Information System Assignment: A Self-Reflection On Career Development

Question

Task: This information system assignment task requires you to reflect on your experiences in MIS500 this trimester by following a four-step process to gain insights into the work you have done and how it relates to your own career and life more broadly. In doing so, you will need to produce a weekly journal to record your learning and then as the trimester comes to a close reflect on these experiences and submit a final reflection of 1500 words (+/- 10%) that will include the weekly journal as an appendix.

Context
This is an individual assignment that tracks your growth as a student of Information Systems over the trimester. It is scaffolded around your weekly learning activities. Completing the activities and seeking input from your peers and the learning facilitator is essential for you to achieve a positive result in this subject. Before you start this assessment, be sure that you have completed the learning activities in all of the modules. This reflective report gives you the opportunity to communicate your understanding of how information systems relate to your career and future.

Task Instructions
1. During Module 1 – 5, you were asking to produce a weekly journal to record your learnings each week. Based on these weekly journals, please write a 1500-word reflective report about your experience focussing on how this will support developing and planning your future career.
2. You are required to follow the four steps of Kolb’s learning cycle when writing the reflective report.

Answer

Introduction
As per the research on information system assignment, information system can be defined as an integrated set of components for gathering, processing and storing data with the objective to provide digital products and information (Kumar, Mookerjee & Shubham, 2018). Information system and its various concepts laid the foundation for the modernised automated digital world. Information technology and with ongoing innovation have revolutionised the methods through which business and organisations carry forward their operations and perform multiple functions. Organisations and other units utilise IT resources to improve efficiency and manage operations (Beynon-Davies, 2019). This allows them to earn a competitive edge in the global market. Comprehension of IT concepts, working mechanism and functionality aids in gaining a holistic knowledge of the subject matter. The overall purpose of the information system module was to develop a distinctive comprehension of the subject matter with practical overviews and real time case study discussion. The module enabled me to build a foundation on the subject matter and get exposed to multiple practical scenarios to concrete the multiple concepts absorbed by utilising them in creating diversified item types. The purpose of the report lies in defining and discussing the learning, observations made, experiences gained, and lastly conceptualising self believe and personal regulations.

Reflective Observation
The course had information and details around multiple IT elements and concepts that has shaped the way data is collected, processed, analysed, stored and shared. Business indulge in IT entities to run operations smoothly and efficiently which leads to the creation of mammoth volume of data and information (Stair & Reynolds, 2017). These data and information are crucial for the organisation to survive in the ever-competitive market and improve their digital services or products (Kamariotou & Kitsios, 2019). This leads to the rise of several security and privacy issues within the system and the IT world. Protecting data and ensuring security of the data falls under the ethical norms of the company and as well as on the IT engineer or analyst. The rise of multiple breaches has raised severe concerns. As an individual it becomes important to understand data protection strategies to be cautious of any malicious activities. For any development of product or services, it becomes important to ensure security and safety of data generated. The concepts of knowledge, data and information management are essential in handling IT assets and understanding various aspects in the value chain model. Knowledge management is the process of capturing, storing, sharing and effectively managing experience and knowledge of employees for the purpose of increasing the overall knowledge of the workforce. Case studies on CRM and ERP implementation aided me in understating the technology and operational process better. There has been multiple interesting case studies and practical exposures encompassing various fields and entities of IT, that helped me to recognise my interest area and develop plans for achieving the same in near future. There were multiple events which required team effort enabling me to learn the nuances of handling a team, resolving conflicts and creating harmony within the team. In the beginning team meets or work did not go well with me as I was an introvert and a shy person. However, with time and with the help of my teammates I learned a great deal to manage a team and implement agile or scrum methodologies to improve work efficiency. The idea of implementing these methods helped the team to perform efficiently and it helped the team to submit projects and assignments within deadlines. Such ideas and methodologies are great means to handle tight deadline risky and complicate projects and learning the same at this point in career is an added advantage for my future self

Abstract Conceptualization
The trimester on information system and its foundation have been truly interesting and educative. With the initiation of the trimester, I lacked basic understanding of the concepts and functionalities of the IT world. The IT world in its sense is a complicated system with multiple layers of complex functionalities and operational module. The module designed for the trimester had the information strategically diversified and structured to provide a high volume of information and data over a short span of time. While working on the course and developing knowledge in the subject matter I realized the importance of structured information and the elimination of redundancy. The structure of the classes and information sharing became my first step in developing an interest in the establishing the foundation of information system. Information is best absorbed when delivered in a structured manner and holds maximum relevancy regarding the subject matter. There have been multiple practical and case study sessions in this trimester as mentioned earlier, which further concreted my interest and enabled me to establish a solid knowledge base of the subject. Understanding information technology requires the exploration of multiple technical avenues and exploiting the same to earn hands on experience. No learning is complete without the exposure of complex challenges and through these moments the zeal to develop original solutions arises. There were multiple situations that rose to the picture during the tenure of the trimester, kind of shaped my believe, knowledge and understanding mechanism for the subject and well as my future agendas. The course had definitive details on the subject and involved team projects which helped to develop organisational qualities and soft skills. Working on various projects and critical challenges enabled me to gain understanding of the shortcomings I had and with the aid of my professors and fellow mates, I have proudly made my way out of it. Understanding insecurities and individual shortcomings aids in laying the first step to self-growth and maturity. Initially, I was hesitant to seek help, however with the course of the projects, I learnt that seeking help makes no human smaller rather it opens multiple opportunities to learn, grow and network with highly skilled people. There were multiple events which challenged me to think out of the box and develop creative solutions quite out of my own conception. This led to the growth of self-confidence to perform and execute critical problems effectively. Seeking help and showing involvement changed certain rigid habits of mine which boosted my confidence and gave me self-assurance to be an efficient worker and a creative solution maker in all my future endeavours. With the development of interest in the field of information technology and understating the value chain associated with the sector, I look forward in getting myself in an challenging designing and development role in an organisation which will allow me to hone and utilise my acquired soft skills on a regular basis and provide me a platform to develop digital products that can solve certain societal problems. My goal lies in working on projects which will create value by solving anticipated problems and devising creative solutions for the same. An efficient individual, with a strong base in the subject matter with a purpose of creating value is my ultimate mission and vision for myself.

Active Experimentation
First of all, I will do a self-assessment for getting better acknowledgment of my strengths and weaknesses. Then, I will steadily work on the identified weaknesses, and develop those areas. Moreover, I will make a personal development plan on behalf of those weaknesses and will follow that. With my work and engagement with my future colleagues, I will ensure to create value and work with the best interest at heart. Seeking help, learning from my peers, exploring unknown territories and the intention to take risk have somehow got imbibed in my very being. These qualities are surely to provide me the support to develop myself as a successful person and with the intention of creating value at heart.

Conclusion
Overall, the course has been an enriching experience with ample opportunities to learn, explore, make mistakes, unlearn and relearn certain aspects. My primary goal was to improve efficiency, productivity and retain critical information. These aspects enabled me to shape my knowledge center and by very self to improve as a person and as a student. This led to the growth of self-confidence to perform and execute critical problems effectively. Learning these qualities as at such a juncture in life have provided me with an added advantage and to be ahead in life. The qualities, interest, knowledge and information gained through the subject matter and the information has given me the right trajectory to move ahead in life and plan a future in the field of IT products and services.

References:
Beynon-Davies, P. (2019). Business information systems. Red Globe Press. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=dKm8DwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=information+systems+for+business&ots=iZzNrKu1fD&sig=I_P2_jlzJyOFtwx4DtzpJUlzSuA
Kamariotou, M., & Kitsios, F. (2019). Strategic information systems planning. In Advanced Methodologies and Technologies in Business Operations and Management (pp. 535-546). IGI Global. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Fotis-Kitsios/publication/342717173_Strategic_Information_Systems_Planning/links/5f0351d545851550508dd374/Strategic-Information-Systems-Planning.pdf

Kumar, S., Mookerjee, V., & Shubham, A. (2018). Research in operations management and information systems interface. Information system assignment Production and Operations Management, 27(11), 1893-1905. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/poms.12961
Stair, R., & Reynolds, G. (2017). Fundamentals of information systems. Cengage Learning. https://www.thecalaisadvertiser.com/sites/default/files/webform/fundamentals-of-information-systems-ralph-stair-george-reynolds-pdf-download-free-book-a6bb09d.pdf

Appendix