Unit:

Computer Systems
Assignment title:
Practical Portfolio

Summer 2024 - Autumn 2024

Important notes
• Please refer to the Assignment Presentation Requirements for advice on how
to set out your assignment. These can be found on the NCC Education
website. Hover over ‘About Us’ on the main menu and then navigate to
‘Policies and Procedures’ then scroll to the ‘Student Support’ area.
• You must read the NCC Education document Academic Misconduct Policy
and ensure that you acknowledge all the sources that you use in your work.
These documents are available on the NCC Education website. Hover over
‘About Us’ on the main menu and then navigate to ‘Policies and Procedures’
then scroll to the ‘Student Support’ area.
• You must complete the Statement and Confirmation of Own Work. The form
is available on the NCC Education website. Hover over ‘About Us’ on the
main menu and then navigate to ‘Policies and Procedures’ then scroll to the
‘Student Support’ area.
• You must submit a paper copy and digital copy (on disk or similarly acceptable
medium). Media containing viruses, or media that cannot be run directly, will
result in a fail grade being awarded for this assessment.
• All electronic media will be checked for plagiarism.
Introduction
This unit is assessed by THREE (3) tasks which comprise a portfolio of work. Task 1
requires you to identify requirements and a system specification for a computer system.
Tasks 2 and 3 are based on the practical work undertaken in the laboratories for Topics 6,
7 and 8 and consist of the laboratory reports that you have developed for each of these.

Task 1 – Updating IT Infrastructure (50 Marks)

The word count for Task 1 should be in the region of 2,000 words.

Scenario
You have been asked by a small/medium-sized enterprise (SME) to update its IT
infrastructure. The current system is inadequate since it runs an unsupported operating
system and outdated software/hardware is causing performance issues. You should
therefore research suitable modern replacements. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is
conscious of cost, so value for money is important. They are keen to add enhanced
functionality and performance to the updated system to give a competitive edge and to
include potential new e-commerce opportunities.
DO NOT USE the scenario in the student guide for this task!

Part a) Outline Requirements Specification – 20 marks

This task will require you to produce a formal report addressed to the SME CEO, who
understands IT terms and is competent with hardware and software. You do not need to
explain standard terms, but you do need to justify any suggestions made.

1. Select an industry, for example, health, education, automotive, fashion retail, food
retail, IT, leisure and tourism, construction, logistics, banking etc. in which you are
interested.

2. You will need to make some assumptions about the IT infrastructure required by a
typical modern small to medium-sized organisation in your chosen industry and
decide what the key components of their infrastructure are likely to be. For example,
servers, desktops, mobile devices, network and telecoms hardware and system
software/applications.

3. From the assumptions you have made in step 2, the SME has asked you to do the
following:

• Identify the requirements of a typical modern small to medium-sized organisation

in your chosen industry in terms of computer systems functionality. Remember
that this is what they need the systems to do, not which systems to buy.

• Identify the specifications needed for both hardware (system and peripherals) and
software in detail.

Page 2 of 9
Computer Systems © NCC Education Limited 2024
 4. The CEO is keen to understand more about the importance of CPU type on
performance and disk space organisation. Your report should include an appendix
discussing these issues.

5. The suggested structure of the report is as follows:

a. Introduction

b. Outline the industry and organisation’s business, including a summary of the

assumptions you made in step 2.

c. Systems needed to support the business: for example, Sales order

processing, payroll, CAD/CAM, email, website.

d. Outline of current problems.

e. Outline list of system functions

f. Outline list of non-functional requirements

g. Appendix

i) Explanation of the importance of CPU type (single/multi-core), RAM

and Disk space in the performance of the system.

ii) Discussion of how disk space may be organised in your selected

company. Justify your choices.

Part b) System Design Specification - 20 marks

Having read your report for part a) on the hardware and software required for the SME, the
CEO would like you to proceed to the next stage.

Based on the requirements you have already determined the CEO has asked you to:

1. Produce systems specifications for the SME’s needs. Remember that at this stage,
these are still generic specifications and should not identify specific products.

Having completed the system specifications, the CEO has asked you to:

2. Identify TWO (2) different products for each area that match these specifications.
This should include alternative application software, operating systems and
hardware.

3. Provide exact product details, including suppliers, costs, exact configuration and
options to be included. There needs to be enough detail to actually order the systems
specified.

4. The SME requires the pricing in GBP (£) so prices, if not already in GBP will need
converting.

Add your answer to the document you created for part a).

Page 3 of 9
Computer Systems © NCC Education Limited 2024
Part c) Critical Evaluation and System Selection – 10 marks
From the options you have offered in part b), select ONE (1) solution for each area and
justify that selection.

Add your answer to the document you created for parts a) and b).

Task 2 – Windows Installation (30 Marks)

The 6 tasks of Topic 6 (Software, Installation and Configuration) in the laboratory session
ask you to develop a report that describes the installation you have completed. This report,
as part of your portfolio of work, should address the following:

a) Installation of Windows (10 marks)

i. Identification of key stages in the installation.

ii. Identification and description of required device drivers and their source
locations.

iii. Identification and description of unresolved issues – especially missing device

drivers.

b) Installation of antivirus software - 10 marks

i. Identification of product used.

ii. Identification and description of key stages in installation.

iii. Identification and description of problems and unresolved issues.

iv. Outline of the update process for the antivirus software.

Page 4 of 9
Computer Systems © NCC Education Limited 2024
 c) Installation of office software - 5 marks

i. Identification of product used.

ii. Identification and description of key stages in installation.

iii. Identification and description of problems and unresolved issues.

d) Installation of free utility - 5 marks

i. Identification of utility, outline of what it does and reason why you chose this
(make it different from that of your classmates).

ii. Identification and description of key stages in installation.

iii. Identification and description of problems and unresolved issues.

Note: The laboratory instructor is required to provide a signed form for inclusion in
your portfolio which records your success in the tasks outlined above – see
Appendix 1.

To assist in providing evidence that this is your own work, you will need to include
photographs and/or screenshots (including date and time stamps to provide evidence that
it is your own work) of tasks being completed. These should be incorporated into your
report.

Task 3 – Faulty PCs and Software Maintenance (20 Marks)

This task deals with Topic 7 (System Testing) where you will be presented with a minimum
of THREE (3) faulty PCs and Topic 8 (Software Maintenance) where you will need to
perform routine maintenance tasks on a computer system.

a) Fault finding and computer maintenance - 10 marks

The report for your portfolio should indicate for each PC:
Faulty PCs Maintenance of Computer System
1) The steps that you followed to 1) Identification of OS update /
identify the fault. software package to update.
2) The cause of the fault. 2) Identification of hardware driver to
update.
3) The steps taken to resolve the 3) Performance of system
fault. maintenance and the outcome
explaining why it was done and the
improvements brought to the
system.
4) The success or failure of the
repair.

Page 5 of 9
Computer Systems © NCC Education Limited 2024
Note: The laboratory instructor is required to provide a signed form for inclusion in
your portfolio which identifies that you have completed the fault-finding and remedy
tasks for each PC – see Appendix 2.

b) Routine / Preventative maintenance - 10 marks

Users often complain that after a while their computer is ‘running slowly’.

1. Identify FIVE (5) potential reasons why a user might experience this problem and
for each of the issues identified explain how you would recommend investigating
and addressing the issue.

2. Identify FIVE (5) regular maintenance tasks that users should undertake and for
each of the issues identified explain why each of them is important.

Guidance and Submission Requirements

• The portfolio should directly address the tasks as presented and include only your
reflection on the tasks – generic information taken from websites and other sources
is not required.

• The portfolio should clearly and comprehensively outline all the stages you followed.

• The portfolio should be supported by screenshots and/or photographs that identify

key stages or issues. However, such screenshots and photographs should not be
overused.

Candidate Checklist
Please use the following checklist to ensure that your work is ready for submission.

Have you read the NCC Education document Academic Misconduct Policy and
ensured that you have acknowledged all the sources that you have used in your ❑
work?
Have you completed the Statement and Confirmation of Own Work form and
attached it to your assignment? You must do this. ❑
Have you ensured that your work does not contain viruses and can be run directly? ❑

Page 6 of 9
Computer Systems © NCC Education Limited 2024
Appendix 1

Task 2: Laboratory Supervisor Sign-Off

Student Name

Student ID

Student Signature

Laboratory
Supervisor Name
Laboratory
Supervisor Signature

Task Degree of Completion (to be completed by Completed

supervisor) (Signed
Laboratory
Supervisor)
Installation of (Include identity of drivers used)
Windows

Installation of (Include identity of antivirus package)

Antivirus Software

Installation of Office (Include identity of office tools installed)

Tools

Installation of Utility (Include identity of utility installed)

Page 7 of 9
Computer Systems © NCC Education Limited 2024
Appendix 2

Task 3: Faulty PC Laboratory Supervisor Sign-Off

Student Name

Student ID

Student
Signature
Laboratory
Supervisor Name
Laboratory
Supervisor
Signature

Faulty PC Fault Found (to be completed Fault Remedied (to be completed by

Number by laboratory supervisor) laboratory supervisor)

Page 8 of 9
Computer Systems © NCC Education Limited 2024
Task 3: Software Maintenance Laboratory Supervisor Sign-Off
Identification of OS update / Identification of hardware System maintenance
software package update driver update (to be undertaken (to be
(to be completed by completed by laboratory completed by laboratory
laboratory supervisor) supervisor) supervisor)

Page 9 of 9
Computer Systems © NCC Education Limited 2024