Design of Operational Control Information Systems

The process of operational control is highly dependent upon formal MIS. Efficient and effective information processing is essential since controls are typically numerous, data is voluminous, monitoring is constant and response is frequently real-time. Consequently operational control information systems are often computer-based. However, they may lie anywhere along the man-machine systems continuum, and may well incorporate a range of man-machine interfaces. Many MIS address such structured problems that they are full decision-taking systems. Most at least are mechanised in their data-collection and database functions, because operational control MIS are essentially routine, transaction-intensive, file processing systems.