1 Demystifying BIS Major and Careers in Business Information SystemsSIM club, Oct. 10 (or 17), 2016 Profs. Marshall, Raja & Reitsma Thanks to Prof. Michael Curry (WSU Vancouver)

2 Introduction BIS is an attractive optionCompanies are actively seeking talented contributors with Business and IS knowledge & expertise (“hard to find people; they can pretty much go where they want”) BIS job market continues to develop (and change) Goal: Explore what an education and career in BIS look like

3 What is BIS? BIS is the interaction of data, people, processes and technology  information Information Systems’ relevance for business continues to grow More than just computers… BIS implies understanding the domain in which they are used Knowing (and anticipating!!) who needs what information when and how Analytics: Extract information from your data

4 Then vs. Now From a culture of: To one of: …Sorry, we don’t allow that…Oh, just hit Ctrl-Shift-Alt-Esc …Sorry, that’s just how the system works …I guess it’s in the computer somewhere To one of: See the future on behalf of users, even when they can't articulate it yet Let’s see how we can make that happen I just ed you the link

5 Marc Hallquist’s IT PyramidIT as ‘dial tone’ IT as basic business infrastructure. Structured frameworks: ITIL, COBIT, DevOps, etc. Necessary but insufficient for lever function. IT as ‘lever’ Business process / operations ‘efficiency / productivity focus. Systems (analysis) perspective. IT as ‘driver’ IT as strategic business component.

6 Some Trends / DevelopmentsMore Web, mobile, on-line More daily life penetration (IoT) More automation (cont.’d) More system interoperation (SOA) Smarter applications Much less from-the-ground-up- and much more bolt-on programming More flexible system access (mobile, BYOD, cloud) Business analytics Building (more) systems that work better, faster and are easier to use

7 Major BIS degree program offers relevant and experiential learning Well-rounded, current, validated curriculum BIS Program BA 272 (Programming) BA 364 (Proj. Mgt) ACTG 378 (Acct IS) BA 479 (Networking / Telecomm) BA 371 (Systems Anal. / Design) BA 483 (Business Analytics) BA 372 (Systems Design / Dev.) 28 Credits total

8 Skills/Technologies Business Impact Project Focused302 – Business Process Management 272 – C# 378 – IS Intro Project Focused 364 – Project Management 371 – System Design 372 –System Development IT Service Delivery 479 – Networks & Telecommunications 483 – Business Analytics SQL/ Database

9 Experiential OpportunitiesBusiness Analyst: CASS (formerly BSG) Testing: CASS Developer: CASS, Projects IT Management/Delivery: COB IT Services Develop skills & contacts SIM club Internship experience MECOP and many others

10 BIS Labor Market Strong BIS hiring trend Yet, experience remains king!The scope of BIS responsibilities continues to grow More opportunities More specific skills needed A wider range of job types Business Analytics is a growth area USBLS trend data

11 Sampling of BIS Jobs Business analyst Work in teams to meet goals, manage information systems and improve business processes. Application developer Write software for systems, web and mobile applications Application support engineer Help customers accomplish their goals with dedicated apps IT auditor Plan, test and analyze IT systems and processes as part of a routine audit Customer support representative Work with users to resolve customer service issues QA/QC/Tester Develop, execute and manage procedures for verifying system and component integrity

12 Sampling of BIS Jobs (Cont.’d)Systems administrator Keep systems in top performance with proactive hands on strategies and routine maintenance Database administrator Administer data to ensure availability, integrity and security Information security analyst Protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information Consultant Generate value to customers on a part-time basis. Usually not an entry level role

13 Tips for Being Successful @ BISExperience!! employers want graduates with project and internship experience (join SIM club; get an internship) Expertise: Work hard in your BIS classes and learn on your own; find ways to showcase your knowledge (get yourself a project) Professional development: a BIS Development Plan can guide your career transition Keep in Mind: Your degree is (only) the formal part of your education

14 Summary BIS is a relevant and in-demand optionCareers in BIS can be diverse, flexible, exciting and rewarding Many opportunities for Use them! !!! Build your career alongside the degree !!! Q & (maybe) A

15 Job Satisfaction by College MajorPortland, Oregon tech jobs rise 6X faster than other businesses (OR Dept Employment) Techtown video Source payscale.com 2010