Social issues either enhance or hinder people’s interactions with each other. For example, the Internet greatly enhances people’s ability to interact with others across the globe, however for those without the necessary skills and technology the consequences are quite the opposite; they become more alienated from the wider world. Ethical issues affect behaviour. Such issues alter the way we conduct ourselves, they may change our sense of morality; what is right and wrong. In this section we concentrate on social and ethical issues arising from the organising information process.
Current trends in organising data
Increase in hypermedia as a result of the World Wide Web.
Currently the World Wide Web via the Internet has initiated an explosion in the use of hypertext and hypermedia; this method of organisation has revolutionised the way we communicate using all types of media. For example, hypermedia allows us to jump from reading text to viewing a video, we could then be led to a sequence of images that leads us to more text. The data is organised in such a way that the end-user need not concern themselves with the physical complexities of obtaining the information; from their perspective they merely make the request and the information is displayed.
The ability of software to access different types of data
Software applications no longer operate on a single media type; they are able to access and also process data of various types. For example, text, images, sounds and even video clips can be combined using word processors and presentation software or stored within databases. The organisation of different media types within a single software application allows all data about an individual entity to be available. For example, insurance records are no longer limited to text; they can also include photographs of jewellery and other expensive items. Furthermore, the photographs and text are readily available from within a single software application. Individuals can use their home computer to produce multimedia presentations. For example, a student’s presentation in class can easily include text formatted using a word processor, a chart produced in a spreadsheet, and even a video clip downloaded from the web. The presentation software used is able to access and display media of all types.
Consequences of advantages in display technology
Advances in display technologies allow media of various types to be organised and displayed more efficiently and at a higher quality than was ever thought possible. Text, numeric, image and video data is routinely combined on a single screen; this information is synchronised with sound displayed via speakers. The sound cards in most home computers are able to reproduce music of similar or higher quality than many dedicated sound systems. The ability to organise digital data in such a way that it can be used by new high quality display technologies has largely created this new role for computer technology.
The cost of poorly organised data
There are often future implications that can arise as a consequence of the method of data organisation. Businesses may grow or their focus may change; decisions in regard to the organisation of data should be made with future needs in mind. For example, when creating a customer database it would be wise to include fields for fax and mobile numbers even if current requirements do not indicate a need for such data. Selecting a suitable method of data organisation can greatly improve the efficiency of further processes.
Redundant data is duplicate data, that is, the same data exists multiple times. The duplicate data may be within the same table in a database or it may be in different software applications used by the same organisation. For example, the sales department for a company maintains a list of contacts whilst the ordering department maintains a separate list of customers. Both lists are likely to contain many records for the same people, hence it makes sense for this data to be organised into a central database that can be accessed and used by both departments. If an address or phone number is altered then the altered data will be reflected throughout the organisation.
Redundant data can cause problems for both participants and end-users. Data entry personnel will have difficulties deciding which record to edit or may have to edit multiple records. End users will become frustrated as orders are sent to old addresses and duplicate mail-outs are received.
Current trends in organising data
Increase in hypermedia as a result of the World Wide Web.
Currently the World Wide Web via the Internet has initiated an explosion in the use of hypertext and hypermedia; this method of organisation has revolutionised the way we communicate using all types of media. For example, hypermedia allows us to jump from reading text to viewing a video, we could then be led to a sequence of images that leads us to more text. The data is organised in such a way that the end-user need not concern themselves with the physical complexities of obtaining the information; from their perspective they merely make the request and the information is displayed.
The ability of software to access different types of data
Software applications no longer operate on a single media type; they are able to access and also process data of various types. For example, text, images, sounds and even video clips can be combined using word processors and presentation software or stored within databases. The organisation of different media types within a single software application allows all data about an individual entity to be available. For example, insurance records are no longer limited to text; they can also include photographs of jewellery and other expensive items. Furthermore, the photographs and text are readily available from within a single software application. Individuals can use their home computer to produce multimedia presentations. For example, a student’s presentation in class can easily include text formatted using a word processor, a chart produced in a spreadsheet, and even a video clip downloaded from the web. The presentation software used is able to access and display media of all types.
Consequences of advantages in display technology
Advances in display technologies allow media of various types to be organised and displayed more efficiently and at a higher quality than was ever thought possible. Text, numeric, image and video data is routinely combined on a single screen; this information is synchronised with sound displayed via speakers. The sound cards in most home computers are able to reproduce music of similar or higher quality than many dedicated sound systems. The ability to organise digital data in such a way that it can be used by new high quality display technologies has largely created this new role for computer technology.
The cost of poorly organised data
There are often future implications that can arise as a consequence of the method of data organisation. Businesses may grow or their focus may change; decisions in regard to the organisation of data should be made with future needs in mind. For example, when creating a customer database it would be wise to include fields for fax and mobile numbers even if current requirements do not indicate a need for such data. Selecting a suitable method of data organisation can greatly improve the efficiency of further processes.
Redundant data is duplicate data, that is, the same data exists multiple times. The duplicate data may be within the same table in a database or it may be in different software applications used by the same organisation. For example, the sales department for a company maintains a list of contacts whilst the ordering department maintains a separate list of customers. Both lists are likely to contain many records for the same people, hence it makes sense for this data to be organised into a central database that can be accessed and used by both departments. If an address or phone number is altered then the altered data will be reflected throughout the organisation.
Redundant data can cause problems for both participants and end-users. Data entry personnel will have difficulties deciding which record to edit or may have to edit multiple records. End users will become frustrated as orders are sent to old addresses and duplicate mail-outs are received.