List and describe the key components and categories of information systems.

Information systems and business value

1. Hardware – This component refers to the physical components of an information system, such as computers, networks and other devices used for input, output and storage.

2. Software – This component includes all programs or applications that enable a computer to perform specific tasks. It consists of operating systems (such as Windows or Mac OS), programming languages and utilities tools that help troubleshoot system problems.

3. Data – This component is the raw material from which useful information may be derived through processing by an information system. The data can come from internal sources like databases or from external sources like websites, sensors or other external systems.

4. Procedures – Procedures refer to step-by-step sequences of activities performed in an organization’s information systems to achieve a desired result and are typically documented in manuals or flowcharts so employees know how to use the system properly and securely.

5 Networking– This component allows different elements within the information system (e.g., hardware, data) to communicate with each other over local area networks (LANs) and wide area networks (WANs). These connections allow users within an organization access shared resources such as files, printers and email servers remotely, which is essential for seamless collaboration between colleagues in different locations around the world.

6 People/Users– People/users are considered one of the main components of any IT infrastructure because they interact with the various parts of an information system on a regular basis by providing input through keyboards or pointing devices, viewing output produced by software applications running on their machines, etc.. Without people/users it would be impossible for any meaningful work to get done using computers/IT systems as intended by their designers.