Computer based information system for the Bank of Sudan adopting modern design and evaluation techniques

Abstract

Introduction of computer based systems is slow in developing countries. Financial and social cost of the non-availability of information or manual information processing tends to be higher than the cost of an EDP system. This thesis is an investigation in the Bank of Sudan - a Central Bank in a developing country - to study the feasibility of introducing a computer based system. Also it is an adoption of the modern ETHICS and BASYC techniques in the design and evaluation of these systems. ETHICS is concerned with the design of man-machine system allowing for equal consideration for its technical and social variables. BASYC provides the multi-dimensional framework to assess the benefit of the changed system for the several groups of people who will be influenced by that change. While in other banks saving by replacement of clerical staff may be the main objective of introducing computer based systems, in a Central Bank the important objective is the improvement of the information necessary for control and planning. The ETHICS and BASYC techniques are applied to design and evaluate a computer based information system for export trade - a cluster of related activities within the foreign exchange operation. An integrated computer based management information system was the best of two viable solutions. It was a good demonstration of the design of socio-technical systems allowing for technical and social requirements. Besides its contribution to staff and user satisfaction because of the availability of information for control and planning, the predicted payoff in financial terms is far more than the cost of the system.