A management information system for municipal parks maintenance operations

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop a management information system (MIS) for parks maintenance operations. A review of MIS applications in business, government, and municipal parks and recreation departments provided an overview of management information systems and a foundation for this study. The methodology for developing this MIS was presented as a set of instructions and recommendations for information system development that could be used by administrators to guide this and other development efforts. The seven steps of the methodology are: (1) establishing or refining the information requirements, (2) developing gross system concepts, (3) obtaining approval to proceed with detailed design, (4) preparing detailed system specifications, (5) testing, (6) implementing, and (7) evaluating the system. This methodology was applied in a case study conducted with the City of Garland, Texas. The model for the parks maintenance information system was developed and approved by the City of Garland. The implementation of this model was scheduled to occur as part of a plan by the Data Services Department to upgrade computer applications for all city departments. A model for evaluating the MIS was established. Evaluative criteria were defined as the structure, process and output of the Parks and Recreation Department's use of management information. A set of questions to measure the changes in the criteria was developed and a pre-implementation interview was conducted with Parks and Recreation Department personnel..