develop a brief that will provide sufficient information for the development of an effective information system for human resources management The brief should be developed in such a way that it can be addressed for internal professionals working with the design and development of the HRIS or for external vendor. In terms of this activity please do the required research in terms of brief development. Your brief should be neatly captured on a Word document. Work with generic needs that the HRIS will require in terms of management of the HR function in the workplace. The brief should not exceed more than 2 A4 pages.

This is all the research I've done on the implementation of a HRIS and the design and development of the HRIS: (I really need assistance in developing a brief document with this info - please add the ways it could be addressed to internal Prof.. )

The following activities are of importance in terms of the design and development phase - Develop a detailed project plan Once the vendor has been selected by management, and more information is available, a more detailed plan can be developed. This plan should include realistic timetables regarding the implementation of the system. The use of project-planning tools, for example, the programme evaluation and review technique chart, may be useful here. Develop user groups it is important to identify user groups throughout the organisation and allow them to provide input throughout the project. They help keep user needs in the forefront and ease implementation when the system distribution occurs. Purchase hardware The next step in the process is the purchasing of hardware. It is important to remember that this can occur at several points during the project. A major complaint is a shortage of microcomputers and terminals in the early stages and these needs must be considered as part of the planning process. Develop independent, focused computer applications Because some users cannot wait for the implementation of the system for two years, they will, in the interim, develop a stand-alone system. Many of these applications are built using software packages e.g. Lotus 1, 2, 3 and Base, on a microcomputer. These systems are ultimately integrated to such an extent that they disrupt the main system. Implement independent applications as they are ready The applications may be developed throughout the life of the system and will be implemented accordingly. Modify in-house forms It is important that the system should not simply be modelled on the existing forms. The systems development process is a prime opportunity for evaluating and modifying the forms used in the organisation. Modify/customise initial system All the systems purchased require modifications and it is important that attention be paid to this aspect at this stage. Establish procedures and guidelines to support the system Once of the most critical steps in the process is the establishment of procedures and guidelines to support the system. This is not an easy task and requires considerable thought and time. It is important that the rules and procedures support the system and also reflect the organisational realities and the systems limitation. The procedures and guidelines must be clear and enforceable. Test system and user acceptance After all the above steps have received attention, tests and should be conducted for the initial module(s). Convert data at this stage the necessary dat must be entered into the various tables, e.g. the job table. If an organisation, for example, has job codes, each job and its respective code would be entered into the job codes. Train HR information centre staff A further step that must be taken is the establishment of a Human Resource Information Centre and the training of its staff. Activities of the HRIC staff in modern-day environment typically include Managing database integrity and data quality, with the goal of enabling more users to add and change data; Establishing and maintaining hardware and software standards to assure compatibility between systems and optimal communication between users and systems, and to minimise duplicate or redundant procedures; Safeguarding employee privacy and implementing and administering security policies and procedures; Marketing HRIS products and services throughout the organisation to ensure that all employees understand the available services and use them to benefit the organisation; and Training new employees to use HRIS products and services.

The following activities are of importance in terms of the implementation and maintenance phase - Implement Human Resource Core The basic HR information must now be made available to the HRIC. Train all Human Resource users - All those who are going to use the HRIS database must be trained at this stage. It is important to remember that there will be some resistance from the staff. Research indicates that employees at all levels, from clerical employees to professionals and executives, show evidence of computer anxiety. These fears can range from fear that employees may be displaced by computers to worry about breaking the computer and about losing control over the work output. In order to minimise the fears of employees, especially in the HR department, it is important to get them involved in the process from the beginning. Make the system available to HR functional specialists The HR functional specialist who were not on the project team will have the system made available to them. However, each user group must receive training before being put on the system. Refine the HR core The initial users of the basic personnel module will have some suggestions for improving the system. These should be investigated and changes made to the system before it is distributed to the field sites. Establish mainframe-micro link - If use is to be made of both mainframes and microcomputers, several procedural issues must be resolved. These include deciding which data elements can be uploaded (from micro to mainframe) and which can be downloaded (from mainframe to micro), and also which will reside only on the mainframe or the microcomputer. An aspect that comes to mind here is the access to information/updates of HR information via the internet by employees themselves. Develop/refine user documentation - Documentation with regard to the use of the system should be made available. It is vital that this documentation should be easy to read as well as being easy to understand. The documentation would include sample screens, sample menus, data elements and reports. Conduct field analysis - Prior to distribution to a new group and periodically thereafter, users interests and needs should be assessed. Organisations are not static and new requirements will arise as time passes. Develop procedures for distributed processing - Prior to the decentralisation of parts of the system, guidelines must be drawn up. This is important because employees in the field may not be interested in the system and discipline problems may arise if procedures are not clear. Prepare technical documentation - Besides the documentation required by the users of the system, documents for the technical team are also required. Technical documentation provides information in regard to the nature of the data in the system, where it is located, what attributes it has and the relationships data elements have with each other. Develop/work on other modules. It is important to not try to develop the whole system at once. Typically, once the core personnel module is working well, each additional module should be developed according to a plan. Test the system and user acceptance - It is important that the system be tested regularly and that the satisfaction experienced by the users be surveyed. Implement additional modules - When work on new modules is completed it should be implemented as soon as possible. Maintain/enhance - The life-span of a HRIS is said to be between four and seven years. During this period the system must be maintained. This maintenance will, of course, also include the adding of new features and interfaces. Distribute to the field - It is important that all field sites of the organisation eventually be connected to the system. This will enhance the efficiency of the organisation. Evaluate success/effectiveness. One of the most important questions to be asked is Is the system working? Several techniques can be used to evaluate the systems effectiveness - these include error analysis, user surveys and audit reports. After evaluating the system over a number of years, the organisation may decide to update the HRIS and the cycle discussed above will then begin again. If the information provided by the HRIS is to be valued by its users, it must meet five critical standards Accuracy; Significance and relevance; Comprehensiveness; Readability and visual impact; and Consistency of format.