Errors can occur when information output from the system is wrong and the data that is entered into the computer is inaccurate. This is called GIGO which stands for garbage In, garbage out. An example of this is if the price of a speaker is entered £8.00 on to a spreadsheet when it is really £9.00 then it has an outcome of a cheaper price overall.
Advantages of old method (analogue)
Easier to write down information if user has no experience or has training with a computer
Can draw simple pictures using a pen, which is simple and straightforward to achieve.
Paper is in expensive since it doesn’t use up electricity and 100%-recycled paper can be used, which proves to be advantageous for the environment.
Don’t have to buy from specialist shops and can therefore be obtained from local shops so paper is more readily available.
Cheaper to buy a paper pad instead of buying a computer and software for information to be typed and structured which is expensive.
Spend less time writing down the information rather then looking for a letter when typing on a keyboard.
Wont cause radiation so won’t have an effect on pregnant women causing miscarriage of their baby.
Doesn’t cause dizziness of eyes for staring at the screen so therefore is healthier to look at paper
No printers needed to print out work so the output on paper will be fast and efficient as well as a cheap method.
No noise from printers so a very quite and stress free method of output of information.
There are no harmful ozone emissions since laser printers are not used causing headaches.
No concern needed for inappropriate physical settings so can be positioned in a very relaxed manner.
Disadvantages of old method (analogue)
Might not be able to understand handwriting and may use an alternative word which has a different meaning and changes the implication of the sentence and leads to further problems.
Paper can be torn so some important information e.g. address is missing so cannot send components to the address and leads to confusion and wastes time and money
Can have a back up copy by re-writing on to a different piece of paper but takes longer than saving a backup on two separate disks from a computer.
Can become boring since doesn’t have colour and paper is dull and become irritant continuously writing on continuous paper.
Users cannot communicate to tiny through a computer via. e-mail, which is cheap. Only by telephone or fax which is inconvenient and tiny cannot be advertised on the Internet which is a very popular necessitate in the modern day used by people all over the world.
More chance of information being retrieved by unauthorised personal e.g. the paper is put in a safe and the security code combination to open the safe is learnt. Using a listening device to hear clicks or the safe is physically vandalised and broken open using specialist equipment such as laser.
Paper can be lost easily in other piles of paper or misplaced somewhere so have to re-write the information again which requires more time and could be spent socialising with friends and family.
Ink on paper can be smudged accidentally so information cannot be read and will cause hassle.
Computing ability
Working flexible hours- be able to find the problem and work out the solution without giving up. Correcting the solution earlier rater then leaving it to the last minute e.g. installing anti-virus software rather than receiving a virus and having to deal with this problem.
Good written skills- Write straight forward and easily understood instructions for users to understand and be able to write technical information.
Good communication skills- to receive efficient and acccccurate communication with user e.g handling the situation calm and collectively.
Getting along with a variety of people- skills to work in a team to be able to share information and to understand and deal with customers.
Good lisetning skills- Understanding the problem that the user has and be able to solve uner pressure and also to keep the situation under control.
Computer Costs
Each individual part costs according to the model version and what it can perform. E.g. a graphics card starts from £10 and the price can increase according to a higher resolution of graphics. All the components required definitely for a computer to function has been written below:
- Motherboard (all components are compatible with motherboard when slot in) £15-£150
- CPU (Control processing unit) ‘brain’ of computer £150-£250
- RAM (Read access memory) £15.50-£31.20
- ROM (Read only memory) £15.50-£31.20
- Hard drive memory (the space on a computer) £20-£50
- Buses (CPU sends signal from keyboard to Monitor when typing) £5.00-£20
- Cables (link up CPU, Monitor) £3.50-£29.50
- Monitor- Displays information/graphics and is separate to the CPU £300-£1000
Any additional external or internal componants have been listed in a table:
I have found one computers, which perfectly matches the specification with a sensible prices to add up to under £900. The computer parts and prices have been displayed in a table below:
Total = £896.09
The task will be carried out in Microsoft Excel and the components are colour coded in order to distinguish which one is situated to contribute to the construction of a computer. Fig.1 is an example of how the task is going to be carried out and shows the colour coding making it easier to read e.g. Components: are colour coded opposite colours which are fitted next to each other. Also the cables are colour coded making it easier to distinguish where to put everything for the customer and for the
Manufacturer. These colours have been carefully chosen to allow brightness so can be easily seen by people to prevent misunderstanding of information i.e. human error.
Fig.1
This is the only design that fits under the specification and is shown below with a picture and includes a short summary with reference to the computer:
Design 1
Resource availability
Uncle Reik works in tiny from 9.00 a.m.to 5.00 p.m. every day including weekends. He has had training and is very experienced with using a computer. However, he needs to be told by his supervisor, which components users want so he can put them in the correct location fitted in the motherboard i.e. by receiving simple instructions. Compontents in this task has been set standard which will be tested by interviews, questionnaires and trial periods.
End- user requirement
1) The system is required to be able to give accurate and efficient output information i.e. the components for the computer.
2) Offer employees with a certain amount of work using an computer reduces the tasks e.g. calculating the total cost of components will normally be carried out from a calculator but to speed up the process autosum on a spreadsheet will be used as a
replacement.
3) Appearance can be increased to high quality and professional skills can be introduced to produce a high performing working area.
4) System should be easily transferred from one computer to another or laptop.
5) System should be affordable for the business and not loose money in the long run otherwise the business will have a reduction in customers and loose profit.
6) System should not look intimidating for employees and therefore be user-friendly.
7) System should increase the rate of communication between tiny employees and the customer.
Input Requirement
Forename (state)
Surname (state)
Address 1 (state)
Address 2 (state)
Postcode (state)
Sex- Male (button to press)
Female (button to press)
Credit card no. (Drop down bar)
Computer (Drop down bar)
Model (Drop down bar)
Company (Drop down bar)
Price (Drop down bar)
Guarantee (Drop down bar)
Colour casing (Drop down bar)
Shape of casing (Drop down bar)
Over 18 Yes No
VAT 17.5% (Calulate)
CHOOSE components:
Memory Yes no
Sound Yes no
Graphics card Yes no
Additional? Yes no
Speakers Yes no
Dvd drive Yes no
re-writer Yes no
Printer Yes no
Process requirement
- All components necessary to make up the CPU can all be looked up from a table
- Extra technology e.g. modem can be additionally added to the computer and can then be looked up in the table
- Price ranges of all components can be looked up from a list
- The standard price and size of components set for all users can be looked up in a table
- The cost of all components can be totalled and compared to standard total and distinguish where it has come over or under the original price range.
- Discounts can be attached in case any special occasions occur e.g. Christmas. When selling components in Christmas sales are introduced and reduction in total cost take places.
Output Requirements
- Find out all components needed to function as the CPU
- Find out the price of components
- Find out the size of components
Design
View all this information in a spreadsheet below:
All types of general I.T skill is shown on the spreadsheet and have been listed below:
· Macros- easier to shift from one page to another
· Shortcut keys required for actual names of components to prevent re-typing and thus reduces RSI.
· Formulas: if, vlookup, autosum, to work out calculations.
· Visual basic editor- to add in colour and pictures.
· Buttons, drop down form field, insert frame, to organise information
· Sort by- whether components should be ascending, descending or according to price or size.
· Add in warning if any number is typed incorrect or inappropriate.
Sub-tasks
Definite detail of expertise and skills needs to be established into the spreadsheet and has been listed below:
- Components are recorded in the worksheet
- Showing picture of actual computer and monitor (cases)
- 1) Actual components
2) Total cost of components
- Macros
Clear screen
To add in option boxes e.g. B11 is type of computer, so Pc computer B11 is 11 groups!e2:e11, Cell B13 is name of company therefore B14 is = vlookup (B14,groups,3)
Spinner over something can change range of total price, add as necessary.
Turn to next page
- Start up screen
- Quotes worksheet
- Print off quotes
Macro must:
Go on to next page
Clear page
to Choose option of computer brand
Reduce or increase the total price of computer psrts using a spinner
To start up the system
To close the system
To transmit to the help page
A front cover for the spreadsheet needs to be drawn. Below are three designs incluing maco buttons with different layouts and styles:
Design of Sub-task
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Test Strategy
All three types of strategies i.e interview, running a trial periods and questionnaires will be carried out during implementation. Graphs can be obtained from the results to prove that the system works better than the old system and a final conclusion in the evaluation will be drawn. The date of trial period will be determined when employees in tiny have a day off from work or a few hours free to test the system and will be continously persistant to find out the date once I have started the implementation. An interview can be assumed for the manager of tiny. This will allow his views on the new system to be stated and can be a further indication if the system has improved the working life in tiny or need to revert back to the old analogue system. Questionnaires given after the interview as to determine the customers point of view of the e,mployees behaviour and whether it incourages them to buy computer parts more easily by the dilusion of a proffesional operational shop. This will be all carried out in Implentation.
Test Plan
Whether the componants are correct for users and if required updation using techniques such as questionnaires, a interview and a trial period (consisting of a week). To test certain people in tiny who use computers on a day to day basis and whether the computer fits their needs and fits a certain high quality which users need to have to do their job. Therefore the computer needs to be adequate and relavent and bot too excessive that is causes irratance to users e.g. adding to many extara equipment such as a digital camera that I only used for leisure time and proves to be a waste of money. The trial period is to see if the spreadsheet is better than the old method by embrace a test run. An interview can be used to answer specific question to what is relavent and tend not to excadsurate. Questionnaires can be given at random to people to answer the questions that determine whether the system is a success or the old analogue method proves to be better or even if more pieces of technolgy needs to be added additional to the computer e.g re-writer to copy files which contain large pictures and graphs. Also the more questionnaires handed out the more accurate the outcome of results since a wider area would have been covered to ask customers as well as the public. If employees chose to keep the system but want to improve the system further they can set out a separate questionnaire which is targeted on employees to use the most voted improvements and finally it can be included which will be stated in the evaluation.
The computer parts worksheet
Testing the input controls for entering the computer details:
Preparing the quotes
Testing the VLOOKUP and other roles:
Entering the total cost for computer parts
Calculating the total cost of the Quote:
Automating the filing of quotes:
Clearing the current screen to enter a new quote
Printing the Qoute
Adding the user options
Customerising the interface and finishing touches
Add the front end and further options
User testing
