Mr C Johnston ICT Teacher computechedu.co.uk

1. BTEC IT Unit 02 - Lesson 08Recommending Computer Systems Mr C Johnston ICT Teacher www.computechedu.co.uk

2. Session Objectives • Know key considerations to be taken into account when recommending an ICT system, • Understand the process involved to recommend an ICT system for business.

3. Read the BTEC Book – Unit 2 pages 18 and 19

4. Key Considerations • Cost • Cheap as chips vs reliability • Backup support • User requirements • Operating system • Application software • Networking • Support • Outputs required and in what format • Integration with other systems • Processing power • Storage capacity • Accessibility for disabled users • IT competence of the intended users • Training requirements Often there will be some form of compromise when recommending the system which suits the organisation the best

5. The Process NB. Requirements are a list of tasks which the user wishes the computer to perform

6. User Requirements Example “Humphrey is a retired art teacher who is thinking of setting up a business filming peoples weddings, and producing a souvenir DVDs from the footage taken. He will edit the video clips, add titles and music to make a professional product. The DVDs will also need high quality cover which he proposes to make. Artwork, sound effects and music for the DVDs could come from a variety of sources including the internet. Bookings could also be made by email and his accounts will need taking care off so he can track income and outgoings.” He has asked you for help deciding on a computer. What are his user requirements: • Import video from his camera • Edit wedding video footage, add titles and music, • Compile the edited video into DVD format adding titles and effects, • Edit sound effects and music for the DVDs which will be added, to the DVDs, • Put completed DVD files onto DVD and burn multiple copies, • Manipulate graphics for DVD titles and covers, • Import graphics from photos and hand drawn artwork, • Produce DVD covers and output them in high quality colour print, • Connect to the internet so emails can be viewed and resources downloaded, • Keep track of his business finances.

7. User Requirements to Hardware / Software Look at each requirement and work out the hardware and software needed to complete the task – compile a list adding to it for each task. “Edit wedding video footage, add titles and music” Hardware / Software Requirements based on user requirements: • A fast processor to handle the demands of editing video, • A large hard disk drive to store video files which are notoriously large, • A substantial amount of RAM that will support the demands of the video editing, • A graphics card which is capable of reproducing quality graphics at a good rendering speed, • A sound card so the system can reproduce the sound, • An over standard size monitor so he can easily and clearly see to edit the video, • An operating system which is capable of supporting all the hardware and allowing the required tasks to be performed, • Software which allows videos to be edited in a variety of different methods to produce professional finished results including the adding of titles and special effects, • Sound editing software so sound effects and music can be edited before being adding to the video, • Multimedia Keyboard so text for titles within the video can be added, • Optical mouse to control the computer and run commands.

8. Practise Why not complete this in groups • Read through this brief from a past assignment list the user requirements and recommend key hardware and software required to meet these John Waine is student who has just started his A-Levels. His parents have decided to purchase him a computer to assist with his studies but are unsure what exactly to buy or how to configure it. John has decided to study ICT, Art/Design and German A-Levels at college and is a dedicated fan and player of online game RuneScape and also talks to friends via email. At weekends John is an active member of the local Conservative Party and spends his time campaigning about local issues by handing out flyers in town, which he has designed. His other hobbies include photography, making his own music, playing computer games and making home movies – his favourite band is girls allowed. John uses the Office 2003 suite at college, although the Office 2007 conversion pack has been installed.

9. Starting P4 • Read through the assignment brief and make a list of all the tasks which Wee Promote need their system to be able to do – these are the user requirements. • Based on the user requirements for Wee Promote make a generic list of all the hardware and software required…. Use adjectives such as large and fast to help describe the required components, • You should consider: • NIC, GFX, RAM, SOUND, POWER SUPPLY, PROCESSOR, KEYBOARD/MOUSE, HDD, MOTHERBOARD, COOLING, OPTICAL DRIVE, CARD READER, CASE, MONITOR, PRINTER, SPEAKERS, OTHER INPUT DEVICES • ALL SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS NEEDED

10. Specification • Based on your initial finding produce a detailed specification using the table below as help

11. What To Produce For Task 4… • List of tasks the company want to perform, • Hardware and software specification full details of each component –suggest alternatives for merit, • Quotation for a system which meets the requirements including any additional components, • Justification of why the system has been chosen. P4 - Recommend a computer system for a given business purpose M2 - Justify choice of computer system to meet a given business purpose • For P4, you could present the evidence as a report or presentation. The choice of components should be briefly explained but may not make reference to all the user requirements. It is important that the final specification includes all the necessary hardware and software components for the system to work. • For M2, you must justify why the system set up was chosen, eg cost, and suggest alternative set ups (at least one) and discuss why they could also be appropriate. The reasons for the choices should be clearly explained and referenced to the user need. Any optional extras must be justified.

12. Example #1… • Company produces wedding videos. They combine video from different sources, add graphics and edit sounds to produce the final result.

13. Example #2… • Company produces wedding videos. They combine video from different sources, add graphics and edit sounds to produce the final result.