Every attempt has been made to integrate the core systems and the linked desktop applications, but insufficient consideration has been given to the inter-relationships between functions and the data in other systems that support those different functions. The casual user has difficulty understanding the current data structures that have been designed to support high-volume transaction processing. The user must be familiar with complicated data access methods or reporting facilities, or must wait until IT personnel can produce the report or data requested. It is often difficult to extract historical data required to review trends or make planning decisions since data must be periodically purged to facilitate a particular system's performance. The lack of management information creates difficulty in completing long-range strategic planning and encourages managers to make decisions based on intuition rather than data.
Management tends to focus on transactions and processes rather than the use of information.
Suggestions for improvements and additions cordially invited.