STANDARD COLLEGE

HARDWARE AND NETWORKING SERVICE

LEVEL II
Learning guide#06
Unit of Competence: Connect Internal Hardware Component
Module Title: Connecting Internal Hardware Component
LG Code: EIS HNS2 M06 1221
LEARNING OUTCOMES
LO 1. Identify, categorize and distinguish the different types of
internal hardware components
Lo 2. Determine components required
LO 3. Obtain components
LO 4. Install components
LO 5. Evaluate modified system

Learner Guide
Occupational Standard: Hardware and Network Servicing II
Unit Title Connect Internal Hardware Component
Unit Code EIS HNS2 06 1221
Unit Descriptor This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge
required to modify and connect system hardware components according to
client and user requirements.

Elements Performance Criteria

1.1 Identify and categorise the different internal hardware components
1. Identify, 1.2 Explain and Distinguish the purpose and characteristics of the different
categorize and internal hardware component categories
distinguish the
different types of
internal hardware
components
2.1 Identify and clarify user internal hardware component requirements
2. Determine according to organisational guidelines
components
required 2.2 Organize and record user component requirements, pass on to
appropriate person for evaluation and vendor selection

3.1 Contact vendors to obtain technical specifications for the proposed

3. Obtain components
components 3.2 Assess the options and provide recommendations to the appropriate
person for final analysis
3.3 Obtain components to prepare for installation

4.1 Develop plans, with prioritised tasks and contingency arrangements,

4.Install for the installation of selected components with minimum disruption to
components clients
4.2 Liaise with appropriate person to obtain approval for the plans
4.3 Install and configure components according to plan, installation
procedures and organisational requirements
4.4 Test components for error-free performance, using available
technology
4.5 Identify and resolve identified problems
4.6 Test and enhance system performance, using knowledge of the
system, to meet organisational benchmarks
4.7 Document the installation and configuration process according to
organisation guidelines
5.1 Collect client or user feedback and analyse against client requirements
5. Evaluate modified 5.2 Correct identified shortcomings in the system and record actions
system

Variable Range

Internal hardware  adapter card components:

components may  communications:
include:  modem
 network interface card (NIC)
 I/O:
 Parallel port
 small computer system interface (SCSI)
 serial port
 universal serial bus (USB)
 multimedia:
 capture cards
 sound card
 TV tuner cards
 video:
 AGP
 peripheral component interconnect (PCI)
 PCIe
 cooling system components:
 CPU and case fans
 heat sinks
 liquid cooling systems
 thermal compound
 CPU components and features:
 32 bit versus 64 bit
 hyper threading
 identify CPU types:
 AMD
 Intel
 multi-core:
 dual core
 quad core
 triple core
 onchip cache:
 L1
 L2
 speed (real versus actual)
 display device components:
 connector types:
 component or RGB
 DVI pin compatibility
 HDMI
 S-Video
 VGA
 LCD technologies:
 contrast ratio
 native resolution
 resolution (e.g., XGA, SXGA+, UXGA, WUXGA)
 projectors, CRT and LCD
 settings:
 degauss
 multi-monitor
 refresh rate
 resolution
 memory components and features:
 ECC versus non-ECC
 parity versus non-parity
 single channel versus dual channel
 single sided versus double-sided
 speed:
 PC100
 PC133
 PC2700
 PC3200
 DDR3-1600
 DDR2-667
 types:
 DRAM
 SRAM
 SDRAM
 DDR or DDR2 or DDR3
  RAMBUS
 motherboard components:
 basic input/output system (BIOS), complementary metal oxide
semiconductor (CMOS) or Firmware:
 CMOS battery
 POST
 bus architecture
 bus slots:
 AGP
 AMR
 CNR
 PCI
 PCIe
 Personal Computer Memory Card International Association
(PCMCIA)
 chipsets
 contrast RAID (levels 0, 1, 5)
 form factor:
 ATX or BTX
 micro ATX
 NLX
 I/O interfaces:
 IEEE 1394 or Firewire
 modem
 NIC
 parallel
 PS/2
 serial
 sound
 USB 1.1 and 2.0
 video
 memory slots:
 DIMM
 RIMM
 SIMM
 SODIMM
 parallel advanced technology attachment (PATA):
 EIDE
 IDE
 processor sockets
 riser card or daughterboard
 serial advanced technology attachment (SATA)
 eSATA
 power supply components:
 AC adapter
 ATX proprietary
 pins (20, 24)
 voltage selector switch
 voltage, wattage and capacity
 storage devices and backup media components:
 floppy disk drive (FDD)
 hard disk drive (HDD): solid state versus magnetic
 optical drives, such as CD, DVD, RW or blu-ray
 removable storage:
 external CD-RW and hard drive
 hot swappable devices and non-hot swappable devices
 solid state (e.g. thumb drive, flash, SD cards, USB)
 Tape drive.
Organizational  communication methods
guidelines may include:  content of emails
 dispute resolution
 document procedures and templates
 downloading information and accessing particular websites
 financial control mechanisms
 opening mail with attachments
 personal use of emails and internet access
 Virus risk.
Appropriate person may  authorised business representative
include:  client
 Supervisor
Clients may include:  department within the organisation
 person within a department
 Third party.
Organizational  how and what the organisation wants in regard to work
requirements may environment
include:  preventative maintenance and diagnostic policy
 problem solution processes
 roles and technical responsibilities in the IT department
 Vendor and product service level support agreements.

Evidence Guide
Critical Aspects of  Demonstrates a knowledge and skills of:
Competence  identify and categorise the different types of internal hardware
components
 modify system's hardware to meet client requirements
 plan the modification and connect internal hardware
components according to vendor and technical specifications
 Install components across a variety of situations and account
for unexpected contingencies.
Required Knowledge  Demonstrates knowledge of:
and Attitudes  areas of the operating system relevant to configuration and
testing
 current industry-accepted hardware and software products
 environmental considerations in e-waste disposal
 organizational guidelines and organizational requirements with
regard to safety, recycling and component installation
 system's diagnostic software and current functionality
 Vendor specifications and requirements for component
installation.
Required Skills Demonstrates and communication skills to:
 consult with peers and supervisors, and internal and
external clients
 interpret technical computer installation manuals
 interpret user manuals and help functions
literacy skills to:
 organise resources for one-to-one instruction plan,
prioritise and organise work write technical reports and
maintain records planning and organisational skills to
address technical issues problem-solving skills to
anticipate and respond to a range of driver-related
errors that may arise
technical skills to:
 Comprehend how the operating system will
 communicate with the installed component install
components test components using available
technology test system performance.

Resource Implications  Access is required to real or appropriately simulated

situations, including work areas, materials and
equipment, and to information on workplace practices
and OHS practices.

Methods of Assessment Competence may be assessed through:

 Interview / Written Test

 Observation / Demonstration with Oral Questioning
Context of Assessment Competence may be assessed in the work place or in a simulated
work place setting.
Contents
LO 1 - Identify and categorise the different internal hardware components ............................. 1

Explain the purpose of the different internal hardware components ..................................... 5

Distinguish between the different types of devices within each internal hardware component
category.................................................................................................. 6

LO 2 – Accurately determining client requirements ................................................................. 7

How to analyse client requirements ...........................................................................10

Information you and your client need to agree to ..................................................... 12

Document the client’s requirements and report them to your supervisor ........................... 14

LO 3 – Contacting vendors .................................................................................................... 17

Requests for proposals .................................................................................... 20

Selection criteria ..................................................................................................21

Documenting recommendations ......................................................................... 25

Purchasing procedures.................................................................................... 26

LO 4 – Planning..................................................................................................................... 29

Your workspace ............................................................................................ 31

Sources of information .................................................................................... 32

Installation tips ....................................................................................................33

General notes on planning the installation of hardware components ............................... 34

Testing .................................................................................................. 36

LO 5 – Evaluation Modified System ................................................................................................ 39

The process of evaluation ................................................................................. 40

Environmental considerations for new equipment and software .................................... 42

Using feedback ............................................................................................ 43

Scoring of usability and performance ................................................................... 46

Icon Legends
Learning Activities
Learning activities are the tasks and exercises that assist you in gaining a
clear understanding of the content in this workbook. It is important for you
to undertake these activities, as they will enhance your learning.

Activities can be used to prepare you for assessments. Refer to the

assessments before you commence so that you are aware which activities
will assist you in completing your assessments.

Readings (Required and suggested)

The required reading is referred to throughout this Learner Guide. You will
need the required text for readings and activities.

The suggested reading is quoted in the Learner Guide, however you do not
need a copy of this text to complete the learning. The suggested reading
provides supplementary information that may assist you in completing the
unit.

Reference
A reference will refer you to a piece of information that will assist you with
understanding the information in the Learner Guide or required text.
References may be in the required text, another textbook on the internet.

Self-check
A self-check is an activity that allows you to assess your own learning
progress. It is an opportunity to determine the levels of your learning and to
identify areas for improvement.
 LO 1 - Identify and categorise thedifferent
internal hardware components

Components in computer systems are continually being refined and improved. At the time of
writing this unit the following types of hardware components may be found internally in a
computer:

> Motherboard

> Central processing unit (CPU)

> Random access memory (RAM)

> Firmware

> Power supply

> Removable media devices

 > CD

> DVD

> Blu-ray

> Internal storage

> Hard disk drive (HDD)

> Solid state drive (SSD)

The categories that most internal hardware components come under are:

> Processing

> Storage/ memory

> Input device

> Output devices

Motherboard
The motherboard contains a variety of connectors that support specific types of components.
The specifications of a motherboard will clarify which components are supported.

Figure 1 A Gigabyte motherboard, with 4 RAM slots and 6 SATA connectors

http://flyinghighcomputers.webs.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=98095501

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RAM requirements
RAM is perhaps the easiest upgrade that will improve the performance of a computer.
Computer users are often reluctant to upgrade the hardware specs of their computer, yet are
very keen to install newer applications. As a result, the applications can be difficult to run
smoothly if the system requirements are not met.

Types of RAM

Historically, there have been many types of RAM used in personal computers.

DDR RAM (Double Data Rate Transfer)

A DDR-266 184 pin double in line memory module (DIMM) has a data rate represented by the
266. Data transfer rates are many times the speed at which the RAMs internal data rate.

DDR RAM was a standard from 1996 to about 2001, though continued to be used in personal
computers for a few years later.

DDR RAM was typically used in sizes up to 256MB, 512Mb and 1GB per module.

DDR2

In a similar way and representing an improvement in technology, DDR2 RAM had memory
transfer rates of twice that of DDR RAM. This was in the range of 200-533Mhz. DDR2 Ram is
still widely used in 2011.

DDR2 modules are generally available in 1 and 2GB.

DDR3

This represents the latest standard in personal computer memory. At 4 times the rate of DDR2
RAM, this represents a considerable improvement in technology.

Clock cycles for this RAM are typically 400-1066 MHz.

Typical sizes for DDR3 modules are 2 and 4GB.

Each of these types of RAM is available in a smaller form factor for devices such as notebook
computers. These are known as SO-DIMM (small outline dual in-line memory module)
modules.
The choice of RAM for a computer is of course bound by the motherboards slots, with each
supporting one only of the above types of RAM.

The maximum memory availability is given by the largest available module x number of slots
in the mother board.

A machine currently equipped with 4GB DDR3 RAM, would have 2 slots each with a 2GB
module installed or 1 slot of 4GB. Thus it is upgradable to 8GB limited by the motherboard.
(4GB x 2)

For more information about DDR standards, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DDR_SDRAM

Hard Disk Drive requirements

Types of Hard disks

IDE

These drives used a series of platters in which to store data. It uses a parallel cable to transfer
data the data bus on the motherboard.

Storage sizes typically ranged from 10GB to 320GB.

Data transfer rates for these drives is up to 130MB/s.

SATA

These drive used the same disk technology as the IDE drive. The advantage over the IDE drive
is in the data transfer rate. The transfer rate along a serial cable is more reliable and
significantly faster.

These drives have a data transfer rate of up to 1GB/s, though this is limited by the rate of
transfer of other devices within the computer.

Solid State Drives (SSD)

Here, a change in technology sees data stored in memory chips, containing no moving parts.

The interface used is various. They include SATA connectors, USB and PCI express.

Drive sizes range from 256GB to more than 1TB.

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Data transfer rates of up to 6GB/s have been achieved on recent devices.

For more information see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solid-state_drive

What role does RAM play in a computer system?

Explain the purpose of the different internal

hardware components
RAM
RAM is an essential component in a personal computer. Its role is to store data in various
forms for temporary use.

When a computer starts up, the operating system is loading into memory. This allows the user
to interact with devices on the computer, such as a DVD burner or a set of speakers.

It also serves as a temporary storage medium for user data which is being modified. This is
commonly the case with an application into which the user provides data from the keyboard,
such as a word processor or a spread sheet.

Disk Drive
Disk drives store permanent data. They perform the following roles:

> Storage of applications. These are loaded into memory when they are launched by the
operating system.

> Storage of user data. Applications that allow users to store data for later use will interact
with the operating system in order that storage of user data is possible. This is seen when
a dialog box is presented to the user, allowing them to “browse” for a location in which to
store a file. Many applications will have their own file extension e.g. .doc, which allows
the operating system to associate a file with an application, so making easier access to
the file.

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Distinguish between the different types of
devices within each internal hardware
component category
RAM
The three types of DDR RAM can be distinguished by the placement of the notch among the
gold leaves on the edge of the RAM module. Clearly this notch is necessary to allow the
modules to be seated correctly in the RAM slot on the motherboard.

Also, The ICs on DDR RAM are larger than those on DDR2 and DDR3 RAM modules.

Each of these modules is designed for use with a motherboard with slots designed to support
a specific type of RAM.

Software tools are available to scan a computer’s system and identify components, removing
the need to ‘open the box’ to examine the motherboard.

Disk drives
Disk drives can be identified by their connector.

> IDE drives will have a wide connector to take a ribbon cable 5cm in width.

> SATA connectors are much smaller in size about 1.5cm in width.

> Solid State Drives have different connectors again and look more like RAM modules.
Their connectors will vary.

LEARNING ACTIVITIES ACTIVITY 1

Practical activity

Open your computer’s case and remove a RAM module by pressing the tabs at the ends of the slot.

> How can the type of RAM be identified?

> Can you see there is only one way in which the module can be installed?

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Topic 2 – Accurately determining
client requirements
Introduction
Throughout this unit, you will be asked to complete activities based on the scenario provided
in the unit materials.

Some client requests and requirements are quite straightforward. Others, however, can be
quite complicated — and will need a lot of thinking through on your part as well as your
client’s.

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You may have heard of technology purchased by an organisation that ends up being hardly
used. Or equipment purchased (e.g. by isolated communities) that breaks down and then is
left to rust because parts are not easy to get and the experts are all in the city. You may have
heard of systems that are set up that fail to meet the organisation’s needs or soon get
outdated.

In these cases, the client may not have had a clear idea of exactly what was required — and
may have asked for something they thought they needed. Or the ‘expert’ or supplier may not
have accurately determined or analysed the client’s needs.

What information do you need from your client?

Before meeting with clients to discuss their requirements, you should be prepared. Thorough
preparation should allow you to get all necessary information during a meeting with your
client. You should understand your organisation’s standards and policies, as well as plan to
get the required information from the client in a short time.

It is a good idea to have a standard set of questions to ask your client. Having these questions
printed out and ready to use will further improve the quality of your service. It is very unlikely
you will forget to ask a written question about a particular item, but a question could be
overlooked if you try to commit it to memory. The answers to these questions will not only
provide you with the information you need, but will also allow you to confirm the answers
with the client and your supervisor.

As well, your client will perceive your service as well planned and organised. From this
standard set you can create a subset of questions which will be relevant to your client’s
situation. The standard set of questions should be provided by your supervisor. However, if
you want to create your own set, make sure that it is approved by your supervisor. Remember
that all information collected from a client will help you and your supervisor to make a
decision about the service provided to a client. So it is important that you not only ask the
right questions, but you also record the client’s answers accurately. Your questions should be
worded in plain English without any technical jargon (if possible). If jargon is used, it should
be explained to the client. Acronyms (when a series of words is shortened by spelling the first
letter of each word, e.g. GUI) should not be used at all.

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You need to specify the areas in which you need information from the client. There’s a
suggested template below for determining these areas. It is a generic template that you might
want to adapt to suit. Note: If the client’s request involves more than one problem, you may
need to fill out one of these templates for each problem.

Information to obtain from client

Table 1

Question Response

Background of the
organisation or business:
Objectives of this exercise:

Problem (and any underlying

issues):
Criteria for successful
achievement of objectives:
Issues, factors and information
that impinge on the problem:
Resources available to address
the problem:
Possible strategies for
addressing the problem:
Plan of action to be
implemented:
Client feedback process:

Plans for the future:

Budget:

Project scope:

Project specifications:

Project timelines:

Other comments:

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 LEARNING ACTIVITIES ACTIVITY 2

Scenario activity

1 Read the following scenario:

Daniel is a real estate salesman. His clients provide him with a variety of promotional
material for their properties. There are photos presentations and video clips among the
types of files he is provided. He receives these files in various formats – USB drives, CDs &
DVDs.
Daniel reviews this material on his desktop computer in the office. He never has reason to
carry these files with him.
The volume of material Daniel collects is growing rapidly.
Daniel’s needs to upgrade his computer to ensure that it can continue to be used to review
the files he receives. His computer has an Intel Dual Core processor, 320GB HDD, and 1GB
DDR2 RAM.

2 Gather information about Daniel’s request using Table1 above.

How to analyse client requirements

Suppose you’ve determined your client’s requirements. You’ve collected from the client the
information that’s on the template we’ve just looked at. You’ll now look at that information
and ask yourself questions such as:

> Does the client know exactly what they want?

> Is there anything I need to research to help the client make a more informed decision?

> Would I be able to meet the client’s requirements?

In other words, you analyse what the client has said their requirements are.

You might then decide to carry out research on the subject. You might find that there are
other ways of solving the problem than what you or the client had decided. Your research
may involve anything from consulting other people in your organisation to reading up on the
subject (e.g. on the Internet and in journals).

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You might find a template such as the one below useful for noting down your analysis. Again,
it’s a generic template that you could adapt or elaborate on.

Answer the above questions in terms of Daniel’s requirements.

Analysis of client requirements

Table 2

Analysis Details

What the client requires (to

resolve the problem):

Other methods for resolving

the problem:

Advantages and
disadvantages of each
method:

Recommendation (if any) and

reasons for recommendation:

Implications for initial

budget, timelines, etc:

Other comments:

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 LEARNING ACTIVITIES ACTIVITY 3

Scenario activity

1 Continue with Daniel’s scenario above and complete Table 2.

Information you and your client need to agree to

It is important that you gather the correct information from a client so that you can accurately
determine their requirements. It’s just as important that:

> You provide the clients with information that will help them make an informed decision

> You and your client agree on certain decisions (e.g. the specifications of the job and the
scope of the job).

You would not want a client to say at a later date that they were not satisfied with the service
you provided. You would also want to pre-empt any later misunderstandings. Finally, you
would want to make sure that your organisation is not taken to court!

Types of information you should obtain from the beginning

Listed below are some of the types of information that will need to be obtained from the
outset of the job or project. You may need to provide some of this information to the client —
e.g. your organisation may have a policy for charging predetermined extra fees and other
charges for certain services outside of the service requested by the client. Some information
would need to be agreed to and understood by the two of you.

Extra costs

It is important to ensure that the client is fully aware of how much they would need to pay
and for what service. Are there any extra costs that could be incurred by the client? Are there
any extra charges or penalties the client could be asked to pay?

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Scope of the job

Both you and the client should agree on exactly what you are supposed to do. They should
know what they have to provide. What are the parameters of the job (or project)? Exactly what
lies outside the brief?

Specifications

It’s important to spell out the details that you will need to attend to in order to do the job. (For
example, if you’ve been contracted to publish a company brochure, spell out the exact size,
colours, paper thickness, fonts, etc.)

Agreement or contract

Is there a document such as a service level agreement?

Changing of the brief

Sometimes halfway through a job, a client may want to change their original brief. Is there a
deadline for changes to the brief? Which specifications can be changed? Is there a penalty?

Options

Let the client know what their options are. Provide information on the features of each option.

Possibilities

The client may make a request for a certain service or product. However, they may not be
aware of other options or other possibilities.

Recommendations

Is it your organisation’s policy to give recommendations to the client? Sometimes clients

request that you do. Make sure you carry out research.

Process

The client needs to be aware of the processes you’ll take when carrying out the client’s
request. Is the client part of this process? Will they be consulted? When will they be consulted?

Roles

It’s important to clarify the roles of everyone on the job. What is your role? What is their role?
What are the roles of each person on the project?

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Consultation with the client

Will the client be consulted? At what stages of the job or project will this consultation occur?

Contact person

Can the client contact you or someone in the organisation if they have queries?

Timelines

What are the dates for the completion of the job (or various parts of the job)? Will there be
penalties if deadlines are not met?

Job guarantee

Is there a job guarantee? If the client is not satisfied with the service, is there recourse
(someone or a regulatory body they could contact perhaps)?

Once you have agreed on this information, it would be a good idea to put it down in writing. It
could simply be in the form of a letter to the client where you say something like:

‘Below are the decisions we made and agreed to at our meeting on …’ Or it may be in the
form of a contract or service level agreement.

Document the client’s requirements and report

them to your supervisor
After analysis of the client’s requirements, you should fully document the client’s
requirements and report them to your supervisor.

This document may take the forms, but would include the following:

> background information such as company details

> problems and issues that may have led to the client’s request

> questions asked during your meeting with the client and their answers to those
questions, as well as a list of any essential criteria

> other options or possibilities of which the client may not have been aware

> any information for the client that will help them understand what they’re getting into
before you go ahead with the job (or project).

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A covering memo should be attached, stating the purpose of your report and asking the
supervisor for their acceptance of the report.

LEARNING ACTIVITIES ACTIVITY 4

Scenario activity

1 Continue with Daniel’s scenario above and write a report for your supervisor for Daniel’s
request.

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Topic 3 – Contacting vendors
ICT hardware and peripherals are often expensive and are purchased with medium-term
capital value in mind; meaning that devices are seen as lasting from two to five years, before
needing to be replaced or updated.

To consider what is involved in replacing ICT equipment, think of a major purchase in your life,
such as a television. You would have thought about and researched the features available and
what you want, the brands that offer that range of features, the relative price of brands and
models within brands, and where the brand and model you decide on might be bought at a
reasonable price.

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Where to look and what to look for
To say the ICT marketplace is ‘as wide as the world’ is both a figure of speech and true—you
can find and buy equipment from almost anywhere. Yet unless you are in a large organisation
with specific and possibly unique needs (and therefore can’t avoid costly and untimely
international delivery), you’ll more likely deal with local or national retailers. Sometimes you
may go direct to the manufacturers and at other times through an agent, consultant, licensed
reseller or retail store.

New hardware and information about new hardware (including peripherals such as printers
and scanners) can be found via:

> computer magazines

> newspapers

> the Internet

> ICT consultants

> the yellow pages (for retailers, resellers etc.)

> computer suppliers

> ICT fairs and exhibitions.

Some suppliers provide quarterly updates or give access to a web site, or both, to promote
new equipment releases. The Internet warrants special mention. As noted, freight charges can
be high and there may be long delivery times if hardware is ordered from interstate or
overseas, so you need take care to find out the local availability and prices. Equipment bought
interstate or overseas might also present later problems and delays for any technical support
you may need. In general, you should be able to find local support for any equipment from
major manufacturers.

Table 3 summarises many issues and variables to consider when buying new or replacement
equipment. You need to consider these issues in relation to suppliers, the organisation and
the software and hardware being installed.

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Table 3 Issues and variables when buying new or replacement equipment

Suppliers The organisation Software and hardware

Total cost of ownership. Licensing requirements. Personal computers versus

networks.

Type of licensing offered. Security. Commercial software applications

versus custom-built applications.

Availability of information on Supplier options. Organisation specific software.

the supplier’s website.

Nature and extent of the Purchasing procedures. Operating systems.

support provided.

Availability of local support. Contracting arrangements Software installation instructions

relating to ICT purchasing. and manuals.

Customer base of people Security arrangements.

using the product.

Reputation of the supplier Range of suppliers purchasing

and the extent of their procedures.
experience in providing the
product.

Using the information you find

Armed with your equipment requirements and system specifications obtained from analysis
of the client requirements, you can now contact suppliers (by phone email or in person).

Have your requirements listed clearly, and get prices for more than one device that fits the
requirements. Obtain lists of specifications for each device, or if you can’t, obtain photocopies
from user manuals of these devices to confirm that they do indeed meet the required
standards.

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Make sure that your requirements for such things as speed and capacity are met. Beware of
any jargon that makes it difficult to understand exactly what features the equipment has. Also,
find out what application software may come ‘bundled’ with the equipment (for example,
most scanners come with image editing and optical character recognition software).

When you have lists of specifications and prices for a range of equipment that meet your
needs, you need to compare the features and price of each device and consider the warranty
given. Does the warranty involve taking the device to the supplier, or them coming to you?
You might use a hardware evaluation sheet (discussed later) to make objective comparisons.

Requests for proposals

One way in which to choose a supplier for the equipment you need is to obtain a quote, or
create a request for proposal (RFP), also called requests for tender (RFT). A RFP will require
vendors to show how they will meet your needs by detailing:

> product specifications

> product pricing

> support provisions

> how the product meets the specified performance criteria

> terms and conditions

> vendor history

The content is determined by your organisation’s purchasing procedures. The RFP is only one
part of the procedure. Procedures may also include:

> guidelines on selecting products

> purchasing mechanisms

> dealing with suppliers

> receiving goods

> payment methods

You may need to provide any relevant organisational documents including product
standards. For example, many organisations set minimum hardware configuration for
computers. They may also have particular software packages that all employees use for
functions such as word processing or electronic mail, to help reduce support costs and ensure
compatibility.

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Obtaining an RFP might by simply done, for instance, by ringing computer shops and ask for a
price. It can also be very formal, particularly if the purchase is large. Organisations usually set
an amount (say $100) as the limit for the informal purchases.

With a more formal procedure, you may need to prepare a tender request and advertise it in a
national newspaper. For very large projects, some companies sell the tender documents to
prospective suppliers. For medium to large orders, vendors submit documents and make
presentations to senior management. Your organisation will have specific guidelines that
ensure no unfair advantage is given to one particular supplier.

Selection criteria
It is important to be sure that equipment purchased does what is required of it and that
training and documentation for it are such that users are aware of all the features of the
equipment, to use it fully.

Equipment features that are needed must be encompassed by the criteria you set when you
evaluate the alternatives. When selecting any item to purchase, the main categories of criteria
include:

> product requirements

> support and maintenance

> training

> price

> issues of vendor continuity

The criteria, based on client needs, are generally part of an RFP. The key to selecting the best
product is ensuring that you fully understand the client’s requirements and the constraints
that might apply to what can be used.

Product requirements
The product requirement will vary depending on the technology being assessed and what the
client’s needs are. What is the device supposed to do? How should it do it?

A software product will need certain features depending on its type. Database software, for
instance, needs some form of query language to support data manipulation and reporting.

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At another level, the software must be able to support the work practices of the user and be
compatible and interoperable with existing software and systems. So if the user needs to
extract data from his personal database and send it to the corporate mainframe database,
then this is a criterion that the software must support.

Although software products may have minimum configuration needs, the company may also
have constraints on selection. If the client’s computers only have 32 Mbytes of memory and
the software product requires a minimum of 128 Mbytes, then either the product will be
rejected or will require that computers be upgraded.

The hardware platform also dictates the selection criteria, needing to ensure hardware
compatibility and interoperability and to ensure maintenance and support is available for the
device.

A number of factors can affect the performance of personal computers and selecting
hardware and software for networks, mid-range computers and mainframes can be
considerably more complex.

As with stand-alone computers, however, processor speed, memory and disk speed should be
taken into account. However, the computer should be set up to test run the software that is
actually required by the business. This will produce the most realistic results to be used as the
basis of comparison for different computer systems.

All of these criteria would be established when you interview the client and determine their
requirements.

Examples of hardware criteria are:

> processor speed

> memory size and speed

> disk size and speed

> monitor resolution

> type and number of ports

> expansion capabilities (number of slots, etc.)

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 LEARNING ACTIVITIES ACTIVITY 5

Scenario activity

1 Review Daniel’s scenario again:

Daniel is a real estate salesman. His clients provide him with a variety of promotional
material for their properties. There are photos presentations and video clips among the
types of files he is provided. He receives these files in various formats – USB drives, CDs &
DVDs.
Daniel reviews this material on his desktop computer in the office. He never has reason to
carry these files with him.
The volume of material Daniel collects is growing rapidly.
Daniel’s needs to upgrade his computer to ensure that it can continue to be used to review
the files he receives. His computer has an Intel Dual Core processor, 320GB HDD, and 1GB
DDR2 RAM.

2 Which of the following items will be important to Daniel’s upgrade?

a. processor speed

b. memory size and speed

c. disk size and speed

d. monitor resolution

e. type and number of ports

f. expansion capabilities (number of slots, etc.)

Support, maintenance and training

Support and maintenance

It would not be in an organisation’s best interest to invest time and resources in acquiring
new technology if the supplier cannot provide assistance when things go wrong, or if there
are not the opportunities of upgrading equipment at a later date.

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Vendors can offer support and maintenance contracts for support of upgrades, usually at a
fixed price. Sometimes emerging technology will not have this support structure in place. In
this case, you would have to carefully assess the benefits against what could happen if the
technology failed.

Training

If the equipment to be purchased may require staff training for its use, you need to know the
cost of that training and if any contribution to training is offered by the vendor.

Vendors who develop emerging technology will know their product very well. To encourage
you to adopt their technology, and assist you to use it, they may offer training courses in the
product. This should be a criterion when evaluating the emerging technology as lack of
training can lead to unsuccessful implementation of the technology.

Price
There is more to price than just the purchase price. This criterion also includes development
and implementation costs, ongoing costs and benefits to the organisation.

Hardware is often purchased as part of a capital budget. These budgets are planned well in
advance, often up to 12 months. Most organisations will expect some form of cost/benefit
analysis to be performed. Software on the other hand, is mostly considered as an expense by
accounting practices.

Placing a dollar value on costs and benefits of emerging technology can be difficult, as the full
benefits of implementing the technology have not been revealed. Often though the vendor
will have a particular niche that they feel their technology will greatly improve and provide
cost/benefit analysis that can assist you in evaluating the price.

Issues of vendor continuity

There may be nothing more embarrassing than having recommended the purchase of a
product from a supplier to then see that supplier go out of business, rendering support
contracts with that vendor invalid.

Many people have been caught out by a vendor ceasing to trade, which has led to their
integrated office automation software no longer being enhanced and supported.

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You need to assess the vendor’s business plan, where they have come from, and where they
see their technology proceeding. This is sometimes difficult to assess, but should be
considered if you intend to invest time and resources in specialist technology.

Documenting recommendations
The hardware evaluation sheet is part of the documentation you would use to justify your
recommendation. A project may require a number of devices to be purchased. A manager,
client or customer doesn’t usually want the level of detail a hardware evaluation sheet
provides. Instead you would produce a summary of the benefits and features of the
recommended equipment and attach the evaluation sheet as an appendix.

In your recommendation you need to identify the project, the author of the report, the client
and other interested parties. You may need to further summarise your actions and findings in
an ‘executive summary’ which is usually at the start of the recommendation.

Your completed report may have the structure outlined in Table 4.

Table 4

Section Example contents

Cover sheet Project identification details, your contact details, and name
of the report.

Executive Summary Recommendations only, should be very short, usually only a

single paragraph.

Background Purpose of the project.

Vendors’ responses List of products offered.

Evaluation (including Reasoning behind the formulation of relative importance and

evaluation sheets) rating guides.

Details of the selection Descriptions of the reasoning that went into forming a final
decisions decision.

Attachments or appendixes Product brochures, pages printed from manufacturer web

sites.

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You will need to be clear about the expectations of the organisation—small firms may not
need this level of detail. If you work in a smaller organisation you may have to produce the
report yourself and keep it available for future reference and use. A large organisation may
have a specified house style or templates available that you can use to do the report.

Purchasing procedures
Purchasing procedures vary among organisations. Most, however, will have set procedures for
purchasing major items.

The following scenarios might apply: It may be that the client is responsible for purchasing the
hardware, according to purchasing and budgetary rules, and the support person installs it; or
the support person arranges the supply of hardware from a supplier and installs it; or
someone other than the support person orders the item and the support person installs it.

Before ordering hardware you must make sure you have confirmed that the model you’re
ordering meets the needs of the client. The evaluation process should have confirmed this but
re-check to make certain. This is the last chance to make modifications before purchase.

You also need to make sure that it can be delivered within a reasonable time (that the project
won’t be delayed, for instance, while waiting for an overseas delivery!)

When you receive formal approval to purchase, fill out the appropriate order form and have it
forwarded to the supplier. It is important to follow the purchasing procedures outlined by
your organisation.

Contact the supplier to let them know you have sent an order form via fax or through possibly
though the supplier’s web site. Make sure they have received the order. Ask for some
feedback from them, perhaps in the form of a written confirmation of your order with an
agreed delivery date and the name of a contact person who can help in tracking your order.
You should keep in contact with them to make sure your order is fulfilled in time.

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Organisational purchasing procedures
Now let’s look at an example of a purchasing procedure for a typical organisation. The support
officer might follow the steps below in order to purchase a major item. As you read this
sequence, ask of you can see yourself as a support officer here. If you are in a workplace, are
your areas of responsibility clear? How would you fit in if you were an external consultant?

3 Support officer obtains permission from direct supervisor to purchase the item.

4 Support officer sends purchase order to accountant and waits for approval.

5 Company accountant checks the budget and approves the purchase of the item.

6 The accountant sends back the approved purchase order.

7 The support officer sends the approved purchase order to the supplier of the item. When
the item is delivered an invoice accompanies it.

8 The support officer passes the invoice onto the accountant, noting that the goods have
been received. The support officer must enter hardware, software and licenses into
appropriate registers.

9 The accountant checks the invoice against the original approved purchase order.

10 The accountant seeks approval from management to make the payment (usually only if a
variation from the originally quoted cost).

11 The accountant arranges for payment to be sent to the supplier.

LEARNING ACTIVITIES ACTIVITY 6

Scenario activity

1 Continue with Daniel’s scenario above and create a simple purchase order for Daniel.

> What components do you recommend?

> Research available components for this upgrade.

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Topic 4 – Planning

Planning is fundamental to the successful operation of any business. Planning is deciding in

advance what is going to be done. This function entails evaluating your resources and
environment and establishing goals. Once the goals are established, managers develop tactics
to achieve these goals and monitor the results.

Planning is the key to a successful installation. By doing this you’ll avoid making mistakes that
may require you to reinstall the component and so minimise the impact on clients in a
network. This procedure may take some time, but you’ll definitely benefit by doing so.

We will be looking at developing an installation plan for the installation of hardware

components or software applications. These plans need to:

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> Name the project.

> Break down the project into steps.

> Identify and allocate resources to the project.

> Give timelines for the project.

> State who will take the appropriate action.

> Develop contingency plans.

> List desired outcomes.

Your plan needs to include steps for:

1 installing

2 configuring

3 testing

4 backup procedures and disaster recovery plans

At all times it is important to try and minimise the disruption to the client. For the installation,
arrange a convenient time for the client and notify the client how long the job will take and
what you are going to do.

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 LEARNING ACTIVITIES ACTIVITY 7

Scenario activity

1 Review Daniel’s scenario again:

Daniel is a real estate salesman. His clients provide him with a variety of promotional
material for their properties. There are photos presentations and video clips among the
types of files he is provided. He receives these files in various formats – USB drives, CDs &
DVDs.
Daniel reviews this material on his desktop computer in the office. He never has reason to
carry these files with him.
The volume of material Daniel collects is growing rapidly.
Daniel’s needs to upgrade his computer to ensure that it can continue to be used to review
the files he receives. His computer has an Intel Dual Core processor, 320GB HDD, and 1GB
DDR2 RAM.

2 What Plans will you need to make for Daniel’s upgrade?

3 What information will Daniel need about the upgrade?

Your workspace
One resource your installation plan needs to address is a suitable working environment and
adequate tools for the task. You will generally need all of the following if you are installing any
hardware:

> a clean, tidy and well-lit working space or bench

> sufficient power points

> a toolkit comprising screwdrivers (flat and Philips) and some long nose pliers

> an anti-static wrist strap to avoid static discharges on your components

> a small torch to look inside dark corners

> a small jar or plastic container to store screws and small parts

> sticky notes to label components

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Figure 2 Hand tools for component installation

Computer toolkits are available from electronic suppliers such as:

> Dick Smith Electronics https://www.dicksmith.com.au/

> Jaycar Electronics http://www.jaycar.com.au/

> Paw Products http://www.paw.com.au/

Sources of information
The next resource that your installation plan needs to address is the necessary information
regarding the procedure for installation — this needs to be gathered prior to the installation.

Read the manual. The first place to look for information on installing a component or software
is the user’s manual which will normally come with the component.

You may be supplied with the manual in paper format, but increasingly manufacturers are
supplying manuals in digital format on the installation CD. Take the time to print out any user
manual or installation guide.

Your user manual may contain information on:

> Minimum system requirements, hardware and software

> Safety precautions

> All the accessories provided with the component such as screws and cables

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> Hardware installation

> Driver installation for various operating systems

> Your installation CD may contain the following information and/or software:

> Installation guide

> User manual

> Drivers for different operating systems

> Additional software. Examples include:

> Adobe Acrobat Reader — many manuals are published in PDF format

> Video or audio players such as DirectX

> Software specific to the component being installed, for example, answering
machine software for an internal modem, to allow the computer to be used as an
answering machine

Installation tips
Here are a few useful tips to follow when carrying out an installation:

> The safety first approach should be adopted when you are dealing with a client’s
computers. You must ensure that you do not pose a risk to the data on the computers
you are servicing. Remember, you do not own the data on the computers, the client
does.

> Duplicate the set up you plan to implement on a test computer first to ensure all the
modifications will behave as you anticipate.

> If you do not have a suitable spare computer, use one of the client’s computers when it is
not in use. This may require work outside usual office hours.

> Always backup the client’s computers prior to starting any modifications.

> Another option is to image the client’s hard drive to a spare drive of your own; using a
program such as GHOST (this is when it uses identical hardware). Then use the spare
drive to test all modifications. (Refer to http://www.symantec.com). If you use this option,
remember that the data contained on your client’s hard drive belongs to the client and
must be deleted after successful installation.

> The use of an imaged drive will also allow you to test any modifications you make to the
operating system configuration, and will fully test the interaction of software applications
with the newly modified system hardware and drivers.

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> Once you have proven the new modifications, you can start the implementation to other
computers.

LEARNING ACTIVITIES ACTIVITY 8

Scenario activity

1 Continue with Daniel’s scenario above and write suggested the tips for this upgrade?

General notes on planning the installation of

hardware components
RAM memory
Again, the main point to consider here is compatibility with the motherboard. You will need
to ensure that there are vacant slots for the new memory modules, that the memory speeds of
the new modules are supported and then that the maximum memory supported by the
motherboard is not exceeded. After physical installation of the new memory modules, BIOS
should automatically detect the new RAM memory.

Hard drives
First when installing a new hard drive, you need to decide in consultation with the client
whether you are going to replace the existing drive or keep both new and existing drive. If the
decision is to keep both drives, it would then be recommended that the newest drive is the
boot drive and that the operating system is installed on the newest drive as the data access
time will be fastest.

Physically, when installing a new drive you need to ensure that there is a suitable position to
mount the drive.

In other topics you have looked at the two different interfaces for hard drives: IDE and SCSI.
Most desktop PCs use the IDE interface and these notes are for the IDE interface. At the time of
writing the IDE interface supports four drives, but now the standard is using SATA (Serial ATA).
Again, these notes discuss the IDE interface.

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The IDE interface supports four drives as listed below:

Table 5

Drive Function

Primary Master Typically boot hard drive

(IDE 1) Slave

Secondary Master Typically first optical drive (CD/DVD ROM)

(IDE 2) Slave

You will need to set jumpers on your drive to be either the master or slave. Consult your user
manual.

After completing the physical hardware installation, the drive will need to be configured and
formatted. Unlike floppy drives, hard disk drives vary greatly in storage capacity. The disk is
electronically blank to begin with. The manufacturer generally performs a ‘low-level format’.
Here are the basic steps in the preparation of a hard disk:

1 Configure the CMOS for the drive you have installed.

2 Perform a low-level format.

3 Partition the drive.

4 Perform a high-level format.

5 Restore the client’s data to the installed drive if necessary.

LEARNING ACTIVITIES ACTIVITY 9

Scenario activity

1 Continue with Daniel’s scenario above and write down the planning that will be involved in
Daniel’s upgrade?

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Testing
Testing is necessary to ensure that you have:

> installed the component or application properly

> that it is working properly

The testing process will depend on:

> the type of hardware device

> the type of software application

> the operating system

Your test plan will need to ensure the following.

For hardware devices:

> The new device is recognised by BIOS (if applicable)

> The new device is recognised by the operating system. For example, a new hard drive is
formatted and assigned a drive letter. The new device is listed on the device manager list
without exclamation or question marks.

> The new device performs the function it was intended for. For example, after installing a
new sound card, you would need to check

> Output to speaker — play an audio CD and check that there is sound

> Input — record a sound file through a microphone

> Any additional software is functioning correctly

For software applications:

Software is tested for all functionalities of the new software. For example, if you are installing a
new office suite, test the word processing, spreadsheet and database application. Be sure that
they can all create and save new document and that you can print these documents.

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 LEARNING ACTIVITIES ACTIVITY 10

Q+A

1 What tests are appropriate for RAM and hard drive upgrades?

2 What issues may emerge on rebooting the machine?

3 What information should be kept about the upgrade?

LEARNING ACTIVITIES ACTIVITY 11

Testing

1 As appropriate, makes changes to a machine you have available to you.

2 What tests would you carry out?

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Topic 5 – Evaluation
Evaluation needs to be conducted after the migration into the new technology to assess the
project’s success or failure. In this process, you must use the project success indicators to
compare against the actual benefits and returns. During evaluation, data is collected,
recorded and analysed to identify the benefits of the new technology.

Evaluation is conducted after implementation of new technology to:

1 Identify any issues relating to the relevance, effectiveness and efficiency of the hardware
and software systems installed.

2 Identify changes that are necessary to address any pressing issues.

3 Ensure that the organisational process used for migrating to new technology are
acceptable to stakeholders and identify any changes that are necessary.

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4 Verify whether the system has delivered what was expected so as to benefit future
projects.

5 Monitor long-term use of the system.

The process of evaluation

There are three steps in the evaluation process:

1 Collect, record and analyse feedback to track progress against the targets. Explain success
and failures with respect to the performance indicators. Identify unintended positive or
negative effects.

2 Decide on necessary adjustments to the system to increase its usability and performance.

3 Establish any lessons that could be learnt from this project so future information
technology projects would be much more efficient.

Planning evaluation
The evaluation plan should be flexible enough to accommodate new questions and
information sources. Here are some strategies in planning evaluation:

> Obtain a list of all stakeholders of the new technology.

> Identify stakeholders that must be consulted to evaluate the performance and usability
of the system. Ensure that the sample chosen includes users, power users, support
personnel, managers as well as customers (if applicable).

> Identify any other data sources to collect information such as documents, reports,
performance logs, etc.

> Identify key performance indicators with regard to performance and usability of the
software applications and hardware.

> Determine the resources that are needed to carry out the evaluation.

> Identify the methodologies that will be used to conduct the evaluation. The possible
methodologies are: observations, questionnaires, walkthroughs, interviews, focus
groups, etc.

> Analyse the information collected and compare it against the targets of performance and
usability.

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> Recommend potential enhancements to the system and identify any shortcomings of the
implementation for the benefit of future projects.

Key indicators of usability and performance

The overall objective of conducting usability and performance evaluation is to recommend
changes that will contribute to increase user acceptance, increase productivity, decrease
training and learning times, and increase business performance.

Key indicators of usability

Usability of the system measures hardware and software user interface with respect to
attributes such as ease of learning, ease of use and satisfaction in meeting user needs. A
usable system ensures that the user can access the required feature instantly through its well-
planned user interface. It also ensures that all control features are consistently presented so
would need minimum training to identify various processes within the system.

> Ease of use — users find it easy to apply to their intended tasks.

> User satisfaction with the functional capabilities.

> Sufficient and easily accessible user support. Users are satisfied with the support
procedures such as help screen with context sensitive help, knowledge bases, help desk,
etc.

> Satisfactory initial experience. Users have successful initial experience with the software
and/or hardware.

> Integration with existing processes. The new system integrates well with existing
processes.

> Overall system capability. Users are satisfied with the overall capability and usefulness of
the system.

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 LEARNING ACTIVITIES ACTIVITY 12

Scenario activity

1 Review Daniel’s scenario:

Daniel is a real estate salesman. His clients provide him with a variety of promotional
material for their properties. There are photos presentations and video clips among the
types of files he is provided. He receives these files in various formats – USB drives, CDs &
DVDs.
Daniel reviews this material on his desktop computer in the office. He never has reason to
carry these files with him.
The volume of material Daniel collects is growing rapidly.
Daniel’s needs to upgrade his computer to ensure that it can continue to be used to review
the files he receives. His computer has an Intel Dual Core processor, 320GB HDD, and 1GB
DDR2 RAM.

2 Which items will be important to Daniel in his system upgrade?

Key indicators of performance

Performance of the system measures the reliability of the hardware and software. It includes:

> availability of the system

> error rate

> mean time taken to complete tasks

Environmental considerations for new

equipment and software
It is important to use a formal process to ensure that potential environment problems are
foreseen and addressed at early stages of the implementation of new hardware or software.
However, a careful environmental impact assessment prior to implementation does not
exempt you from re-visiting this topic during the evaluation stage.

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Assessment of the environmental impact of using the technology must be done against:

> resources

> labour

> infrastructure

> supporting technologies required

Factors that could bring favourable environmental outcomes are:

> reduction in wastage

> replacement of old equipment that is not environmentally friendly

> reduction in paper usage

> reduction in energy consumption

Factors that could pose a challenge are:

> Environmental issues relating to disposal of obsolete computer supplies, hardware and
other equipment

> Environmental issues relating to communication devices, wireless communication

devices in particular

> The apparent need of many organisations to purchase large numbers of new computers.
(It is estimated that 1.8 tons of raw materials are required to produce the average
desktop personal computer and monitor. Imagine the negative impact of the production
on the environment!)

Another major consideration when purchasing new equipment is whether it is designed with
environmental attributes. The environmental responsibility does not stop there. The users of
technology must do so responsibly by using software and hardware that can reduce wastage
as well as minimise printed material and energy consumption, etc.

Using feedback
The value of feedback
Feedback is extremely valuable in the evaluation of hardware and software as it provides an
effective balance for your own observations and walkthroughs on the system. This is an
ongoing process of keeping IT professionals informed of the performance and usability of the
system and should not be treated as merely an event.

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While positive feedback reinforces the implementation of the system, negative feedback
provides very valuable information about how to improve the usability and the performance
of the system. The performance improvements made due to the feedback will ultimately
benefit the organisation.

Gathering feedback
The goal of collecting feedback from users and gathering information from other sources is to
enable the technology committee to assess how well the software and hardware
implementation is satisfying the key usability and performance indicators.

Sources of information

You can gather data from people, documents, performance data, observation of events or any
other empirical method such as experiments and benchmarking.

Basic feedback gathering methods

The ideal form of feedback gathering is to use a combination of the following methods
depending on time and organisational factors.

1 Observations, walkthroughs and site visits

These are conducted to get firsthand information on performance and usability features of
the system. The internal or external evaluators will observe all stakeholders using the
technology and observe usability and performance indicators of the system.

Walkthroughs are conducted where an evaluator walks through a certain feature to assess
how the system performs that feature with respect to usability and performance indicators.

2 Interviews

Here are some tips for conducting interviews:

> Choose stakeholders who would have greater or unique involvement with the new
system.

> Communicate the purpose of the interview to the interviewee.

> Ask brief questions relevant to performance and usability of the system.

> Don’t interrupt.

> Be a good listener.

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> Take notes.

3 Focus groups

These are group interview situations where discussions can take place about the usability and
the performance of the hardware and software. Here are some tips for conducting focus
groups:

> Reward the attendees by providing refreshments as this could be a good motivator.

> Start and finish on time.

> Be prepared to hear positive and negative comments.

> Be prepared with prompting questions to start the discussions about usability and
performance of the system.

> Let the participants communicate and listen carefully.

> Avoid being defensive.

> Listen to all comments.

> Engage a note-taker.

4 Surveys and questionnaires

These are used to gather quantifiable data about the system from a large number of people.
You should make allowances for the low response rate and the slow response time. Here are
some tips for conducting surveys:

> State the objective of the survey as evaluating the performance and usability of the new
technology.

> Keep the survey to a manageable length.

> Use both open-ended and closed questions.

Analysing and processing feedback

All data regardless of how and from where it was collected must be summarised against the
performance and usability indicators so they are more manageable. In almost all case, both
quantitative and qualitative data will be collected and used.

> The performance measurements such as error rates will be quantitative and will be easy
to interpret.

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> Performance measurements such as reliability could be a combination of qualitative and
quantitative data.

> Usability indicators could be qualitative or quantitative.

LEARNING ACTIVITIES ACTIVITY 13

Scenario activity

1 Continue with Daniel’s scenario above. What feedback is likely from Daniel?

Scoring of usability and performance

It is common practice to use a scoring system to identify how the system is performing with
regards to usability and performance. An example of a scoring system is given below.

Table 6 Directions for scoring key indicators

Indicators Poor Satisfactory Good Excellent

Support

Help desk Support Support Help desk Support

services mechanisms are mechanisms exist. services mechanisms are
non-existent or But fees associated non-existent or not
not adequate. with help desk adequate.
calls are high and
response times are
slow.

Technical needs assessment

Needs Needs Some groups of Needs for all An elaborate and

assessment assessment was stakeholders were stakeholders comprehensive
conducted for not conducted. surveyed to identified needs assessment
implementation identify computer however not all was conducted and
hardware needs are it all stakeholders

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Indicators Poor Satisfactory Good Excellent
requirements. accounted for in were well informed
the final about the
implementation. improvements that
would be
introduced.

Training

Training prior to Training was Training was More customise A comprehensive

and during not provided. provided in large training for training plan was
implementation groups. small groups. derived and all users
were trained in
groups for common
skills and on a one-
to-one basis for user
specific tasks.

Customisation

User All features are Desktop attributes Power users can Power users can
customisation set and such as fonts and customise customise most
customisation is colours could be certain features. features where as
not an option customised to suit Ordinary uses ordinary users can
the user’s needs cannot change change a limited
any features number of features.

Integration

Compatibility The new New software is New software is New software is

software is not partially backward totally backward
compatible compatible with compatible with compatible with the
with any old old technologies the old software old software.
packages that however the but does need
performed administrator has some
similar tasks. stopped making intervention
any reference to with data
data in the conversions.

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Indicators Poor Satisfactory Good Excellent
previous system.

Performance

Value for Money The technology The new The technology The technology is
has not technology has has minimized proving to be
produced any not enforced any costs producing a profit.
cost additional
advantages that expenses (running
was costs) compared
anticipated. In to the old
fact, the new technologies used
technology previously.
costs more
money to the
organisation.

Speed Output of new New Technology is New New Technology is

(Throughput) technology is comparable with Technology is producing more
slower old other lot more than three times
compared to technologies. efficient than all faster than the
the previous previous previous system.
technologies. technologies.

Quality The quality of The quality of Produces good The quality of

output is not output is quality output. output is rated as
acceptable. comparable to Less than 2% very high. Less than
Error rate is older technologies defects. 0.5% defects.
more than 5%. and is acceptable.
Less than 5%
defects.

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Produce a final report
Once you score each evaluation indicator using the directions given in Table 1, you can
conclude the finding in a final report and present your recommendations to the technology
committee or any other body responsible for technology implementation.

LEARNING ACTIVITIES ACTIVITY 14

Scenario activity

1 Continue with Daniel’s scenario above. What else will need to be done to meet Daniel’s
requirements?

2 Complete a final report for Daniel based on the changes made.

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