Decision-Based Management and Management Information System

Once a complex tree representing all the required decisions, their interrelationships, dependencies, and requirements has been developed, the information inputs and outputs been defined, and their flows established an effective management information system can be developed in terms of a formal design of all the information flows, information content, and collection points, information disbursements and transformations, information format changes (voice, hard copy, video, photo, etc.), and various information checks to test against requirements. The information has usually many dimensions such as quantity, output, actionability, removal and delivery times, amount of time taken, quality, and more.

Various decisions points require different information in terms of time, format, and many other details to permit effective operations. Once information input requirements and outputs at each decision point have been established, information flows can be designed. Here we are concerned not only with the effective flow of information to all decision points in a timely manner and a form as well as format which makes the use of the information convenient, but also one which assures proper checks of the information which verify its accuracy, relevance, appropriate format, and timelines. Similarly, the MIS must include mechanisms which show that where and how the information was used.