Important information about management information system
Here are five questions written by one of your systems analysis team members. Her interviewee is the local manager of LOWCO, an outlet of a national discount chain, who has asked you to work on a management information system to provide inventory information. Review these questions for your team member.
1. When was the last time you thought seriously about your decision making process?
2. Who are the troublemakers in your store, I mean the ones who will show the most resistance to changes in the system that I have proposed?
3. Are there any decisions you need more information about to make them?
4. You don't have any major problems with the current inventory control system, do you?
5. Tell me a little about the output you'd like to see.
Referring to the scenario above, how would I:
a. Rewrite each question to be more effective in eliciting information.
b. Order the questions in either a pyramid, funnel, or diamond-shaped structure, and label the questions with the name of the structure used.
c. What guidelines can you give your team member for improving her interviewing questions for the future?
d. Write six closed questions that cover the subject of decision-making style for the manager described in the scenario.
e. Write six open-ended questions that cover the subject of decision-making style for the manager described in the scenario.