Detailed, summary, and exception.
• Detailed reports present information with little
  or no filtering.
• Summary reports categorize information for
  managers who do not want to wade through details.
• Increasingly presented in graphical formats using
  charts.
• Exception reports filter detailed information
  before presenting it.

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Detailed Report
7
Summary Report
8
Exception Report
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Output design

• Must serve the intended purpose
• Must fit the user
• Must be of appropriate quantity
• Must be where it is needed
• Must be on time
• Must use the appropriate method.

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Serve the Intended Purpose

• Any report or screen of information should be
  needed by the user.
• It is possible to generate a large number of
  reports with modern devices - but are they all
  needed?

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Fit the User

• Should match the users needs.
• Appropriate style and standard.

12
Appropriate Quantity

• Too much information (either in detail or length)
  on any report overwhelms the user.
• Too many reports heavily overloads everyone in
  the system.

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Be Where Needed

• Must be made readily available to those who need
  it.
• Users need to be aware of the screen reports
  available to them.

14
Be On Time

• Timing must match needs.
• Reports must be on time with sufficient allowance
  made for action to be taken on their results.
• Reports must occur with appropriate frequency.

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Use the Appropriate Method

• Screen, paper, sound, film...
• Lifespan of report, quality required, costs,
  transport ability.

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Design of Output includes

• Determination of content, timeliness, volume
• Selection of output medium (or method)
• Design of format and form
• Design of data output procedures.
• These processes affect one another.
• These design characteristics MUST be documented.

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Determination of content, timeliness, volume

• With the user determine
• The purpose of the output
• How often required
• What details are needed
• Who will need the information
• Other special needs.
• Environmental or user requirements.
• Special security or control procedures required?

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Selection of Output medium.

• The medium is what the output is recorded on.
• Appropriate medium and format for an output
  depends on
• How the output will be used.
• When it is needed.

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Output Medium Options

• Paper Film
• Screen Disk
• Multi media Combination
• CD/DVD Electrical Signal
• Audio Microfiche
• Tape

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Factors to consider in selecting output medium

• Quality required
• Volume of output (how many)
• Distribution / logistics)
• Accessibility (speed query)
• Stability of information - (how often how
  current)
• Lifetime of information
• Storage of output (wear tear, lifetime)
• Intended use/purpose of the output
• Special regulations re distribution, storage,
  production.
• Initial and ongoing costs
• Environmental requirements (noise, cabling,
  space).

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General Considerations for Output Medium

• Remember, ask the users of the information!
• Adjust the documentation as required.
• Selection of medium needs to be done in the
  configuration phase.

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Design of Format and Form

• Format refers to the physical arrangement of the
  information.
• Form refers to the style or type of presentation
  of the information.

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Common Formats

• Tabular output
• using columns of text and numbers
• Zoned output
• text and numbers placed in designated areas of a
  form or screen.
• Graphic output
• use of a graph or chart to convey information.

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Detailed Formatting Considerations

• - page numbering - aligning columns
• - dates (prep print) - summary totals
• - null entries - control breaks
• - inserting dashes - page heading/footer
• - commas - column headings
• - grouping of related data
• - suppression of redundant data
• - suppressing leading zeros

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Organisation

• The user should be able to
• Identify report
• Locate needed data
• See how data is arranged
• Expect data in same place
• Identify if data is missing
• (Blank spaces causes doubt).

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Style

• Easy to read (or it won't be used)
• Top to bottom, left to right (?)
• Use white space between columns.
• There is a whole psychology of how our brain
  reacts to things on a page or screen.
• How our brain reacts can be influenced by
  culture, gender, previous experience and many
  other factors.

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Design of data output procedures.

• Consider
• Where is the output produced?
• Where is it needed?
• How is the output produced?
• What security measures are needed?
• What materials are needed?
• How is it to be distributed?
• What timeliness issues exist/apply?
• Determine any other constraints that may affect
  the usefulness or accuracy of the information.

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Bias in Reports

• Bias can cause users to misread or misinterpret
  the output.
• Bias is not always intentional.

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Sources of Bias include

• Graphics
• colour, proportion, scaling, type
• Sorting
• users pay more attention to the start of a list.
• most lists are sorted
• Alphabetic, Chronological, or Costing.

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Other Sources of Bias

• Setting limits
• applies to exception reports.
• limits too high or low.
• range of exceptions too wide or narrow.
• either too few, too many, or insufficient
  information in exception reports.

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Other Sources of Bias cont

• Sampling
• Selection of only the wanted data in the output
  presentation.
• Sampling techniques may alter the output.
  (remember Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics)
• Inaccurate results based on correct data.