Since information systems are SYSTEMS, it is important to understand the basic concepts of systems themselves. The authors provide an excellent introduction, starting on page 6. I have placed some additional information about systems and on the systemic nature of IS design on this page to supplement text and expand your horizons.
You should also look at chapters 9 and 10 of the text Management Information Systems: Conceptual Foundations, Structure, and Development by Gordon Davis and Margrethe Olson. This is the classic MIS text and the concepts introduced in it are truly timeless. As the semester progresses, we will cover the concepts introduced in section 3 of this text, as well as chapters 17 and 18. You should refer often to this text for additional information and another perspective on IS design and development.