Disadvantages
- More specialist ICT people are needed to update the system
- More computers are needed to see the information
- Improved network servers are needed to manage the computers
- Actions that are logged on the system are dealt with by people that Chris might not know or meet face to face
- Documents sometimes take a long time to find sometimes easier to use the older form of storage like a filing cabinet
How this ICT has affected Chris’s working style
The intranet has changed the way that Chris works as he can now store and retrieve information in a central location which saves him a lot of time instead of having to look through filing cabinets. In the past this will have been done by phoning people, walking around the building or asking people if they know were the information can be found, wasting a lot time.
The overall effect is that Chris spends a lot of time on his computer and less time walking around looking for things. Chris is more confident that the information he is using is accurate and correct.
Evaluation
The Intranet has been useful to Chris’s needs because the information stored centrally. Chris can now work to the same rules and regulations as the rest of the company. He can use the same forms as everybody else uses, there for everyone can understand the communication that he is sending.
Chris now wastes very little time searching for documents or files.
The intranet fulfils his need in a personal way of working.
Email
Specifications
Microsoft Outlook
How the technology is used
- Sending and receiving messages internally and externally
- Using the Internet to send messages
- Uses as a calendar to set meetings and appointments
- It is a storage system for filing old emails
- To set reminders on a calendar on a repeating bases so Chris doesn’t forget anything
- For organising tasks
-
Storing details of contacts i.e.
Advantages
- It is a very fast way of sending letters/messages and is faster than post or fax
- A method to transfer documents to people
- Works on a global scale i.e. Chris can send messages across the world
- Can send grouped Email which saves Chris a lot of time
- It is a very cheap cost effective way of contacting people, because it is cheaper than faxing or phoning it saves Chris money
- It is a discreet way of sending information
- You can send internet links for people to click on instead of them having to type out the whole thing
- Chris can now work from home
Disadvantages
- You need to be able to type well and Chris can’t so it takes him a long time
- Some training is needed to learn how to send Emails
- You can not speak in a tone of voice on an Email, so if Chris sends an Email to someone with a joke for example the person might not know how to take it
- You don’t always know if the receiver has read the Email
- It is an impersonal way of communicating
- You could accidentally send a message to the wrong person by mistake causing a lot of trouble
- Chris could be sent a virus without knowing about it until he opens his email
- Working from home means that Chris sometimes does not shut off from work so he sometimes gets stressed
How this ICT has affected Chris’s working style
This piece of ICT software has changed Chris’s working style quite considerably. In the past Chris would have to spend time making telephone calls and he would miss parts of important conversation points because he has a very short concentration time. Chris used to spend valuable time walking around trying to find information. Chris would of spent a lot of time writing out tasks.
Chris’s working style using Email has changed for the better because he can now organise his work using his inbox on his Email to arrange Emails as tasks. He has included on Emails that he can spend time reading over and properly understanding the content of the Email.
Chris’s working style is now more organised, planned, thorough and desk based.
Evaluation
Chris had a need for a better organising system for his daily routines; Email fulfils his needs in many ways.
His daily routines are now done much faster because he can Email instead of sending things by post or fax. He can now organise his Emails in to tasks that need to be completed. The calendar system sets up pop up reminders so Chris is more organised. Now Chris is more organised and better informed he can plan his workload better.
This piece of ICT technology is used by Chris for work related use. It can also be used for personal use when working at home.
Digital camera – canon powershot a410
Equipment specifications
This camera was chosen because of its ability to take quality close up pictures from 1cm away.
- 3.2-megapixel CCD delivering image resolutions as large as 2,048 x 1,536 pixels
- 1.5-inch colour LCD monitor
- Real-image optical viewfinder
- Glass, 3x 5.4-17.3mm lens (equivalent to 41-131mm zoom on a 35mm camera)
- 3.2x digital zoom
- AiAF through-the-lens auto focus
- AF Assist light for low-light focusing
- Full Automatic, Manual, Super Macro, My Colours, Stitch Assist exposure modes, as well as eight preset exposure modes
- Shutter speed range from 1/2,000 to one second
- Built-in flash with six operating modes
- SD/MMC memory storage
- Power supplied by two AA batteries or optional AC adapter
- Movie mode (without sound)
- Stitch-Assist mode for panoramic shots
- Continuous Shooting and a variable delay Self-Timer mode
- White balance (colour) adjustment with seven modes
- ISO adjustment with three ISO equivalents and an Auto setting
- Low Sharpness, Vivid, Neutral, Sepia, B&W settings
- My Colours mode
- Evaluative, Centre-Weighted, and Spot metering options
- DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) compatibility
- Exit Print compatibility
-
Partridge compatibility
How the technology is used
- To take pictures of small parts to be inspected
- To take pictures of damaged deliveries upon receipt
- To take pictures of people or events to put on the Intranet
- To take pictures of working practices
- To make video clips of working practices
- To take pictures as evidence to the police
Advantages
- Pictures can be stored on the computer and sent to other people
- Work instructions can be made up of several pictures
- Pictures can be edited with comments
- Pictures of work instructions can be stored on the computer for all people to see
- Pictures of damaged deliveries can be sent to the supplier very quickly and kept as evidence if a claim is needed to made
- Can take pictures and put them on the intranet, this improves communication across the company
- Can take good quality pictures close up of small parts, which may have a fault, which can be sent to the supplier very quickly. The supplier can then check the parts they are making and reduce waste, therefore saving money
Disadvantages
- Need a computer to use some of the features available
- Expensive to buy
- Standard memory cards are not big enough and larger memory cards are expensive
- Security, needs to be locked away
- Sometimes are difficult to use
- Need to be trained to download and edit pictures which takes up a lot of memory space on your computer
How this ICT has affected Chris’s working style
The canon powershot a410 digital camera has effected Chris’s working style because he now has a better way of showing people how to do things because he can explain things better using pictures and edit facilities. Chris can now explain and present his work instructions much better because he can use pictures, it makes his work more professional and easier to understand and reduces errors therefore this has changed his working style.
Evaluation
Chris needs his digital camera because he can work more professionally and explain things much better. This piece of ICT equipment fulfils his needs to complete work instructions and communicate information to suppliers quickly and effectively.
Stock Management System (SMS)
Specifications
INFOR SYTELINE 7.04
SMS is software system use by the company to manage all its manufacturing processes this includes sales orders intake, purchasing items planning, production build, stock holding, accounting functions and inspection processes.
The system is used across all sites in Europe and the Far East. The system regularly updates information to make sure it is correct at all times.
The system is designed to look like many computer systems with files and windows so that it’s easy to use. It has a lot of similarities to Windows Access data system. It is networked across the company servers therefore using telephone lines to send information backward and forwards.
How the technology is used
- It is used on computers via the network system
- Linked to the Internet
- Linked to adobe acrobat to produce reports
- It generates reports
- Information is manually input by the keyboards
- It generates many lists of stock
- It can automatically do tasks at any given point
- Automatically sends emails
- Can be viewed by suppliers
Advantages
- Can find information easily
- Reduces paperwork because system can generate specific details which saves Chris time
- Does repetitive tasks that Chris finds boring
- It uses less people than manual paper systems that saves money
- Information is more accurate
Disadvantages
- Its expensive to purchase
- It can be difficult to use
- Many computers are needed
- Company becomes reliant on computer system, so when it doesn’t work the company has restricted information flow
- ICT specialists are needed to maintain the system
- Upgrades are needed and are difficult to put in
How this ICT has affected Chris’s working style
It has affected Chris’s working style because he now has more time available because the system can gather information and generate reports automatically.
In the past Chris has spent a lot of time gathering information manually, the system now does this.
This system has given Chris more time to make sure that he can have more time to work effectively because the system does all the boring repetitive tasks.
Evaluation
Chris needs a system that gathers information in to report forms. The SMS system fulfils this need giving him more time to work on other projects. Now that Chris can find information more easily he saves time and effort instead of looking through filing cabinets.
Summary
Now I have looked at all Chris’s ICT systems I can see that ICT makes his working life a lot easier and he now has more time to do other things in his work.
It is clear that all these technologies are linked to each other.
