MODEL ANSWERS

Information and Communication Technology

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Safety Aspects
 Problem -electrocution
 Prevention – RCB installed
 Problem – trailing cables
 Prevention – create ducts/cover cables with carpets etc.
 Problem – heavy equipment falling
 Prevention – sturdy tables
 Problem – fire
 Prevention – extinguisher

Health Risks
 Problem – Headaches
 Prevention – Use anti-glare screen/Take regular breaks
 Problem – Eyestrain
 Prevention – Use anti-glare screen/Take regular breaks
 Problem – RSI
 Prevention – Use ergonometric keyboard / wrist rests/Take regular breaks
 Problem – Backache
 Prevention – Use straight backed chair/Take regular breaks

Encryption
 Causes data to be scrambled/encoded
 Requires an encryption key/software to encrypt
 Requires a decryption key/encryption software to decrypt
 Results in data which is not understandable/readable
 protects sensitive data
 from being understood if falls in to the wrong hands.

ADC/DAC
 Sensor measures analogue data
 Computer works with digital data

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Online Banking
Disadvantages to customers
 Lack of socializing/ social contacts
 Identity theft/misuse of personal data
 Customers must have a computer/Internet access/(basic) computer skills
 Hackers may intercept data and defraud customer
 Cannot deposit/withdraw cash/money
 More vulnerable to phishing

Disadvantages to bank
 Lose older customers who don’t like change
 Initial set up costs of equipment/ Initial outlay on computers expensive
 Need to employ highly paid technical experts to maintain system
 Greater risk of fraud so lose money/description of effects of phishing
 Need to retrain staff

Why computers are used in monitoring

 Will not take breaks/can operate continuously (not constantly)
 Fewer mistakes/greater accuracy
 More than one variable can be measured at any one time
 Readings can be taken more frequently
 Results are analyzed automatically/faster to react/charts are produced automatically
 More reliable/readings taken at regular intervals
 Experts are free to do other tasks

Verification and Validation

 Validation is checking data is reasonable
 Verification is checking data has been correctly copied from one medium to another
 Verification and validation does not check that data is correct
 Verification can be carried out by a user
 Validation is always carried out by a computer
 Verification picks up errors that validation doesn’t
 Validation picks up errors that verification doesn’t

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Burglar Alarm System

 Inputs:
o Pressure pads
o Light sensors
o Sound sensor
o Infra red sensor/proximity sensor
o Motion sensor/movement sensor
 Processing:
o Microprocessor continually monitors sensors.
o If light sensor detects light beam interrupted:
o If movement sensor activated:
o If sound sensed by processor is greater than preset value:
o Microprocessor sends signal to output device.
 Outputs:
o Alarm light flashes/lights come on
o Alarm sounds
o Signal automatically sent to police

Online Shopping
 Customer – advantages
o Elderly/Disabled people don’t have to travel to shop/leave home
o Don’t have to spend money on travelling expenses travelling (long distances to shops)
o Greater choice of goods
 Customer – disadvantages
o Lack of socializing/social contacts
o Customers must have a computer/Internet access/(basic) computer skills
o Cannot see/feel goods in reality
 Shop – advantages
o Fewer staff needed/less spent on wages
o Fewer shops needed/less spent on rates/rent
o Potentially larger customer base
 Shop – disadvantages
o Initial outlay on computers is expensive
o Need to retrain staff
o Greater costs due to more delivery staff

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Analysis stage
 Interview
o Can change questions in light of previous answers/interviewer can detect body language
 Questionnaire
o Quicker to get every worker’s response/easier to collate responses
 Examining documents
o Can see exact details of inputs and outputs
 Observation
o Easier to see data flow/can get more accurate overview of whole system

Why are models used?

 Real thing might be dangerous, model is less dangerous
 Saves expensive mistakes in the construction real thing/cost of rebuilding/repairing is expensive
 Real thing may waste raw materials/natural resources
 It may take a long time to obtain results from the real thing
 Easier to modify
 Extremes which can’t be tested in real life can be tested using models

Verification
 Double entry
o computer compares the two versions
 Visual checking
o Typed in data is compared with original data

Researching on the internet

 Drawbacks:
o Not all information is accurate
o Some information is purely for advertising/selling purposes
o Anyone can put information on the Internet
o Much of the information on the Internet is not filtered
o Need to identify the validity of the author
o Need to be careful about whether information is fact or opinion
o Information can be biased
o Results from search engine could be skewed because of sponsorship/marketing
o Internet is not policed
o So much information available which might be unreliable

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 Benefits:
o Wide range of information to select (desirable/reliable information)
o Able to search quickly (using search engines) to find (reliable/desirable) information
o Information can be downloaded and edited (to make it desirable/reliable)
o Can use the final part of a URL to identify reliability
o Information can be up to date/real time so reliable
o Can compare information from sites to see if it is reliable

GUI and CLI

 A graphical user interface has icons to help the user identify applications/folders
 A GUI has a system of menus to help the user choose options
 A GUI has windows to enable user to multi task
 A GUI has a pointer/pointing device to help navigate around the screen/to click to open
files/software
 A CLI only allows you to type in commands
 With CLI syntax has to be precise
 Commands difficult to edit once entered
 Have to learn a lot of commands exactly/have to be familiar with the commands

Video Conferencing
 Advantages
o Workers can use own office so documents do not get lost in transit/bulky
documents/equipment do not have to be carried around
o Company can call meeting at short notice
o Employees can work from home
o Company does not have to pay travelling expenses
o Company does not have to pay hotel expenses
o Company does not have to pay for conference room facilities
o Travelling time is saved
o Might be dangerous to fly/travel
o Disabled people may find it difficult to travel
 Disadvantages
o Takes time to train employees
o Difficult to call international meetings because of time differences
o Initial cost of hardware
o Equipment can break down
o Strength of signal/bandwith/lipsync can be a problem/connection can be lost/power cuts
o Takes time for workers to learn new technology

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 Hardware required
o Web cam/video camera to input/capture video (images of participants/
o documents)
o Router/modem to transmit data to participants’ (computers)
o Microphone to input voices of participants/to speak to other participants
o Headphones/speakers to output voices to participants/hear other participants
o Large screen/projector to see other participants
o Router to connect to internet
o Codec to compress data

Difference between Intranet and Internet

 Internet - INTERnational NETwork
o Is a Wide Area Network (WAN)
o Can access it from anywhere
o Greater amount of information available
o Unlimited access
 Intranet - INTernal Restricted Access NETwork
o Usually a Local Area Network (LAN)
o Password controlled pages
o Behind a firewall
o Can set up specific information pages on Intranet systems
o Can limit the places where users can go to study
o No wasted time looking through millions of resources
o Intranet is better protected for use of emails/from viruses/from hackers

Expert systems
How is an expert system created?
 Data is gathered/collected from experts
 Knowledge base is designed/created
 A user interface is designed/created
 The inference engine is designed/created
 The rules base is designed/created
 The system is tested

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Describe the inputs, outputs and processing of this system

 Interactive user screen appears
 Questions about geological profile/engine type/medical problems are asked
 Answers to questions are typed in
 Inference engine searches
 Searches the Knowledge base
 using the Rules (base)
 Suggested probabilities of finding oil/engine problems/medical issues are output using
 Detailed Output format

Chip and PIN Systems

 Card details checked for validity
 PIN is entered
 PIN is read from chip
 Numbers compared
 If identical transaction is authorised
 If not identical transaction refused
 Customer bank contacted by computer/automatically
 Check if enough funds in account
 If card invalid/insufficient funds then transaction is rejected
 If card valid and sufficient funds then transaction is authorised
 Money deducted from customer account
 Money credited to supermarket account

Input screens
Features of a well-designed input screen
 Data fills the screen
 Clearly defined input area for each record
 Appropriate spacing for each field
 Back button/arrow/previous record facility
 Forward button/arrow/next record facility
 Submit button/facility
 An easy to read font/font size/
 A sensible font colour/background colour
 Easy to follow instructions for completing screen/help icon
 No overlapping of items
 Exit button/return to homepage button/facility

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Example of designing an input screen

 All fields included
 Appropriate spacing for all fields
 Buttons to go forward/backwards
 Screen filled/not too much white space
 Data has text boxes for completion
 Date of birth is a drop down list
 Gender field has radio buttons for male/female/tick box/drop down
 Button to save data

Testing strategies
 Testing each module with normal/live data/user testing
o To see how system behaves in an ordinary day to day situation/system works as you would
expect i.e. no error messages/to ensure system meets the needs of the user
 Testing each module with abnormal and extreme data
o To see how system reacts in unusual circumstances/to make sure error messages appear
when data is abnormal
 Testing whole system
o To ensure the whole system works when all modules are combined

What is live data and how is it used?

 Data that has already been used in the previous system
 Data that has known results
 A table of expected results is drawn up
 Live data is input to the system
 Actual results are recorded
 The results are compared
 Any resulting differences will highlight limitations of the system

Advantages and Disadvantages of the Internet

 Advantages:
o Only one printer/scanner is needed
o Data can be shared between computers/data can be accessed by one computer from
another more easily
o Software can be shared
o All computers can access the internet through one connection
o Network games can be played

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 Disadvantages:
o Viruses will be more easily spread
o All computers would now be susceptible to hackers
o If all computers are using the internet at the same time there will be speed issues

Travel agent – booking system

 Departure airport typed in
 Arrival airport/destination/country typed in
 Date of departure typed in
 Duration of holiday typed in
 Computer database searches for matching departure airport
 If match found
 Computer database searches for matching arrival airport
 If flight on correct date found
 Search if seats/tickets available
 If so marks seat as booked
 Reduces number of seats/tickets available by one
 Prints flight details

Discussing implementation
 Parallel running/implementation
o Information is not lost/always a second copy
o Have to pay two sets of workers
 Phased implementation
o Still have most of system if things go wrong
o No expense of running two systems together
o Lose some data if things go wrong
 Direct implementation/changeover
o Time is not lost
o Do not have expense of running two systems together
o If things go wrong lose all data
 Pilot running
o Pilot/phased/parallel are slow methods of implementation

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Communication methods
 DTP:
o Advantages
 Disabled people / elderly people do not have to go to the library
 It can be printed in Braille
 You can read it at a time which suits you
o Disadvantages
 Need for physical distribution
 No sound
 No animation
 No video
 Printing costs/paper and ink costs
 Presentation:
o Advantages
 Sound
 Animation
 Video
 Interactive / hyperlinks
o Disadvantages
 Library will need to have screen / computer / appropriate software
 Not everyone will visit the library / takes time to go to the library / costs money to
travel to the library / may not get information to every household / may not be seen
by everyone

Communicate using ICT systems

 Fax
o Advantages
 Can be used as a legal document
 Documents can be very long
o Disadvantages
 Cannot be certain if correct person has received it
 Very slow transmission rates
 Not very good quality
 Documents cannot be edited easily
 Cannot send multimedia files
 Won’t be received if line is busy/receiving fax machine switched off/out of paper
 Wastes/expense of ink/paper

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 Email
o Advantages
 Can be confident message will only go to the correct person (if addressed correctly)
 Fast transmission times
 Attachments can be downloaded and edited
 Easier to send large documents
o Disadvantages
 Can be slow turnaround times
 Some systems have limits to size of attachments
 Addresses more difficult to remember than phone numbers
 Description of how phishing can occur
 Description of how viruses can be transmitted
 Bulletin boards
o Advantages
 You don’t need an ISP
 Messages can be moderated
 Automatically creates an archive
o Disadvantages
 Lack of privacy (every member of the group can see every message)
 In older systems only one person can be online at one time
 Doesn’t alert you to incoming messages
 One mark available for reasoned conclusion

Labor saving devices

 Advantages:
o Microprocessor controlled devices do much of housework
o Do not need to do many things manually
o Do not need to be in the house when food is cooking
o Do not need to be in the house when clothes are being washed
o Can leave their home to go shopping/work at any time of the day
o Greater social interaction/more family time
o More time to go out/more leisure time/more time to do other things/work
o Are able to do other leisure activities when convenient to them
 Disadvantages:
o Can lead to unhealthy eating due to dependency on ready meals
o Can lead to laziness/lack of fitness

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Items include in file structure designed

 Field name
 Field type
 Key field
 Field length
 Validation check/rules

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