In this section we take a closer look at the five key resources in an information system, i.e. People, Hardware, Software, Data and Network (Communication).
People
People are an important part of any information system, with most being ‘Socio-Technical Systems’ – i.e. involving Society and Technology. We could break people down into 2 key groups – the End Users, who use the system, and the IS Specialists, who design, develop, implement and maintain information systems.
Hardware
Hardware are the physical / tangible devices and materials used in an information system. The important part being that you can touch it. We could break it down into 2 key groups – the Machines, such as PCs, monitors and printers, and the Media, such as printouts or disks.