AICT 1.5Information Flow

For an organisation to operate, information must flow both internally between departments and to and from external bodies.

Objectives of AICT 1.5

•Analyse given situations and produce information flow diagrams to illustrate the flows of information ▫within an organisation▫between an organisation and its customers,

suppliers, other external agencies

Internal Information•We can divide flows of information in

relation to the levels within the organisation▫Upward – information originates at low

level and is passed to higher levels (workers to management)

▫Downward – managers to workers▫Across – information stays at same level but

pass between staff eg in different departments

External Information Flow•Most common information flow involves

internal agencies and external agencies•Most organisations are involved in buying

and selling goods or services, •So placing/receiving of an order are 2

important events which trigger information flow between internal and external agencies

Information Flow Diagrams•These provide a model showing:

▫the information flows needed to achieve a certain task

▫who the information flows from and to▫the nature of the information▫The order of information flow

•Used in procedure manuals for staff•Organisations dealing with financial

information keep detailed information called an audit trail

Information Flow Diagram: Placing an Order

Supplier Warehouse: Stock level reaches

re-order level

Accounts

1. Order

2. Goods + 3. Delivery note

1. Copy of Order

3. Copy of Delivery note

2. Invoice

4. Statement5. Payment – EFT*

*Electronic Funds Transfer

*

Information Flow Diagram: Repairing an Appliance

Service Engineer

Telesales

Customer

Instruction to visit customer

Customer Details

Request for a repair

Bill for repair

Payment for repair

Confirm visit appointment

FinancePayment for repair and copy of bill

INTERNAL

EXTERNAL

• Sketch this diagram, adding numbers to show order of flow• Add detail for ordering more spare parts for the stock room

Task: draw an information flow diagramComplete an information flow diagram for the Orangutan Conservation Agency – see past paper Jan 2011

Homework Task – create a IFDIn a Further Education college the process of enrolling a new student is the closest parallel with dealing with an order•The student is interviewed and accepted

by course manager•Once accepted they must register on the

course and pay their fees•They are then issued with a Student ID

card.