ICT-REVISION

What is Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing is where users store their documents, programs and data on the Internet
rather than on their own computers. As long as the user has access to an Internet
connection, they can create, edit and share ICT files from almost any location. Because the
data and programs are stored remotely, on the Internet, the user will save space on their
computers storage drives.
Name some uses of Cloud Computing
Streaming music: Music is stored remotely on an Internet server and accessed via a website.
Users can log onto the website and then listen to the music using Internet Streaming.
The music file is not downloaded onto the users computer.
Streaming music is a little bit like listening to the radio where you listen to the music but
do not actually own a copy. The only difference is that, with streaming, you get to pick
which songs you want to listen to. Popular music streaming websites include Spotify,
Jango, Pandora.
Google Docs
Google docs offers users the ability to use free software such as spreadsheets, word
processors, presentation builders and drawing programs.
This software is stored on the Internet (in the Cloud) so users dont have to install it in
their computers.
Any documents created within Google Docs are also stored remotely in the cloud. This
means that the documents can be accessed from any location as long as the user has
Internet connection.
What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Cloud Computing?
Advantages
Lower Costs:- Many programs in the cloud are free to use.
Increased accessibility:- Programs and documents are accessible no matter where
you are as long as you have an Internet connection.
Time saving:- No need to spend time installing software onto your computer as you
access it directly from the cloud.
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Increased storage space:- Programs and documents are stored in the cloud so this
frees up storage space on your computer.
Backups:- Documents in the cloud are automatically backed up for you so you dont
have to remember to do it yourself.
Sharing of data:- Documents can be shared very easily which is useful for group
work.
Disadvantages
Security risks:- Data stored online is always vulnerable to hackers and viruses.
Decreased accessibility:- If you do have have access to the Internet (your connection is
down), then you cannot access your documents and programs.
Quality of software:- Cloud programs (especially the free ones) dont usually have all of the
features of a full version of the software.
For example: Clouds version of a word processor may not allow you to edit a document as
well as Microsoft Word does.
Potential increased costs:- Some cloud providers only allow you to use their programs after
you have paid a subscription.
What are E-books and Online newspapers (Electronic books and newspapers)?
E-books and online newspapers are digital versions of traditional printed publications. Ebooks and newspapers are readable on a variety of electronic devices such as:
Desktop PCs
Laptops
IPADs
Mobile Phones
Amazon Kindles
Amazon Kindles are specifically designed to allow users the ability to read E-books. These
types of devices are known as e-book readers or e-readers. E-books have already been
created to replace many of old printed books. E-books and newspapers are usually
downloaded from the Internet onto the computer or e-reader. Electronic books and
newspapers tend to be cheaper to buy than their printed counterparts.
What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of E-books and Online newspapers?
Advantages
Storage benefits:- Thousands of digital books can be stored on one computing
device or e-book reader. The same number of printed paper books would require a
very large room in which to store them.
Paperless:- Digital books do not need to be printed onto paper. This is much more
environmentally friendly.
Instant access to your book or newspaper:- E-books/newspapers can be
downloaded from the Internet almost instantly. If you want access to a printed book,
you need to travel to the store to buy it or order online and then wait a few days for
delivery.
Cheaper to buy:- E-books/newspapers generally cost less than printed publications.

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Disadvantages
Health and Safety:- Computer screens (and some e-book readers) can reflect light
which causes glare. This can cause headaches and eye strain. Printed pages do not
have this problem.
Piracy:- E-books are digital and so are very easy to copy and share.
Usability:- E-books are hard to search through to find specific pages. The pages of
printed books can be flipped through quickly to find the page you want.
High initial cost:- Before you can read a digital e-book or newspaper you need either
a computer or an e-book reader. These are not cheap.
NEW TECHNOLOGY

What is the impact of new technology?

Following are the new technology and their impact:
Artificial intelligence
Biometrics
Robotics
Quantuam cryptography
Computer Assisted Translation
3D and Holographic Imaging
Virtual Reality
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
This is a computer science that is focused on creating computer systems that simulate human
intelligence.The term was first used in 1956 by a computer scientist at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT) who was focused on trying to make computers behave like
humans.
AI is being developed in the following areas:
Game Playing: Computers developed to play games against human players. For
example: In 1997, a computer named Deep Blue defeated a world champion in the
game of chess.
Expert Systems: These are computers that have been programmed to make
decisions based on information they are given. For example: Medical expert systems
can diagnose patients illnesses based on symptoms entered.
Languages: This type of AI involves computers that can understand different human
languages as they are spoken to them.
Robotics: Robotic artificial intelligence is where machines are programmed to imitate
a human.

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Impacts of AI on everyday life:

Some of the impacts that artificial intelligence can have on everyday life are discussed below:
Accurate prediction of weather: AI software will soon be used to sift through weather
data more accurately than humans can and will be used to predict approaching storms
and automatically issue warnings.
Increased leisure time: Robotic vacuum cleaners are becoming more and more
popular. These can detect walls and other objects in order to vaccum around them.
People can leave them running whilst they enjoy extra spare time.
Safer transport: Cars that can self park already exist and it is predicted that cars that
drive themselves will be available soon. These could drastically reduce road
accidents.
Increased Personal Safety: Modern home alarm systems use artificial intelligence
software that can tell the difference between the home owners and intruders.
The software automatically alerts the police when intruders are detected.
Improved medical care: Robotic surgery assistants are being used to quickly and
accurately pass the correct surgical tools to doctors.
The few seconds saved in getting the correct tool to the doctor can save patients lives.
What is meant by Biometrics?
Biometrics is where parts of a persons body are used for identification purposes.
Examples are fingerprints, eye recognition, voice recognition.
All of these parts of the human body are unique from person to person and can be
used to authenticate identity. Before biometric methods be used, people have to
perform a process known as Biometric Enrollment.
Biometrics are beginning to be used in place of passwords and physical locks as a
means of security.
Advantages over these older methods as body parts cannot be lost, forgotten or stolen as
can be the case with passwords and keys.
Biometrics is still a very new technology and is not yet 100% accurate.
Impacts of Biometrics on everyday life:
Better airport security: Iris recognition is already in use in some airports. Travellers
have their eyes and iris scanned into a system and this data is later matched up when
the person is performing airport checks.
Increased building security: Fingerprint access to buildings have been replacing the
older methods of locks and keys. This method ensures that only authorised people can
enter restricted buildings or rooms.
Reduced car theft: Cars already exist that use fingerprints to only unlock their doors
or start the engine for the fingerprint that is registered.
This means that the doors will not unlock for a fingerprint that is not recognised and
makes the car harder to steal.

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More secure mobile phones: Mobile phones contain our lives. We use our phones
for everything from social media to shopping online. They need to be as secure as
possible in order to protect the valuable data that they contain.
Apple recently released an iPhone model that uses a fingerprint reader to identify the
true owner of the phone. It will not unlock for a fingerprint that it does not recognise.
What is meant by Robotics?
Robotics are used to perform a wide range of physical tasks. They are either
automated (controlled by a computer chip) or manually controlled by a human.
There are four different types of robots:
Manufacturing robots (used to perform repetitive tasks such as welding)
Carrier robots (used by the military to carry heavy loads over dangerous terrain)
Domestic robots (used in homes to perform cleaning tasks such as vacuuming)
Exploration robots (used to visit and send images from places such as Mars)
Robots are increasingly being used in manufacturing due to their proven increase in
productivity.
Some more typical tasks that robots can be used for are described below:
Dangerous jobs
E.g. Disposing of bombs, spray painting or cleaning up nuclear waste. These are all jobs that
could harm or kill a human.
Exploring extreme environments
E.g. Inside volcanoes, planets or the depths of the ocean. Humans cannot visit these
environments due to lack of oxygen and high pressure/heat levels.
Repetitive manufacturing jobs
E.g. Production lines, packing and welding, etc. These jobs can also performed by humans
but robots can do them faster and more efficiently.
Moving heavy objects
E.g. Installing large engines, moving pallets of items, etc.
Impacts of Robotics on everyday life:
Increased personal time: If robots can carry out domestic chores, this frees up more
time for us to spend as we wish. This could mean more time spent at work or for more
enjoyable activities such as socialising.
More efficient manufacturing: Robots can manufacture products such as cars much
faster and cheaper than humans can. This means that companies can make more
products at less cost and this means greater business profits.
Loss of jobs: Due to higher and cheaper productivity, robots are taking over the
manufacturing jobs that used to be carried out by humans. This means that humans
are missing out on employment on assembly lines and factory work.
Safer working environments: Robots can safely carry out tasks that are too
dangerous for humans.
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For example, spraying cars with toxic paint, defusing bombs on battlefields and search and
rescue operations in buidlings destroyed by earthquakes.
What is Quantum Cryptography
Quantum Cryptography (encryption) is an emerging technology that allows messages
and data to be sent with complete privacy.
Older methods of encryption were based around mathematics but quantum
cryptography uses physics instead. This makes the encryption impossible to break. In
quantum cryptography, messages are encrypted using photons. These are tiny
packets of light.
Impacts of Quantum Encryption on everyday life:
Completely secure voting: Citizens of the country have the right to vote new
governments but history is littered with examples of where these votes have been
tampered with in order to influence election outcomes.
Securing votes with quantum encryption methods ensures that they cannot be
tempered with or changed.
Completely secure communication: Messages sent by the military often include the
locations of squadrons or special Ops teams. If enemy forces intercept these
messages, it could have severe consequences.Using quantum cryptography to secure
the messages would eliminate the risk of them being read or heard by un-authorised
ears.
Completely secure bank transfers: Any electronic transfer of money, such as ATMs
or buying goods online, will be completely secure. Some banks are already using
quantum cryptography for the purpose of securing money transfers.
Completely secure personal information: Health records, bank details and other
types of personal information will be absolutely secure from hackers and other people
wishing to commit identify theft crimes.
What is Computer Assisted Translation (CAT)?
CAT is where a human translator uses computer software to help in the translation
process. CAT software can reduce the amount of time that the translation takes.
Current CAT tools are not always 100% accurate. They need a human to check for
errors.
Examples of different types of CAT tools are shown below:
Spell checkers: These are usually built-into word processing software and can
automatically flag-up spelling errors and suggest translations of mis-spelt words.
Translation memory software: Translation memory software are databases which
store translated text as the human translator works through it in order to be reused in
the future. Translated text is built-up in the databases memory and can be accessed
by other translators in order to speed up their translation jobs.
Language search engine software: These are internet based systems which allow
translators to enter any text that they want translating and also to select which
language they want the text translated into. The software will then search through a
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large collection of translation memory databases to try and find a match with the text
entered into the search engine. If a match is found, translated text will be shown onscreen.
Impacts of Computer Aided Translation on everyday life:
More accurate documents: Spell checkers can quickly scan your word processed
documents and automatically find spelling errors. Mis-spelt words can be quickly
corrected to produce an error free document.
A more multi-lingual society: Anyone with an internet connection can access tools
such as Google Translate and the vast collection of language databases that the tools
can search through.
This makes accessing other languages much easier than in the past and makes it
easier for people to learn these new languages.
Googles new Voice Search facility allows users to actually speak into a tablet or
mobile phone and Google will automatically translate (and speak) the words or phrase
in almost any language.
Quicker and more efficient translations: Foreign visitors to countries can be
communicated with much easier through these CAT tools. They are especially useful
in places like embassies where a wide range of foreign visitors may need to
communicate with local officials about problems or ask for advice, etc.
What is 3D and Holgraphic Imaging (aka holograms)?
This is a technique where images are made to appear three-dimensional and to
actually have depth.
Holograms work by taking two regular two-dimensional images of the same object and
laying one on top of the other.
Two different types of laser beams are used to record the two-dimensional images onto
a single photographic plate. When viewing the image, human eyes see it from slightly
different angles. The brain combines them into a three-dimensional image.
Impacts of 3D Imaging on everyday life:
Improved security: Credit cards, ID cards, software and some bank notes include
holograms as a way of trying to prevent forged duplicates being created.
Forgeries dont usually include a hologram as they are difficult and expensive to
reproduce.
Better movie experiences: Hollywood have been using 3D imaging within the
production of movies for many years. These provide the viewer with a much more
immersive experience.
3D movies require viewer to wear special glasses for the effect to take place. The
glasses project two images shot at different angles (one in each type) and your brain
puts them together as one 3D image.
Greater data storage: It is thought that the technology behind holograms will
eventually be used to provide the means to store large amounts of data. Companies
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have already produced discs that use holographic layers that each have the potential
to hold a massive 3.9 terabytes.
This is the equivalent to over 150 standard Blu-ray discs.
What is Virtual Reality?

Virtual reality is where computers are used to create an artificial environments that
users can interact with as if it were real.
Virtual reality is not really meant for gaming purposes. It is used for more serious
purposes such as:
Allowing architects to walk around a virtual version of their design (this gives a better
idea of what the finished building will look like).
Training soldiers in combat (flight simulation, battlefield simulation).
Training surgeons (virtual patients can be operated on to provide experience to trainee
surgeons).
As they walk around the virtual environment, users will experience things in a similar
way to the real world.
For example:
Objects get smaller as you walk away from them (and bigger as you move closer).
The direction of sounds change as you move around.
Objects in the virtual world appear the same dimensions as they would in the real world
(for example, dogs are smaller than us but elephants are bigger).
Equipment needed to create the virtual reality experience includes:
Eye Goggles: These produce the 3D images that make up the artificial world. The goggles
project slightly different views into each eye and this fools your brain into thinking that the
scene is 3D. Virtual chairs look solid and so on.
Special Gloves: The gloves detect your hand and finger movements which are input into a
computer and processed. As users touch or use items in the virtual world, the computer can
carry out these commands and make them happen. This allows the user to interact with the
virtual world and perform tasks such as moving objects or switching on lights, etc.
Headphones: These control what users hear in the virtual world. For example, Distant
sounds will be quieter than sounds that are close by.
Powerful Computer: A very powerful computer is needed to create the virtual environment
and to process/output data sent into the system by the users actions. For example, the
computer produces graphics that appear as walls, outdoor scenes and objects such as trees.
Impacts of Virtual Reality on everyday life:
Improved medical surgeons: Surgeons can be trained using virtual patients. This allows
them to practice over and over until they have perfected a particular surgery without risk to a
real patient.
Larger and stronger buildings: Virtual buildings allow architects to walk around to
experience what the buildings would look like when completed and check for potential errors
before the actual building is constructed.
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Virtual buildings will also be able to be tested against factors such as earthquakes to see
what effects they would have on the current design.
This allows architects to modify designs quickly and cheaply and will, potentially, allow for the
development of march larger and safer buildings than we currently have.
More effective treatment of phobias: VR is being used to help patients overcome phobias
and anxieties. People can experience a tame, controlled version of what they are afraid of.
Slowly the person becomes used to the situation and can relax.
For example, someone might be terrified of spiders and so they could be gradually introduced
to larger and larger virtual spiders (the virtual spiders would be controlled by the therapy team
as well).
Training in dangerous situations: VR can be used for training in dangerous situations
where it is impossible to practice the real thing. For example, a large fire in an office building
could never be set up in reality, but it could in a virtual environment. This will allows workers
to practice emergency evacuation in a safe environment.
More realistic education: VR can give students the opportunity to learn in a much more
interactive way. For example, astronomy students can learn about the solar system by
engaging with the objects in the virtual environment. They could look around stars, move
planets and track the orbits of comets.
This approach is likely to allow students to retain knowledge much better than reading text out
of a book.

What is software to copyright?

Software is protected by copyright laws in the same way as CDs, films, DVDs and
articles from magazines and books are protected.
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When software is supplied on CDs or DVDs, there are certain rules that must be
obeyed:
It is not legal to make software copies and sell it or give it away to a friend or colleague.
Software cannot be used on a network or used on multiple computers unless a licence
has been acquired to allow this to happen.
It is not legal to use coding from the copyrighted software from your own software and
then pass this or sell it as your own without permission of the copyright holder.
Renting out a software package without permission to do so is absolutely illegal.
It is illegal to use the name of the copyrighted software on another software, without
agreement to do so.

What is Software Piracy?

Illegal copies of software produced or developed is called as Software Piracy.
The number of ways in which a software can be protected from software piracy are as
follows:
When software is being installed, the user will be asked to type in the unique reference
number, which was supplied with the original copy of the software.
What is a computer virus?
Virus is a program that replicates itself and is designed to cause harm to a computer
system.
It often causes damage by attaching itself to files, leading to one or more of the
following effects:
Causing the computer to crash (to stop functioning normally), lock-up or stops
responding to other softwares.
Loss of files: Sometimes system files are lost, which leads to computer malfunctioning.
Corruption of data stored in files.
Viruses infect computers through e-mail attachments and through illegal software or
downloading of files from the internet that are infected.
How to protect a system from viruses?
Use up-to-date antivirus software. This detects viruses and then removes all
quarantined (infected) files.
Do not allow illegal software to be loaded onto a computer and dont use illegal
compact disk (CD) or DVD coming from an unknown source.
Only download software and files from the internet only if they are from a reputable
website.
Use firewalls on network to protect against viruses.

What is Hacking?

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Hacking is the act of gaining access to a computer system or network without legal
authorisation; although hackers do this as a form of intellectual challenge, many do it
with the sole intention of causing harm (for example, editing, deleting files, installing
harmful software, executing files in a users directory or even creating a fraud).

How to prevent hacking?

There are various ways in which we can prevent hacking:
Firewall
Firewalls provide a shield between your computer and the internet. A firewall can block
unwanted data from reaching your computer. They can also stop your computer from
connecting to unwanted websites.
User ID and Robust Password
A User ID is usually a word or a number that identifies a particular user as they logon to
the computer system.
User IDs give people access to certain are or files within the computer.
Robust should be password (hard to guess). It should be made up of a combination of
letters, numbers and special characters and must be changed regularly.
More robust password is even harder to guess for the hackers.
Data Encryption
Encryption makes the files on your system unreadable. If the user does not know the
password to un-encrypt the data, then, if someone tries to read an encrypted file, they
will just see random junk instead of the real data.
What is the effect of ICT on employment?
Effect of ICT on employment include:
Automation in factories (Robots doing the work of the people).
Increased need for highly trained ICT specialist.
Increase teleworking (work from home).
Decreased need for labour intensive workers (filing, printing, etc).
Decrease in face to face meeting as video conferences can be held over the internet
(reduced travel time and cost).
Need for workers to be trained more frequently (to keep up with the changes in ICT).
Areas where jobs have been created:
ICT has brought new jobs to the world which include
Network Managers and Technicians. These jobs have been created due to the need
for big computer network within companies. Network Managers make sure that
computers on the network run smoothly and are secure.
Web Designing:The internet has seen a huge demand for both commercial and
personal websites. Web designers create these sites and keep them upto date.
System Analyst:They are responsible for designing new systems and maintaining it.
Programmers:Create all the softwares that can be used on a computer.This is a huge
industry and produces things like: Operating System,Application Sofware (Word, Excel,
computer games, etc).
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Engineers: Are needed to build the high tech computers that we use everyday.
Describe the areas where jobs have been lost.
Unfortunately, ICT has also caused loss of jobs in certain areas:
Manual Repetitive Jobs :Factory manufacturing, spraying, wielding, packing and
assembling have seen robots replacing humans.
Robots are replacing people because they can do the same job much faster, then can
work 24 X 7 and they do not require wages.
Shop Work :Online stores such as Amazon has caused reduction in the number of
shops found on our high streets.
More and more people are shopping online because they are generally cheaper and
they can get goods delivered at their door steps.
Bank Cashiers:Use of ATMs have reduced needs of the bank cashier.
Office Work Traditional office work such as typist have been replaced by computers.
One person who knows how to use a word processor and database does that work.
Telephone Exchange:Telephone operators have been replaced by computer systems
that make telephone connections automatically.
Library Work:With the launch of E-Books, the future of traditional libraries could be at
risk. People can easily download Electronic Books instead of visiting a library.
What is the effect of Microprocessor controlled chip?
A microprocessor is a tiny CPU built onto a single chip.
Microprocessors are put into electronic devices to control how they function.
Microprocessor devices affect our lives in different ways.
Including our homes, our leisure time, how we interact socially, etc.
They even have an effect on our needs when we actually leave our homes.
Effect of microprocessor in our homes:
Any electronic device in our house that needs to be controlled in some way, is likely to contain
a microprocessor.
Computer System: A desktop (PC) or laptop will contain a microprocessor called
CPU, which controls all the processing in the computer.
Washing Machine: A washing machine contains a microprocessor to control things
like:water temperature valves to let water in pumps to let water out, etc
Alarm system: The microprocessor inside a burglar alarm to detect intruders and they
also set the alarm on or off. Some even contact the police for you automatically.
Heating system: Uses microprocessor to control time when the heating is switched
on or off, keeping a constant temperature. Some can even make a temperature
different from room to room.
Ovens or Fridges: The microprocessor inside intelligent ovens can read the bar
codes automatically and then automatically set the temperature and heating time.
Intelligent fridge can read the bar code on the food and determine the use-by (expiry)
dates. Food that is stale is automatically moved to the front of the fridge, so that it can
be consumed first.
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Effect of microprocessor on leisure time

Microprocessor controlled devices allow us to do the daily tasks (chorus) quicker. This
gives us more time for leisure.
For example, if you set the washing machine to wash and then dry our clothes, we can
meanwhile read a book or watch a movie.
Other ways in which microprocessor can affect are:
Working on the move:Laptops, PDAs, mobile phones, tablets, etc allows us to work
on the move, which means we get to enjoy more free time.
For example, we could complete our work for the evening using a laptop in the train.
This means that we do not need to do it at home.
More time spent gaming:There has been a huge increase in the demand for gaming
over the last twenty years. More and more people spend large amount of free time
playing the latest games.
Increased leisure time:Microprocessor in household appliances can make sure that
the task is completed without you actually being there.
Lack of fitness:Because microprocessors controlled devices are doing maximum of
our household work and office work for us, we do not do much of the manual work,
hence there is loss of fitness.
Before we had washing machines, doing the laundry was a tough task, we had to wash
them ourselves on the washing line. Now, all we need to do is, put the clothes in the
machine and press start.
Increased fitnessBecause microprocessor controlled devices can reduce the amount
of time to complete our everyday tasks, we are left with more free time to do the things
we want. Some people spend extra time in the gym getting fit.
Effect of microprocessor on social interaction
Microprocessor controlled devices like computers and mobile phones have made it
easier to contact and stay in touch with family and friends.
For example, if we want to chat with a friend, we can either call or text them on a
mobile, skype them, chat on MSN or even e-mail.
Mobile phones: allows us in many ways to interact and chat with friends and family,
these ways include email facilities, text and SMS, accessing social networking sites
and interacting their instant messaging. Accessing chat rooms and chatting there.
Social Networking sites Social networking sites are growing more and more popular
as a way to keep in contact with friends.
VOIP service such as SKYPE: Skype is known as VOIP (Voice Over Internet
Protocol) service which allows you to make very cheap phone calls over the internet.
Skype is useful if you want to talk to someone in another country as the prices are very
cheap.
E-Mails: E-mails are quick and easy and allows us to send or receive messages no
matter where we are in the world, at the click of a button.
Effect of microprocessor on the need to leave the home
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ICT has progressed to a point where it would be possible to never leave your home. Many
everyday tasks can be carried out from home using microprocessor controlled devices.
Online Shopping (E-Commerce):Goods can be ordered over the internet and
delivered to your doorstep. Any device that allows you to connect to the internet can
be used to shop online. For example, Super market entertainment business (DVD,
games, etc)
Teleworking (working from home)Many people work from home and use ICT:
To perform tasks and contact their clients, colleagues, etc
Teleworking requires the following equipment:
Computer (laptop)
Internet connection
E-mail facility
Video Conferencing software
Entertainment We can entertain ourselves very easily by using microprocessor
devices and internet. For example: Youtube, Gaming, social networking sites, chat
rooms, downloading MP3, downloading and watching DVDs.
Online Banking:Banking can now be carried online. We can perform the task without
actually visiting the bank. These tasks are like transferring money, paying bills, setting
up new accounts and apply for loans.
Research can be carried out using a computer with an internet connection. We can
find the following information online:
o Bus, train timetable
o Shop opening times
o Movie show times
o Information for school assignments, etc
What are the capabilities of ICT devices?
ICT devices and systems are capable of performing more tasks. Some of these are:
Speed: Computers perform tasks very fast. Some CPUs can execute billions of
instructions per second.
Accuracy: If programmed properly, computers are capable of performing the task
100% accurately.
Multitasking: Computers are able to perform many tasks at the same time.
Repetitive Task: Computers will carry out repetitive tasks accurately. Humans tend to
get bored and make mistakes.
Networking: Computers are connected together (by LAN, WAN, et) and this allows
them to share resources such as printers as well as data.
Large data storage: Computer databases can store large amounts of data. It can
store all the data including text, number, images, and videos.
Fast searches: Computers can search for stored data extremely fast. For example,
the police can match fingerprints in a database in minutes rather than spend weeks in
searching through printed copies.
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Data Security: Data can be secured by password and encryption.

What are the limitations of ICT?

Following are the limitations of ICT:
Battery life: Portable devices like laptops, PDAs and mobile phones are limited by
their battery life. These devices need to be charged by plugging them into the mains.
Weight: Some portable devices are heavy weight (especially laptops). This does not
make them ideal for carrying around.
Screen and Keyboard size: Smaller devices such as mobile phones and PDAs have
very small screen and keyboards which can cause problems to some people.
Bandwidth: Bandwidth is the speed that data can be transferred over the internet.
Low bandwidth means that large files will take a long time to be transferred.
What are the internet developments?
Web 2.0 : Is the term given to the second generation of internet. The developments
made on web 2.0 focus on giving people the ability to share information online. Some
of these developments are:
Blogs: A blog is an online journal where bloggers write about topics that are important
to them (web blogs).
Blogs can be about anything that the bloggers want to share with other internet users.
Interesting blogs can attract millions of users and web-surfers. Some popular blogs
are:
Mashable
Engadget
Huffington Post
TMZ, etc
Wikis
Wikis are interactive web pages that can be viewed and edited by users.
Anyone with a web browser can visit a wiki and make changes to the content.
Advantages
Information is quickly added as many people collaborate their knowledge.
Disadvantages
Sometimes incorrect information is posted.
Information is not reliable
Digital media sharing websites
These sites help the users to upload images and videos that can be viewed by other people.
Video sharing websites are helping to change the ways in which, we can learn on the
internet. For example, Youtube has large amount of tutorial videos for all the topics.
One of the advantage is that the answers of the videos and images do not need to
waste their hard disk space for storing data. The files are held remotely on website
servers. The best known video sharing website is Youtube and for images is Flickr.

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Social networking websites

These sites create communities of people who can share info about their interest and hobbies
with each other. They also make it easy for people to make new friends and to keep in touch
with each other no matter where they are in the world.
Common features of social networking websites are:
Status updates
Message board
Video Conferencing
Notification
Chat room
Games, etc
The best known social networking websites are:
Facebook
Twitter
Myspace
Instagram
Discuss issues with information on the internet
Internet has many uses. There are some issues that can cause some problems if we
are not careful. These issues are:
Unreliable information:
Just because something written on the internet does not necessarily make it true or
correct.
Anyone can make a website and the information on these websites is never checked or
verified.
Wikis allow anyone to change the information. This means that sometimes what is
written is completely incorrect.
Sometimes websites deliberately set out to fill their pages with incorrect information
just to cause nuisance to people
What are the ways to check that information on website is correct?
Use well known websites that you have heard. For example:
BBC News
Yahoo News
Google News

Use official websites

Verify the information by checking it on different websites. If each one says the same
thing, you can be sure that it is correct.
Try and stay away from sites where anyone can post the information like Ask.com,
Answer.com, Wikipedia.com, etc.

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Use websites that are updated regularly. Fake websites are not usually kept up-to-date
as much.
System Analysis and Design

What is the purpose of System Analysis and Design?

System Analysis is the process of looking at an existing system and then designing a
new system that an carry out the same task better. For example, Payroll System.
What is the System Analysis Part?
This is the existing system getting looked at and suggested ideas implemented.
Existing systems that need to be improved are usually:
Paper based system with no use of computers at all.
Computer based system that is no longer good enough to handle the task.
What is the Design part?
It contains detailed plans for the proposed new system. They help to minimize faults
and errors. These plans are like blueprints for the system.
What are the stages of System Analysis?
There are seven stages:
Research: To study the existing system.
Analysis: Look at the existing system and find improvements.
Design: Plan the proposed new system.
Testing: Create the new system and test it.
Documentation: Create the user guide for everyday users and those who will develop
it further.
Implementation: Place the new system into the Company.
Evaluation: Decide how well the new system is working.
What is Research stage?
In Research stage, information is collected about the present system.
Explain Analysis stage.
Analysis is where the current situation is looked at in detail in order to figure out what
changes need to be made to make the new system better than the old one.
Analysis stage involves the following: Collecting data about the current system.
Find out problems with the current system.
Identify inputs, processing and outputs of the current system.
Identify the requirements of the new system.
Producing a cost benefit analysis.

What are the methods of analysis?

There are four methods of analysis which are used to obtain the information:
Questionaire:
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Prepared questions are given to the users of the system.

Questionnaires usually focus on simple questions and are completed by ticking or
circling options or shading boxes. The questionnaire will contain questions that are
designed to extract useful information about the current system.
E.g. Is this current system easy to use ? (YES/NO)
Advantages
Questions can be answered quickly.
Answers are more honest as the questions can be answered anonymously.
Answers to the questionnaire can be analysed automatically using any OMR.
Disadvantages
People often do not complete or return the questionnaire.
Unclear questions cannot be explained as people are left to answer the questions
alone.
You may get incorrect data if people may have misunderstood the questions.
It is hard to ask very technical or specific questions.
Interview:
Interviews take place time to time and usually involve more detailed questions than
questionnaires. The interviewer talks to people at various levels of business
(Managers, Directors, employees, etc). Different questions might be asked to different
employees, for example, a Manager or Director might be asked questions focused on
the exact requirement of a new system. An employee might be asked how they use
the current system or what are the problems of the current system.
Advantages
In an interview, questions can be explained if they are misunderstood.
More complex questions can be asked which will give more detailed findings.
Questions can be changed to suit who is being interviewed.
Disadvantages
Interviews take far longer time to complete than questionnaires.
Expensive to carry out.
As the person to be interviewed needs to be away from their work, so its expensive.
Answers may not be honest as the person being interviewed cannot remain
anonymous.
Observation
This is where a System Analyst sits and watches somebody using the current system.
By observing, the Analyst can make notes about different facts. E.g., What are the
input proceses or outputs? Are there any errors with the current system?
Advantages
Analyst can see exactly what the current system does well and not so well.
Not expensive to carry out as the employee is not taken away from their work.
Disadvantages
Person being watched may feel uncomfortable and work in a different way to usual.

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Looking at the systems document:

This involves looking at paper work for the current system. The paper work will contain
information needed to implement the new system.
Paper work can include list of stock items, employees pay scale, etc. It also contains
technical documentation.
Advantages
Could save time as there may be copies of previous analysis.
Can see existing inputs, processing and outputs.
Allows the Analyst to predict the size of the system needed by looking at amount of
data that will be required to handle.
Disadvantages
Very expensive as the Analyst will need to be paid for time spent looking at
documentation
Time consuming to look through all of the existing documents
Time could be wasted in existing documentation which is not relevant to the new
system.
Explain Design stage.
Once there is a clear list of requirements for the new system, it is time to design how it
will look and work. The design for the new system have a lot of thoughts to put into
them to try and reduce errors from the system.
Following are the steps included in the design stage:
Designing data entry screens
Designing user interface layouts
Designing printed outputs
Designing screen based outputs
Designing structures to store data
Designing data validation methods
Designing data verification methods
How to design input form?
Much of the data that enters a computer system needs to be typed in. A well designed
on screen input form can make this task easier and quicker.
On screen forms should:
Have all of the necessary fields
Have sufficient place for user input data
Use appropriate controls for each field
Have text box controls that are of the right size for the data
Have easy to understand instructions
Make good use of the screen area available
Different types of controls are:
Text box:Used for normal text input
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Buttons:Used to perform an action

Radio buttons:Used to select an option
Tick/Check boxes:Used to select an option
Drop down menus:Used to select an option from a list

Explain the term Designing of user interface.

User inter contains instructions for user to input data
How to design printed outputs?
Designing printed output is just like designing an onscreen form except that it should fit
on a piece of printed paper rather than on an entire screen.
How to design onscreen outputs?
Designing an onscreen form is similar to designing printed output. There are number
of things that the designer should:
Show all the necessary fields.Have a field that is of the right size for the data.
Have easy to understand instructions

Make good use of the screen area available

Make good use of colours and fonts to make the data clear
E.g., Designing a report in Microsoft Access

How to define data structure?

A data structure is an organised collection of data. It is a database in which data will
be stored as it is being processed. When designing a database, the system designer
needs to consider:
The type of data being stored (e.g., number, text, date, etc).
The size of the data (exact field size).
The field names to use.
How many records will be needed to store.
The designer also needs to consider which backing storage device will be suitable to
store data.
The designer also considers the different files and folders to store the data.
Validation Check

Description

Example

Presence check

Checks that data has been

entered and not missed out.

If a user missed out required data (such as

post code), system not allow them to proceed.

Length check

Checks that the correct

number of characters has
been entered.

If a date field requires the user to enter eight

digits (DD/MM/YYYY), then the user must
enter all the 8 digits or else the system rejects
the data entered.

Range check

Checks whether numbers lie Persons age must be within the range of > 0
in certain ranges.
and < 120.
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Limit check

Checks whether data entered

is above or
below specified limits.
A learner drivers age must be > 17.

Format check

Checks if data entered is in Date must be entered in the format of

specific format.
DD/MM/YYYY.

Data type check

Checks if entered data Pure number fields such as distance,

contains invalid characters.
temperature, etc., ought to restrict text from

Checks whether data in one Suppose Male is entered in Gender field, the
field is consistent with data in persons Name cannot start with Mrs..
What are the different validation checks?
Validation is a process where data is checked to see if it satisfies certain criteria when
input into a computer. For example, to see if the data falls within accepted boundaries.
The computer system is programmed with the list of checks that it can use to compare
to the data that the user enters. If the user tries to enter something that does not
match up with the checks of the validation, the system will not accept the data. These
checks are often called validation rules.
Consistency check

What is Verification and what are different methods of verification?

Verification is a way of making sure that data being entered into the system exactly
matches the source of the data.
There are two methods of verification:
Double Entry:This is the method where data is entered twice by two different people.
The computer compares the two entries and lets the user know if it finds any
difference.
Visual Check:This is the method where the person entering data into the computer
system, carefully compares what he has entered, with the data in the original
document.
How to test the system ? (4th stage)
Once the system has been created, it needs to be tested thoroughly. A test plan is
usually written whilst the system is being developed. The test plan will contain every
single thing that needs to be tested. For example, does the system open or close
properly? can be data be entered? can data be saved? when you something wrong
does an error appear? is invalid data rejected? etc.,
A typical test plan contains:
Details of what is being tested
The test data to use
What is expected to happen when test is performed.
When is the system tested?
Tested is normally done in two stages:

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The first phase is done by the designers and engineers usually before the system is
delivered to the users. This testing is known as alpha testing.
The second phase of testing is done when the system is delivered and installed. This
testing is known as beta testing.

What are the testing criteria?

There are three criteria for testing:
Normal data values:This is data that could be normally entered in system. The
system should accept it, process it and we can check the results that are output to
make sure they are correct. For example, in the range of 1-20,6,7,19,18,15 are normal
data values.
Extreme data values:Extreme values are normal data values. However, the values
are to be at the absolute limits of the normal range. Extreme values are used in testing
to make sure that all normal values will be accepted and processed correctly. For
example, in the range of 1-20, 1 and 20 are the extreme data values.
Abnormal data values:This is data that should not normally be accepted by the
system. The values are invalid, hence the system should reject any abnormal values.
Abnormal values are used in testing to make sure that invalid data does not break the
system.
What is documentation and what are the types of documentation?
Documentation is a list of instructions to use the system.
There are two types of documentation:
User Documentation
The user documentation is intended to help the user of the system.
The users are usually non-technical people who do not need to know how the system
works. They just need to know how to use the system. User documentation usually
includes:
List of minimum hardware and software required to use the system.
How to start and stop the system.
How to use the features of the system.
Examples of inputs and outputs.
Explanation of any error messages that might be shown.
A troubleshooting guide.
Technical Documentation
The technical documentation is intended to help the maintainers of the system (the
people, who need to keep the system work smoothly).
The maintainers are usually technical people, who need to know exactly how the
system works.

Technical documentation usually includes:

Details of the hardware and software required for the system.
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Details of data structures (data type, field name, etc).

Details of expected inputs.
Details of validation checks.
Details of how data is processed.
Diagrams showing how data moves through the system.
Flow charts describing how the system works.

What is implementation and what are the methods of implementation?

There are four methods of implementation:
Direct changeover
Parallel running
Phased implementation
Pilot running
Direct Changeover
In this method, old system is stopped completely and the new system is started. All of
the data that used to be input into the old system, now goes into the new system.
Advantages
Takes minimum time and effect.
Faster way of implementation.
We only have to pay, one set of workers who are working on the new method.
The new system is up and is run immediately.
Disadvantages
If the new system fails, there is no backup system, hence data can be lost.
All the staff need to be trained before the change, which may be hard to plan.
Parallel Running
In this method, the new system is started, but the old system is kept running
simultaneously for a while. All of the data that is input into the old system, is also input
into the new system.
The old system is run alongside the new system for a period of time, until, all the
people involved with the new system are happy as it is working as desired.
The old system is then switched off and all the work is done entirely in the new system.
Advantages
If anything goes wrong with the new system, the old system will act as a backup.
The outputs from the old and new system can be compared to check that the new
system is running correctly or not.
It allows time for the staff to be trained gradually.
If the new system fails, then no data or information is lost.
Disadvantages
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Entering data into two systems and running two systems together makes a lot of extra
time and efforts.
It is very expensive as we need to pay for both the staff monitoring the system.

Phased Implementation
In this method, the new system is introduced in phases i.e., step by step, gradually
replacing parts of the old system until, eventually the new system has taken over.
Advantages
Allows user to gradually get used to the new system.
Staff training can be done in stages.
If the new system fails, you only need to go back to the latest phase and do not have to
review the whole system.
Only need to pay for the work to be done once.
Disadvantages
If a part of the new system fails, there is no backup system, so data can be lost.
It can take long time before the whole system is implemented.
There is a cost in evaluating each phase, before implementing the rest.
It is only suitable for systems consisting of separate modules.
Pilot Running
In this method, the new system is first of all, piloted (trial run) in one part of the
business or organisation. For example, in just one department or section. Once the
pilot system is running successfully, the new system is introduced to all the parts of the
organisation.
Advantages
All features of the new system can be fully run on trial.
If something goes wrong with the new system, only one part of the organisation is
affected.
The staff who were part of the the pilot system, can help to train the other staff.
There is plenty of time available to train the staff.
The implementation is on a smaller and more manageable scale.
Disadvantages
For the department working on the pilot, there is no backup system if it malfunctions.
It can take a long time to implement the system across the whole organisation.
If the system fails in one of the sections, data can be lost.
What is Evaluation?
Evaluation is the stage where the system is completed with the objects which was set by the
Analysts in the analysis stage.
The output from the old and new system can be compared.
It is measured on the basis of objectives and the system is considered to be a success
if the objectives are met.
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How to evaluate the system?

The System Analyst will use a number of techniques to evaluate the system:
Checks against the requirements of the new system.
Checks the users responses such as:
Do they like the system?
Does it make their work easier? etc.,
To evaluate the system the Analyst will:
Compare the final solution with the original requirements.
Identify any limitations in the system.
Identify any necessary improvements that need to be made.
Evaluate the users responses using the system.
Compare the results from the new system, with the old system.
Compare the performance of the new system with the old system.
Measure the time taken to complete the task, comparing old with new.
Interview users to gather responses about how well the new system works.
Seeing if cost efficiencies have been made.

Communication Applications
Describe Communication Applications
There are several communication applications that make use of ICT technology
Flyers, posters, brochures and newsletters
Flyers and posters are very easily created using some of the commonly available softwares
like Word Processing and Desktop publishing. Flyers and posters often contain photos which
may have been taken or downloaded from the internet. The following outlines the steps that
are generally followed to make a document on a computer:
open one of the softwares as mentioned above
create frames, boxes and/or text boxes
take photos, if necessary using a camera
upload the images from the camera/CD/DVD or downloaded photos fromm the internet
save the photos to a file
import or copy and paste the photos into the document
edit the photos and import from a file or type any required text
Brochures
They are generally used to advertise a company or its products. While these can be prepared
on a normal computer and printed on a laser printer, it is advisable to go to a specialist
company who use specialised computer and print the outputs on glossy paper resulting in a
better final product.
Brochures and flyers are generally sent out to households in a given area so that the target
audience gets to know about the compay and/or products. Another option generally used is
to insert them inside magazines and newspapers. However, the disadvantage of both these
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methods is that these documents might be thrown away unless they actually catch the eye to
the readers and offer something interesting or tangible.
Single sheet of documents are called as flyers or leaflets and booklets or multiple sheets of
documents are called are brochures.
Posters
They are usually much larger and displayed on buildings, noticeboards or advertising
hoardings.
Newsletters are produced by companies or clubs using the methods mentioned above. They
generally contain local information which is read by company employees or club members.
The content is specific to the organisation and may contain:
advertisng by other companies
fundraising events or their successes by employees or club members
news events, like certain achievements by that organisation
marraiges, deaths and births of employees or their family members, club members
Websites
With the advent of the internet, companies tend to advertise in the virtual world rather than on
paper through the development of their own website or advertise on another companys
website.
Using the first option would mean hiring web designers and developers or go to a company
specialised in doing this kind of work. Add to it there are costs involved for purchasing the
hardware and software to develop the website, storage of the website, prevent the sight from
being hacked by employing IT security experts. However, the biggest advantage of a website
is that the company gets world wide audience and there is no need to keep spending on
paper, delivery of the leaflets and flyers, etc.
There are pros and cons to both these options and it is company which has to take a call what
suits best for them
Advantages
Sound/video/animation can be added
cant be defaced or discarded away
can be seen by a global audience
links to other websites/hyperlinks can be made
buttons to navigate or move around the website which provides more information
hit counters which provide how many people have visited the website with details of cities,
countries from where the hits have come
use of hotspots
It is very easy to update a website and immediately it is visible to the global audience
Disadvantages
It becomes necessary for the customers to have a computer and internet connection.
There is a risk of the websites being hacked and modified or viruses and trojans introduced.
There is a possibility for customers to go to undesirable websites (due to accident or as a
result of hacking) which can lead to distrust among customers
As it is a global system, it is very difficult to target the right audience by advertising on the
website
The website needs to be maintained once it is set up, which can prove to be expensive
Multimedia Presentations
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Any presentation that uses animation, video, sound or music are generally more interesting
than a standard presentation done on slides or paper.
The presentations are produced using one of the many commercial software applications
available in the market and then using a multimedia projector the whole audience is able to
seee the presentation.
Advantages
The use of transition effects allows a presentation to display facts in a logical manner.
It is possible to make them interactive or hyperlinks built into the presentation, which means
that the presentation could access the companys website or even key files stored on the
cloud.
The presentation can be interactive.
Use of sound and animation or video effects are more likely to grab the attention of the
audience. Moreover, this makes the presentation more easy to understand
As links to websites and other external systems like is possible, the presentations can be
tailored to suit a particular audience.
Disadvantages
Whenever the presentation is given it is necessary to have internet access.
One needs special equipment which can prove to be expensive for many companies.
Equipment failure can prove to be disastrous when giving multimedia presentations.
Often the presentation can turn out to be bad if it contains too many animation effects and/or
too much text or images.
When using a multimedia presentation, there is a danger that the focus is on the medium i.e.
on the multimedia presentation itself rather than the facts or message which you want to
convey.
Paper based presentations
It is always possible to produce presentations in a hardcopy format rather than the system just
described.
Advantages
the recipients can read the presentation at any time as per their convenience
the recipients always have a permanent copy which they can refer at their will
disabled people dont have to go to the venue to see the presentations
moreover, it is possible to print it out in Braille for the benefit of blind people
Disadvantages
there are no special effects like sound, video, animation, etc
there are printing costs for paper, ink, etc
the presentation needs to be distributed through some method
Music scores
The generation of music and the production of the music scores can now be done by
computer systems with the appropriate software. Some of the features of this technology
includes but not limited to:
electronic instruments like guitars and organs can be played back through electronic effects
machines
music samplers and mixers allow the original tracks that were recorded earlier to be modified
in any way one wants
synthesisers combine simple wave forms to produce complex music creations
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electronic organs can mimic any other instrument

the music score can be generated from the music itself using software
software can automatically correct music notes in a score
there is no real need to understand music notation to write a music score
music notes are automatically printed out in the correct format.
Cartoons
Animations can be created using computer software and hardware. With 3-D animation,
objects are designed on a computer and a 3-D skeleton or framework or basic structure is
produced. The parts of the skeleton are moved by the animator using key frames (these
frames define the starting point and ending point to give a smooth animation effect). The
difference in the appearance of the skeleton on these key frames is automatically calculated
by the software and is known as tweeningor morphing. In the final stage, using a technique
called rendering, a realistic image is made.
Cartoons can also be freehand drawings and then scanned or computer generated.
Further, just like any form of communication, cartoons should not offend anybody and at the
same time, it is necessary to make sure that cartoons dont become the main feature so that
the actual message is lost.
Mobile Phones
Mobile phones communicate by using towers inside many cells networked together to cover
large areas. The towers allow the transmission of data throughout the mobile phone network.
Each tower transmits within its own cell; if you are driving a car and get to the edge of a cell,
the mobile phone signal starts to weaken. This is recognised by the network and the mobile
phone then picks up the signal in one of the adjacent cells. If a person is making a call or
sending a text to somebody in a different country then satellite technology is used to enable
the communication to take place.
Mobile phone technology can now be used by computers and tablets. A plug-in-device (using
one the available USB ports) or SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) card allows the computer to
connect to the mobile phone network. This then allows access to the internet.
Advantages
The phone can be used to make phone calls from any locationn within the cellular network.
It is easier to keep in contact with co-workers at the office no matter where you are.
There is no need to look for an operational public telephone in an emergency.
It is possible to conduct business or personal phone calls on the move.
As they allow text messaging:
it is quicker and less expensive than making phone calls
they employ predictive texting where the system completes a word from the first few letters
keyed in e.g. key in compl and the phone completes the word as complete. This allows the
system to remember frequently used words together they increase typing speed
text messages can be sent at any time of the day or night even if the recipients phone is
switched off.
Mobile phones allow access to the internet on the move using either the cellular network or a
Wi-Fi hot spot.

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Internet Telephony
The most common form of internet telephony i.e., having a telephone conversation via the
internet is Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).
VoIP is a method to talk to people using the internet. The sound which is picked up the
computer microphone is converted into discrete digital packets in VoIP and sent to their
destination via the internet. The biggest advantages of VoIP is that it is either free (if both
parties use computers to converse) or charged at a local rate to any call in the world (when
VoIP is used to communicate with a mobile or land line instead of a computer). Ofcourse, you
will need a broadband connection to work in real time. The main problem is sound quality in
the form of echos and strange sounds. Security is also a concern with VoIP, just as it is with
other internet technologies.
One of the big advantage of VoIP is using it can be used as a video chat using the built-in
webcam. While this may not be a very sophisticated way of video chat, it is much cheaper as
it uses the computers built-in microphones, speakers and webcams. However, if you want to
improve the video quality, use an expensive webcam, which connects to the computers USB
ports.
Business cards and letterheads
Many IT companies offer to produce business cards and letterheads to any design. The user
connects to an appropriate website and they will given a number of business card templates.
The user chooses a template and keys in data such as
name of the company
contact details
image wanted on the business card
The final version of the business card is then shown. The customer places their order and the
business cards are printed and delivered.
Business cards are handed out to people as a form of personal advertisement. The use of IT
(in this case, a website) has made this a much easier task. Business cards are less likely to
be thrown away since they are seen as personal contact. It is also possible to include
additional information on the reverse of the card this could be further advertising of the
companys products or it could be advertising another company.
Many of the advantages of having business cards are similar to the advantages of using
headed stationery.
The same format used on the business cards can be adopted on a company letterhead. This
helps to project a corporate image. As with business cards, these pages can be printed on
high quality paper using a laser printer.
Flyers and brochures can be produced using the same design/logo so it becomes clear to the
customer that all the communication has come from one company.
There are various advantages to a company in using corporate letterheads produced by a
printing website:
legal reasons (it helps if there are any legal actions taken legitimate documents using the
company letterhead is regarded as proof of actual communication)
can make the company appear larger than it is (this could give a degree of confidence to
potential customers)
professionalism (gives a degree of credibility to the company)
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helps to make the company stand out (will tend to have more impact than white sheets of
paper with a typed company heading)
brand/company awareness (advertises the company by using the same designs on all
products)
advertising (the letterhead can contain many useful pieces of information to advertise the
company).

Which are the measurement or measuring applications?

These types of applications involve use of various types of sensors and other hardware like
microprocessors. The sensors that are used generally take light intention, rate of rotation,
temperature, etc. As the data is usually in analogue form, they are sent to an Analogue to
Digital Converter (ADC) to turn the data into digital format. This conversion is necessary as
microprocessors and computers only understand digital data.
The term analogue means the data varies constantly and has no discrete values. For
example, the height of mercury in a thermometer to represent temperature.
The term digital refers to discrete data which is made up of binary values 0 and 1. However,
when you to need control devices like pumps, heaters, valves, etc., the data or signals (i.e. a
series of 1s and 0s) from the computer needs to be converted back to an analogue form (e.g.
electric signals) using a Digital to Analogue Converter (DAC).
After conversion of the data, the data is sent to microprocessor where it is processed.
However, in measuring applications, microprocessors are programmed to only review the
data from the sensors (often comparing it to the data which is stored in memory) and update
their files and sometimes giving a warning signal if the values are outside the given
parameters. The microprocessor do not take any action to change any of the data or
conditions during the measurement process.
Common examples of measuring applications are:
measuring a patients vital signs in a hospital
monitoring of pollution
weather stations
burglar alarm systems
scientific experiments (e.g., taking light intensity).
Weather Stations
Weather stations are generally setup to automatically gather data from the environment.
They are mostly unmanned and use a variety of sensors to measure:
temperature
wind speed
rainfall
humidity
barometric pressure (air pressure)
wind direction
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The data is gathered 24 / 7 (i.e. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week). This data is then used by
weather forecasters to help predict the weather for the next few days or even take a more
long term view by looking at past and current weather patterns.
Measuring a patients vital signs in a hospital
Using a computer to measure the key vital signs of a patient in a hospital, can be seen in the
following steps:
sensors read key vital signs such as heart rate, temperature, blood pressure, respiration,
pulse rate, etc
the data from the sensors are converted into digital format using an Analogue to Digital
Converter (ADC)
the data is stored in the computers memory
the computer compares the data from the sensors with the values stored in its memory (these
are usually fed in advance either by the nurse or doctor for a given patient)
the results are displayed on a screen in the form of graphs and/or numerical readouts
an alarm is activated if any of the data is outside acceptable input values
the system continues to measure the patients vital signs until the computer is switched off.
Measuring Pollution in a river
The below steps show how a computer can be used to measure pollution in a river:
the sensors are placed in atleast two different positions to do a pollution comparison at
various points
the data from the sensors are converted into digital form using an ADC and sent to a
computer
the computer stores the data received
the acidity levels and oxygen levels are compared with the historical data stored in computer
databases and they are also compared with preset levels stored in the databases.
the oxygen and acidity levels from the different positions in the river are also compared to see
if they are similar. This sometimes help to find the source of pollution.
The data stored in the computer can now be transferred either by copying this to a
CD/DVD/USB media and taken away for further processing and analysis or the computer can
connected to a LAN/WAN network or internet and transmit the data back automatically to the
monitoring station.
Other types of sensors such as light sensors (to check whether there are solids or chemicals
in the water blocking out light) or temperature sensors (to check the temperature of water at
different points which might disturb the marine life in the river), can also be used.
Advantages of using a computer for measurement applications
The computers response time is very fast (which is very important in the hospital monitoring
system).
The computer does not forget to take readings.
Scientists, Doctors, nurses, etc., can carry on with other tasks whilst the measurements are
being taken automatically and precisely.
The readings are generally more accurate than when taken manually.
There is a huge cost saving the in the long run, as lesser staff are needed since the
measurements are now being done by computer (which in turn reduced wage bill).

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It could also be safer to use sensors since whatever is being measured may have potential
hazards (e.g., Chemicals in the river which might result in skin rashes, etc or a nurse being
infected with an infectious disease while continuously looking after a patient).
Computers can be programmed to produce graphs automatically for faster analysis of results.
Computers can measure data 24 hours X 7 days without tiring out.
Due to this the readings can be taken more frequently using sensors and computers.
Disadvantages of using a computer for measurement applications
If the computer malfunctions or if there are frequent power cuts, then a computer cannot be
used. Due to this, there should be proper backup procedures in place to over this eventuality.
The computer cannot respond to unusual circumstances.
A student doing an experiment using a computer for measurement and analysis, may not
learn as much using a computer system.
The initial cost to setup the measuring software and computer is usually very high.

Describe Modelling Applications

A computer model is the creation of a model of a real system in order to study the behaviour
of the whole system. The model is computer generated and is based on mathematical
representations.
The idea behind developing the model is to try to find out what mechanisms control how a
system behaves. This makes it possible to predict the behaviour of the system in the future
and also see if it is possible to influence this future behaviour.
Computer models are used because they can help find a solution more quickly and can be
considerably safer while at the same time saving money and time.
Traffic Light Simulation
A set of traffic lights are to be modelled at a Y-junction:
In this computer model, it is necessary to consider:
How and what data needs to be collected?
The success (or failure) of a computer model depends on how realistic the model is. Hence,
data needs to be collected for a considerable period of time by watching traffic at the Yjunction. This is best done by using induction loop sensors which count the number of
vehicles at each junction. Collecting data manually is possible but is prone to errors and is
also difficult to do over an 18-hour period per day (for example). The type of data that would
need to be collected or considered for collection would be as follows:
a count of the number of vehicles passing through the junction in all directions at all differing
times of the day
the day of the week (weekends, bank holidays, public holidays, etc., can alter how the data
need to be interpreted)
how long it takes a vehicle to clear the junction
how long it takes the slowest vehicle to pass through the junction
whether there are any pedestrian crossings, etc., nearby

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whether there are other factors which might affect the junction (e.g. left turns, right turns,
filtering, etc.).

How the computer model is carried out?

Data from the above list is entered into the computer database and the computer model is
run. Once the designers are satisfied that it simulates the real situation accurately (i.e., by
comparing results obtained with actual traffic flow from a number of data sets), then different
scenarios can be tried out. For example:
increase the number of vehicles stopped at part of the junction and then change the timing of
the lights to see how the traffic flow is altered
increase or decrease traffic flow in all directions
consider how emergency vehicles affect traffic flow at different times of the day
vary the timing of the lights and see how the traffic flow is affected.
How the system would work in real life?
Sensors in the road gather data and count the number of vehicles at the junction.
This data is sent to a control box or to a computer.
The gathered data is compared to data stored in the system (the stored data is based on
model predictions which were used to optimise the traffic flow).
The control box or computer decides what action needs to be taken.
Signals are sent out to the traffic lights to change their timing if necessary.
Why are computer models done (in general terms)?
With computer models it is much easier to try out various scenarios in advance.
Time scales are reduced by doing a computer model rather than the real thing (some
applications would take before a result is known e.g. climate change calculations, population
growth, etc.).
They are less expensive than having to build the real thing (e.g., a bridge!).
On many occasions it is safer to run a computer model (some real situations are hazardous
e.g., chemical processes).
Other examples of computer models include: training pilots and drivers, running chemical and
nuclear plants, crash testing of cars, financial modelling, weather predictions, population
growth and modelling queues at checkouts.
1. Describe Automatic Teller Machine in banking application?
Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) are places where customers can withdraw cash or can
carry out certain other banking activities like order a statement, get a mini statement, change
ATM Pin, etc) using their credit or debit cards.
The following series of steps shows how a typical ATM works:
ATMs however have a few disadvantages:
they are often in places where theft can take place at night
bogus ATMs can be set up to gather information about the card and retain the card
some banks charge customers for the use of ATMs
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ATMs can be tempored with to get hold of customers card information and PIN.
2. What is Internet Banking?
Internet banking should have good and property security from hackers, etc., as it allows
transfer of sums of money between accounts, payment of bills, ordering of statements, etc.
This is particularly beneficial to people who are unable to visit bank during their normal
business hours or if they are suffering from disabilities which makes them travelling to the
bank difficult. Thus, all the advantages of working from home are available with internet
banking. However, there are disadvantages of using the internet for internet banking. As the
amount of online shopping and banking increases, there is a significant impact on society.
Online shopping and banking means that more and more people are staying at home to buy
goods and services, manage their bank accounts and book holidays, etc. This is all done
using a computer which is connected to the internet and some form of electronic payment
(usually a credit or debit card).
The following lines lists the advantages and disadvantages of online banking and online
shopping using the internet
As there is considerable overlap between the advantages and disadvantages of online
banking and online shopping, these are both considered together here.
Advantages of online shopping and banking
There is no longer a need to travel to the town centre thus reducing costs i.e., money for fuel,
bus fares, etc., and wasting of time; it also helps to reduce congestion at town centre, banks
and stores and also pollution.
Disabled and elderly people can now access any store or bank without leaving the comforts of
their home, which is of great benefit to them; it help them to be part of the society since they
can now do all the things which are taken for granted by able-bodied people.
As is online, banking and shopping can be done at any time on any day of the week (i.e. 24/7)
this is particularly helpful to the working class, as the shops/banks would normally be closed
when they finish their work.
Users now have access to a worldwide market and can thus look for products that are
cheaper; this is obviously less expensive and less time consuming than having to shop
around by conventional methods; they also have access to a much wider choice of goods.
The banks and shops save money by not having as many staff working for them (which
means reduced wage bill) or hiring of high street premises (resulting in reduction in rental
costs) these savings are often passed on to customer in the form of lower interest rates,
cheaper goods or higher rates on interest for savers.
Many people find it less embarrassing to ask for a bank loan using the internet rather than
enduring face-to-face discussion with bank staff.
Quite often there are long queues at the banks or checkout counters at the shops, so internet
banking saves time.
People can spend more time doing other things e.g. going shopping to the supermarket
probably took up a lot of their time; by doing this online (e.g. setting up repeat items), people
are now free to do more leisure activities.
Disadvantages of online shopping and banking
It is easier to make errors with online banking and transfer money incorrectly to different
accounts.

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It is necessary to have a computer or a smart phone and pay for the internet to take part in
online shopping and banking.
Security issues are a major concern (e.g., hacking, stealing of credit card details, etc) as are
viruses and other malware (e.g. phishing, pharming, etc).
Accidentally using a fraudulent bank or shopping websites is always a risk and this is linked to
security issues.
There is a possibility of isolation and lack of socialisation if people stay indoors to do all their
shopping and banking.
There are possible health risks associated with online banking and shopping because of lack
of exercise; if people physically go shopping then they are getting some exercise.
Unlike high street shopping, a shopper only gets to see a picture of the goods and not able to
get the look and feel of the goods; which might not portray the exact size, colour, etc of the
goods before buying them; you also have to wait for several days for the goods to arrive;
returning goods is also expensive.
High street shops and banks are closing due to the increase in online shopping and banking,
leading to ghost towns forming.
Effects on companies due to the spread of online shopping and banking
Companies and other organisations have also got affected due to the growth of ICT and
online shopping and banking. A few of them have been given below:
as the internet is global, the potential customer base has increased
there will be some increased costs, because of the need to retrain existing staff and the need
to employ more staff in dispatch departments
as there is very little or no customer-employee interaction, this could lead to a drop in
customer loyalty which in turn could lead to loss of customers (this could also because of the
lack of personal service associated with online shopping and banking)
banks also need to employ fewer security staff which has a cost benefit
robberies are less likely due to the decrease in the number of high street banks
there are also costs due to the setting up and maintaining of the websites to enable online
shopping and banking.
3. What is Telephone Banking?
Telephone banking is similar to internet banking with the main difference being that it uses the
telephone instead of the computer.
With this system, the customer calls the bank using a telephone. The sequence of steps are
as follows:
the customer keys in their account number
they are then requested to enter a four-digit PIN or selected numbers from their PIN
the customer will then hear various options, which might include:
press 1 to pay a bill
press 2 to carry out a money transfer
press 3 for your account balance
press 4 to talk to one of our representatives
the customer chooses one of the options (either by pressing the correct key, or some systems
ask the customer to speak the number this relies on voice recognition).
Just like internet balance, customers are able to:
check their balances anywhere in the world
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pay bills or transfer money to another account

talk with a bank representative
The advantages of telphone banking are similar to internet banking but with this system there
is not need to have a computer and its possible to talk to an actual human being. Many
people find this a more attractive proposition.
However, compared to internet banking, it can be much slower (there may be a long queue
before you can talk to somebody) and the options can be a little more complex to navigate.
But it can also quicker if your computer isnt switched on at the time and you only want a
balance enquiry.
4. Describe Chip and PIN
Many credit and debit cards are equipped with a chip as well as magnetic stripe this
contains key information such as the PIN.
This system provides enhanced security since it is better than relying only on a signature.
When paying for items using a chip and PIN card, a form of electronic funds transfer
(EFT) takes place. Lets say a customer goes to a store to buy groceries using a chip and PIN
card:
The PIN is entered using the keypad.
The card is checked to see if it is valid (check on expiry date, whether a stolen card is being
used, etc).
The PIN is read from the chip on the card and is compared to the one just keyed in.
If they match, the transaction can proceed. If this is the third attempt at entering PIN, then the
transaction is terminated.
The stores bank contacts the customers bank.
A check is made on whether they have enough funds.
If the card is not valid or there arent enough funds available, then the transaction is
terminated.
If everything is found OK, then the transaction is authorised.
An authorisation code is sent to the store.
The price of the goods is then deducted from the customers account.
The same amount of money is then added to the stores bank account.
A receipt is produced as proof of purchase.
5. Describe how Clearing of Cheques works
Here you will see how banks clear cheques using a centralised clearing centre.
Lets say Sam has an account with Great Bank and he issues a cheque for $100 to a
company called ABC Ltd., who have account with Keith Bank. How is the ABC bank account
credited with $100?
Well, first of all, the cheque is sent by ABC Bank to a centralised clearing centre. The cheque
is processed by the clearing centre by first passing through a reader/sorter machine. The
machine automatically reads:
the amount on the cheque
the code line containg the account number, sort code and cheque number.
All the cheques are then sorted using their sort codes (which is a unique six digit numbers
that are used to identify each bank or building society), ready for sending to an exchange
centre.

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The data from the cheque which was read earlier is then converted into an encrypted file
known as IBDE (Inter-Bank Data Exchange) file. Every IBDE is signed with a digital
signature so that the receiving bank is assured of the genuineness of the data and that it has
not been tampered with.
Later Keith Bank delivers the cheque to an exchange centre. The exchange centre then
passes the cheque back to the paying bank (Great Bank in this case) which then sends it to
its own clearing centre.
At the paying banks clearing centre, the digital signature is first checked and then the cheque
is passed through their own reader/sorter machine to make sure the data matches with that
on the IBDE file. It also sorts the cheques into branch order (using the sort code).
Later on, Great Bank checks where there is sufficient balance in Sams account to cover the
cheque amount, and also that it has been signed, dated and written correctly and is genuine.
Based on this information, Great Bank decides whether to pay Sams cheque to ABC Ltd., or
return it unpaid to the Keith Bank.
If Sams bank decides not to pay the cheque to ABC Ltd., his bank will send the unpaid
cheque back to the Keith Bank by special courier.
The decision to return a cheque unpaid must be made on the morning of the day after
exchange so that the cheque can be returned straightaway to Keith Bank if necessary. A
cheque may be returned unpaid for various reasons, commonly being:
the customer has not got enough money in their account to pay the cheque
it has not been signed, dated or written correctly
it is fraudulent for some reason.
This whole process, which is known as clearing a cheque takes three working days, so if you
pay in a cheque on a Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, it will actually take five days to clear.
6. Describe Electronic Funds Transfer
Electronic funds transfer (EFT) is a system which allows money transfer instructions to be
sent directly to a banks computer system. There is no physical transfer of money; the whole
system relies on electronic transfer of money between accounts. When an EFT instruction is
received, the computer system automatically transfers the specified amount from account to
another.
One of the most common use of EFT is the payment of salaries to the staff of a large
company. On the day when the payment is made, the company instructs the bank to transfer
money from their account into the banks accounts of their employees.

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Other examples of EFT include: When a credit/debit card is used to pay for a purchase in a
store, the payment is made using a system called Electronic Fund Transfer at the Point-ofSale (EFTPOS).

What are Expert Systems?

Expert systems are developed to imitate the knowledge and expertise of an expert in a
particular field. For example:
tax and financial calculations
road scheduling for delivery of vehicles
strategy games (e.g. chess)
identification of plants, animals or chemical compounds
prospecting for oil, gas and minerals
diagnosing a persons illness
diagnostics (e.g. finding faults on a circuit board, faults in a car engine, etc)
How to set up an expert system
Several experts in a given field are first interviewed.
This results in the collection of data from these experts.
To store this data, a knowledge base is first designed and created.
Rules base and interference engines are also designed and created.
An explanation system is also developed.
Input and Output screens and formats also known as user interface, are designed and
developed.
The expert system is tested against known conditions and scenarios and is also checked to
see whether it meets the original specification.
Experts are interviewed about the effective of this system before it is officially released.
Advantages
They never forget to answer a question when determining the logic.
They provide consistent results and are not affected by emotional reasoning.
Expert systems reduce the time to solve a problem.
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The potential of saving money is high since the need of hiring specialists is reduced (e.g.,
when carrying out oil exploration).
Allows parts of the world access to expertise which they normally may not be able to afford.
They indicate the probability of the given solution being acccurate or correct.
Disadvantages
Needs considerable training of the operators to ensure that the system is used correctly.
The initial setup costs are generally very high.
They tend to lack common sense in some of the decision-making processes.
Errors in the knowledge base can lead to incorrect decisions being made.
Though lack of emotional reasoning is an advantage, it can also be a disadvantage in certain
areas like medical diagnosis.
Using an expert system
Taking oil prospecting as a case, the process for using an expert system would be as given
below:
An interactive user screen appears (this is often multiple-choice questions or Yes/No
responses).
The system asks questions about geological profiles.
The operator keys in the answers to the questions/geological profiles.
The system then asks questions based on the previous response(s) just keyed in.
The inference engine compares the answers to questions with the facts or data fed in earlier
in the knowledge base using the rules base.
The system returns with the probability of finding oil as an output.
It would also indicate the probable depth of the deposits (which is usually as a percentage
probability).
The explanations system would also explain how the expert system arrived with its
conclusions.
It would then make predictions about geological deposits in the soil/rocks.
Finally, it produces contour maps showing the concentration of minerals, rocks, oil, etc.

1. Explain MICR, OCR, OMR and RFID

MICR, OCR, OMR and RFID have been discussed in detail under Input Devices chapter of
ICT. We will see some additional uses of OMR.
School Registers
We will see how paper-based systems are being used by some schools for registering
students. These paper based registers are then scanned into a computer using OMR. The
attendance records are then stored in central databases.
The database can be searched or sorted for the data about the attendance of any student.
Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) papers
Completed multiple-choice forms are scanned using OMR. The forms have timing marks
down one side these timing marks pass under the first column sensor of the scanner.
These marks indicate the position of each question on the paper. Using OMR software, a
template is created to map out the X-Y co-ordinates of each lozenge. As each MCQ is
scanned, a light passes through the scanner which picks up the position of each lozenge
which has been filled in by pencil/ink. The position of the filled in lozenges is compared to the
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corresponding co-ordinates on the answer sheet template. If the position matches to the X-Y
co-ordinates,, then the answer is recorded as being correct. The scanned results are exported
to a database or spreadsheet.
2. How does Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) System works?
Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems are used to read the number plates on
cars in a number of applications.
We will see how ANPR can be used in a car park for automatic entry and exit of cars.
Step 1
A sensor detects a vehicle and sends a signal to a microprocessor to instruct a camera to
capture an image of the front of the vehicle (often an infrared camera is used to give a clearer
image and for use at night).
Step 2
An algorithm is used to locate and isolate the number plate from the image taken by the
camera. This algorithm also takes into account the size of the number plate and any damage
or orientation -> 3ACD123
The brightness and constrast of the number plate is first adjusted (this ensures that the
characters can be clearly read). -> 3ACD123
Each character on the number plate is then segmented -> 3ACD123
Each character is then recognised using optical character recognition (OCR) software. The
characters are converted into a string of editable text by the software.
This text string is then stored in a database.
Step 3
Once all this has happened, the car park barrier is raised and the motorist is issued with a
ticket. The ticket shows the date and time of entering the car park.
Step 4
When the motorist returns to the car park, they insert their ticket into a machine which
calculates the car park charges. The payment is registered in the database.
The motorist then drives to the exit barrier and the ANPR system again reads the number
plate and checks its database. If the number plate is recognised (and payment has been
made), the exit barrier is raised.
Describe Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) systems and satellite navigation
Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) systems are used to determine the exact location of a
number of modes of transport (e.g., airplanes, cars, ships, etc). Cars usually refer to GPS
as satellite navigation systems (i.e. satnav).
Satellites surrounding the Earth transmit signals to the surface. Computers installed in the
mode of transport receive and interpret these signals. Knowing their position on Earth
depends on very accurate timing (atomic clocks are used in the satellites which are accurate
within a fraction of a second per day). Each satellite transmits data indicating its position and
time. The computer on board the mode of transport calculates its exact position based on the
information from at least three satellites.
In cars, the onboard computer generally contains stored road maps. With these satnav
systems, the cars exact location, based on satellite positioning, can be shown on the map
and the driver can also be given verbal instructions such as After 200 metres, take the next

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right turn onto BCD124. A screen on the satnav device also shows the cars position in
relation to the road network.
Advantages
It removes errors (can warn drivers about one way streets, street closures, etc).
The system can also give useful information such as location of restaurants, petrol stations,
service areas.
The driver need not consult paper maps, so it is far safer.
The system is able to estimate the time of arrival.
It is also possible to program in the fastest route, route to avoid towns, etc.
The system can warn the driver about the location of speed cameras (again aiding safety).
Disadvantages
If incorrect starting point or ending point is keyed in the system, it will give incorrect
information.
If the maps are not kept up to date, they can give incorrect instructions.
Loss of satellite signals can cause problems.
Unless the system is sophisticated, road closures, due to accidents or road works, can cause
problems.
2. What is Geographic Information System (GIS)
Geographic Information System (GIS) is a computer system that allows us to map, model,
query and analyse large amounts of data according to their location.
GIS allows us to create interactive queries, analyse spatial information (this refers to how
objects fit together in space) or edit map data. The technology combines maps with computer
graphics and databases.
Essentially GIS enables the following:
amalgamation of information into easily understood maps
performance of complex analytical calculations and then presentation of the results in the
form of maps, tables or graphics (or a combination of all three)
geographers, scientists and engineers are able to see the data in several different ways in
order to see patterns and relationships.
GIS essentially uses layering techniques to produce a visually effective answer to a query
made in the GIS system.
Carrying out queries on GIS systems (in a method similar to internet searches) will produce
the data which matches the query. The data will be displayed in the form of a diagram, map
or a set of tables. By zooming into the map, it is possible to find finer details about the
layering data used.
Uses
Teachers can use GIS in their geography, engineering or science classes.
Environmentalists and Biologists use GIS to protect animal and plant life in vulnerable areas
(which meet a certain criteria after carrying out a search on the database).
Emergency services use GIS to send the closest emergency personnel to a location.
3. Describe Media Communication Systems
Communication media refers to methods of delivering and receiving data/information using
telecommunications.

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There are various media available to send and receive information (e.g., copper cable, fibre
optics and Wi-Fi). However, we will take the example of the global communication method
which makes of satellites.
Satellites contain antennas, transponders (to allow receiving and sending of data), solar
panels (for power from the Sun) and propulsion (to ensure the satellite is in the correct orbit at
all times).
Signals are converted to analogue (if necessary) and then beamed to the satellite from a
satellite dish on Earth. The signals are delivered by carrier waves which consists of radio
waves. Each signal has its own frequency and bandwidth (the larger the bandwidth the more
data can be transmitted).
Once the data reaches the satellite, it is then resent to Earth. The satellite usually boosts the
signal before sending it back to Earth. Often the frequency is changed to prevent the signal
received being confused with the signal sent.
The satellite system is used to transmit data from one part of the planet to another. Due to
the often great distances, cables would be too costly and there is also the problem of signal
deterioration over long distances.
Satellite systems are used to transmit telephone,internet and television data around the world.

What is an audience?
An audience is who the product is aimed at or who is going to use the product.
What are the characteristics of audience?
When designing an ICT product such as websites, PowerPoint and databases, etc., you
should consider who is going to use it. There are a range of audience characteristics that
should be taken into account:
Age
Gender
Income level
Interests
These things should be considered before the product is created. By knowing who will use
the product, you can ensure that it will be possible for them to use it and that it will interest
them.
Characteristics of an audience:
Age:- This can affect whether or not someone will be interested in your product. For
example; Website for children aged 6 and under. The large font styles, child-like content and
colourful pages would attract this audience.
Gender:- Products should be designed towards a gender in order to ensure that they attract
the right type of person. For example; Website for younger girls. The pink colour, toy dolls
and beauty content would attract this audience.
Income:- ICT products can be aimed at people with different income levels. For example;
Website to promote and sell expensive houses. The houses on display and clear prices
would put off people with lower income.
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Interests:- Knowing your customers interests can help you decide on content. For example;
Website for fans of Classic Rock. The website should have precise content. The news
articles, songs, videos and images would keep the target audience coming back to the site.
Disabilities:- Knowing if your audience include people with disabilities can help you to design
the best possible product. For example; In a website use contrasting colours between
background fonts. Use large fonts and keep the content simple. This will help visually
impaired users to access the content.
What are the needs of an audience?
Different audiences have different needs and the developers of an ICT product have to make
sure that they meet as many of those needs as possible. The more needs that the ICT
product caters for, the more likely that the intended audience will be able to use it.
Some needs:
Young children:Bright and cheerful colours
Animations and sounds
Lots of pictures
Less text
Simple wording
Large text fonts
Games/activities for content
Easy to use (click buttons rather than type)
Teens / Adults:Attractive colours (not bright)
Interesting content (school work, hobbies, social media)
Balance of pictures and text
Uncluttered (use white space)
Dont use childish language
Clear fonts
Use bullet fonts (easier to absorb information)
Seniors:Contrasting colours (easier to read)
Include clear instructions
Use larger font sizes than normal
Minimise the use of technical terms
Consistent design (navigation buttons in the same place, etc.)
Easy to use (click buttons rather than type)
Why solutions should meet the needs of the audience?
If you dont produce ICT solutions that are built for a specific audience, you could run into a
variety of problems:
Cant read fonts:- If your audience are older, they could have eye sight problems. Standard
sized fonts and poor consideration for colour schemes could make text difficult for them to
read.
Cant understand wording:- If your audience is very young children and you use complex
wording, there is a good chance that they wont understand. This will make the product
useless to them.
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Not interesting enough to use:- If the content of your ICT product is not interesting enough for
your target audience, they wont use it.
For example; talking about Doremon on a website that is supposed to be for adults is unlikely
to hold their interest.
No attraction:- Attracting correct people to use an ICT product is often accomplished with
colour schemes.
For example; attracting children to read a PowerPoint would require bright, cheerful colours.
This would draw them to look at the slides.
Teens and adults are more drawn to well designed, professional looking products that use
complimentary colour schemes.
Cant use the product:- If you make a complex product that requires a lot of typing or uses
lots of buttons, this would be too difficult for a child to use.
By knowing who the product is aimed at before you you start to build it, you can ensure that
steps are taken so that the product is suitable. There is a better chance that the product will
be used and will be successful.

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