MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS (MIS) SPECIALIST

Definition: MIS specialists oversee the deployment of computing and information services in large companies or organizations. The profession combines knowledge of data processing with an understanding of the information needs of organizations.

The work of the MIS specialist is a fairly recent development. As computers-especially personal computers (PCs) – became more widely available in the 1980s, astute business managers quickly saw how the flow of information from these new devices could prove critical to the corporation.

Tons of data have always been available; traditionally, large staffs of middle managers (accountants, group managers, financial analysts) were needed to sift through these mountains of data to extract the necessary information for top management. During the economic downturn of the early 1980s, when significant downsizing of corporate staffs began, the installed base of computers and telecommunications equipment suddenly made it possible for upper management to handle the data sifting process mare directly. Today, with the economy growing steadily, faster information delivery creates opportunities for businesses, even those far removed from “data processing” as the source of their income. With billions of dollars invested in computer and communications technology, highly sophisticated managers are needed to keep the data flowing.

Enter the MIS specialist. MIS experts need to be familiar with all facets of the computer world: micros, minis, mainframes, peripheral devices like printers, databases, application software, and communications networks. To this daunting array add telecommunications technology: private-branch exchanges (PBX’s), satellites, and fiber-optic links. And this technological expertise must be combined with knowledge about business functions information needs: accounting, strategic planning, research, and production processes, for example.

MIS departments are still in a state of flux; given the adjustments they have to make to rapidly changing technology, this instability is likely to continue for years to come. Currently, entry-level positions carry titles such as database administrator, junior systems analyst, or documentation specialist. Some companies set up their MIS departments strictly to handle computer hardware; others integrate computers and telecommunications and handle software applications.

In business services, such as banking, insurance, and marketing, MIS involves a heavy dose of telecommunications. The banking industry’s big push into automatic teller machines, which hook customers into their accounts without human (read, bank teller) intercession, is creating whole new types of banking services. Wall Street firms (and, indirectly, banks themselves) are enabling stock buyers to put through their orders in an electronic instant. All these customer services also create the opportunity to conduct nearly instantaneous market research – start an advertising campaign for a new financial service on Monday and by Friday you will know whether the program works as it needs alteration.

MIS is undergoing tremendous growth and change. Students who want to enter this dynamic profession can do so through computer science, information science, or MIS programs themselves. But count on a steady dose of retraining and extended study to keep up with the fast-paced technology.