ANALYSE
Appropriate Software and Hardware
The software required to complete this programme is the Microsoft Publisher which is software that can be used to create the leaflet for the Green Peacocks. I will also need a word processor to type in the information about the club. For the production of this publication, I will need a graphics programme such as the Paint Shop Pro to create a logo for the club and I will also use the graphics programme to manipulate the pictures. I will also need web browser software to allow me to browse the internet for pictures and information. I will also need scanner software to allow me to scan in any photographs and useful information about the club that I have not mentioned. I will also need digital camera software to scan the pictures I will take of the location, the groups and so on.
To work efficiently and produce a professional looking leaflet, I will need some specific hardware such as:
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The Central Processing Unit (CPU): This is the part of the computer that controls all the activities of the computer system. It is also the place where all the data is processed. The CPU I need must have a high specification. The CPU is divided into three (3) main parts:
- The Control Unit: It controls the hardware attached to the system. It monitors the hardware to make sure the commands given to it by the current programme activated. It also controls the input and output of data. It controls the flow of data within the CPU.
- The Arithmetic and Logic Unit (ALU): This is where the computer processes data by either manipulating or acting on it.
- The Immediate Access Store holds any data programs needed by the computer when they are being used.
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The Monitor: The monitor is used to view information. The monitor must be 17 inches. There are two types of monitors:
- Cathode Ray Tubes (CRT are the same as the televisions. They can damage the eyes if stared at for a long time.
- Liquid Crystal Display is flat screened. They are lighter than the CRT monitors and take up less space. They use less power and emit less heat and they do not flicker
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Printers: these are used to produce a permanent copy of the document on paper. There are three types of printers
- Dot-Matrix: the print head is a matrix of pins either arranged in a vertical line. Each character is formed by using a set pattern of some pins. The print head pins push paper to print dots. At a normal reading distance the dot seem to form characters. The advantages of these printers are these printers are cheap and the stationery used is very cheap as well. Dot-Matrix printers can also print on multi-part stationery. The problems with these printers are that they are very low resolution. They are also very slow and very noisy and because of this it has to be covered with a case.
- Ink-Jet: the print head has a lot of tiny nozzles through the ink is sprayed onto the paper. In some printers the nozzles are controlled by crystals inside the print head, which change shape when an electrical current is passed through the nozzles. In others the ink is heated so that it expands and pushes through the nozzles onto the paper. There are a lot of nozzles on the ink-jet than dots on the dot-matrix, so thus this good resolution printer. The ink-jet has a number of advantages; it is a good resolution printer much better than the dot-matrix, it is also very cheap and it is small (easy to carry about). This type of printer is quite slow, it is expensive to run and lastly, it is secrets a lot of ink unto the paper(especially if the paper is light)
- Laser: they are also referred to as page printers because the data to be printed is sent to the printer a page at a time. They work in a similar way to a photocopier. These printers possess electrostatic rotating drums, lasers that etch onto a drum a negative image of the page to be printed. Where the laser hits the drum, the electrical charge is removed. This type of printer also has a toner cartridge that contains ink. When the drum passes over the toner cartridge, the ink is attached onto the charged areas of the drum. The ink is then transferred onto the printer page. The advantages of this type of printer are they are very high resolution, very fast and very quiet. This type of printer can be very expensive and be very expensive to repair. This printer cannot use multipart stationery.
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Keyboards: the QWERTY keyboards are the most common type of printers. The name is taken from the first row of letters on the keyboard (the first six letters). These keyboards are based on the way typewriters were designed. Each key on the keyboard is connected to a switch which closes when a key is pressed. The problems with these kinds of keyboards are that they are hard to use unless one has been trained or knows how to type.
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Mouse: A mouse is a pointing device. It is moved around on a flat surface next to the computer. When a mouse is moved around, a small ball underneath it turns. The mouse detects which way the ball is turning and sends data about this to the computer.
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Digital Cameras: A digital camera can store many more pictures than a normal camera. Pictures stored in a digital camera can be transferred to a computer by connecting the camera to it. Pictures taken using the digital camera can be easily saved and transferred from one computer to the other where they can be edited using special graphics software.
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Scanner: A scanner can be used to input pictures and text into a computer. There are two types of scanner; handheld and the flatbed. Scanners work by passing a beam of light over an image. Data is collected by sensors inside the scanner about the amount of the light reflected by the different parts of the picture. The data is used to produce a digital image of the e picture that the computer can display on the screen. Once the image has been scanned, it van be saved and changed using special software. If the text has been scanned special optical character reading software must be used to convert the digital image into a real text.
Data Required
Format of information and graphics
The text of the leaflet is to contain the information I acquire from the president of the club, the application form to join the club and the interviews I have with past Green Peacocks.
The graphics required will be pictures of Green Peacocks from magazines and scanned photographs from the office of the Green Peacocks. The pictures will have to be sized appropriately so they fit the space available. Pictures should not be distorted as this detracts from their original quality and may spoil the overall look of the final design, they also have to be stored as JPEG pictures because they compress the picture and this saves a lot of space on the computer.
The front cover of the leaflet should contain the name of the club, the logo, and a picture to show that the leaflet is for the Green Peacocks.
Output
The leaflet will be created in the publisher and output in printed form for giving to people and well wishers.
The final design could be printed on ordinary plain paper. This paper is very cheap and is readily available for use and the paper can be easily used to make photocopies. But the problem with this type of paper is that it is too thin, making the design show on the reverse side. Photographic paper can also be used to print the leaflet because it is easy to fold and it is thicker than ordinary plain paper (meaning that the design does not show on the reverse) and it is easy to fold. But, this paper is expensive and is not available when needed and cannot be photocopied. The last paper that can be used for the production of the leaflet is the thin card paper. This paper is very thick (much more thicker than the photo paper), but this paper is very expensive and is very hard to fold up. I have decided to use Photographic paper the because it is easy to fold, it is thicker than ordinary plain paper because the design does not appear on the reverse side, and the paper can be used to make photocopies and a colour design can be easily used.
Backup/Security Strategy
The computer file containing the final designs should be backed up onto a USB drive at regular intervals. This copy should be kept in a different location from the computer in case there is a fire or a flood at the premises. Ideally a backup copy needs to be made each time more work is done on the programme.
DESIGN
Initial Designs
The programme will be either:
- a 2-fold design so that it is divided into 3sections giving 6 pages,
- a single fold design so that an A5 programme is created from an A4 sheet, or
- An A4 full page.
I showed the designs to the user and after looking at the three designs, she picked the 2-fold design because it is easier to hold and manipulate, it is also easy to keep in a pocket or bag because it is already folded.
27 High road,
North Finchley,
London,
NW4 5XB.
16th September.
7 Upper Cavendish Avenue.
Finchley,
London,
N3 3NN.
Dear Miss Sa’id
Thank you so much for your design. It was very nice, but that was not what I had in mind. I like the way you manipulated the space and compressed the whole writing into the six pages. I would also appreciate it if you take the following things into consideration:
- The writing is too much. It should be reduced by adding pictures and photographs to the leaflet
- the logo on the front page should be at the top of the page, then the name of the club, then probably the picture showing the place where we have the meetings or any picture in particular
- the logo and should be at the bottom left of each page(apart from the very first page)
- The colour scheme of the leaflet should appeal to the eye not dull and boring like the current one.
- The Map should be large enough to be seen by every one.
I hope you take all my suggestions into consideration when creating the final design.
Yours sincerely,
Miss Darling.
Schedule of Activities
Test Plan
To make sure the leaflet contains all the necessary information, that there are no errors and that it fulfils the user requirements specified by the user, a test must be carried out. This will be implemented once the designs have been finished.
IMPLEMENTATION
Progression of Work
I created my logo in the paint pro shop. I used a shapes (oval and rectangle) and lines (curvy lines) to create my logo. I also inserted the name of the association by using the text button in the programme. I used the Edwardian script and the elephant script for this purpose.
fig1: sample of the logo.
I had added the logo to every page of the database and had added the picture as well as the heading on some of the pages.
I added more titles and added some of the text to the pages of the leaflet
All the pictures, tables and forms have been added to these pages of the leaflet.
The logo, a picture and a title have been added to the front page of the leaflet.
The remaining text (the comments about the association) has been added to the leaflet. A map has also been added to the leaflet.
Corrections in Design
The map has been enlarged and been given a border to make it stand out and to let people with seeing defects to be able to see and locate the place with ease.
Errors of Correction
Error 1 – I miss-spelt the ‘peacocks’ in the title
Error 2 – I did not put the picture in the correct place and another picture was placed on top of it.
I corrected the design by spelling the ‘peacocks’ correctly and by putting the picture in the right position.
Error three – I distorted the map and it I not big enough for people to look at it.
I corrected the design by making the map bigger and spreading it out on the page.
Test Results
EVALUATE
Evaluation of Initial Objectives
- The leaflet is of a reasonable size so that all the information it needs to contain is given plenty of space. It is small enough to fit into a pocket without being folded. It is easy to find the information that you are looking for since there is not much of it and it is spilt up. Large headings describe each section.
- A4 page layout has been used for the design so that it can be easily reproduced without aid of a computer printer. This because it is so much cheaper for the club to copy a printout of the leaflet about 1000 times rather than print it 1000 times.
- The programme can be photocopied “back-to-back”
- The leaflet contains the name of the club on the first page and it is bold and large to see with the eye.
- The aims are clearly stated in the speech given by Mrs Darling.
- There was only space for five pictures of past and present Green Peacocks and there was only space for six comments about the club from past and present members of the club.
- The map was spread out on one of the pages of the leaflet so people with seeing defects will be able to see it without aids.
- The logo is on every page of the leaflet.
- The spelling and grammar is fine as there is no error on any page.
27 High Road,
North Finchley,
London,
NW4 5XB.
16th October, 2005.
7 Upper Cavendish Avenue,
Finchley,
London,
N3 3NN.
Dear Miss Sa’id,
I have taken a look at the second leaflet created and I really like what
you have done to the leaflet. It is really beautiful and it is Green Peacock standard. The pictures look great in their new position and have been given a really colourful border. The font is the right and easy to read. Thank you for adding the picture of my mother with her girls. It really brings back memories and establishes a sense of security to parents because they know the club has been around for some time and they can trust us when we say we know what we are doing.
There should be some enhancements to the leaflet. A questionnaire was giving out regarding the leaflet. The answers of the questions were gathered and the following feedback received:
- all of those questioned thought that the design was appealing
- everyone thought that it would be easy to carry around (fit into a pocket or a hand bag)
- The leaflet was generally easy to read but a few people with impaired vision thought the font was too small.
- This solution proved to be better than people standing in the street with blackboards hanging over their shoulders.
- many suggestions for enhancements said :
“The address of the club for meetings should be included in the leaflet”
I believe all the improvements have been taken into consideration.
Yours truly,
Miss Darling.