Assignment front sheet
Assessor name
Learner name
Date issued
Completion date
14th December 2010
7th January 2011
Submitted on
Qualification
Unit number and title
BTEC Level 2 Diploma in Information Technology
Unit 3: Computer Systems
Assignment title Assignment 2 – Meeting user requirements
In this assessment you will have opportunities to provide evidence against the following criteria.
Indicate the page numbers where the evidence can be found.
Criteria
reference
To achieve the criteria the evidence must show that
the student is able to:
Task
no.
Evidence
P4
specify suitable components to meet user requirements
1
Report &
Observation
Record
P5
connect hardware safely to a computer system, testing for
functionality
4
Observation
Record
P6
configure software for a given user requirement
6
MSWord &
Observation
Record
P7
identify potential security risks.
8
Table
M2
give reasons for the choice of components to meet a given need
2
Report
M3
explain working practices and health and safety procedures when
connecting hardware devices
5
Report
D1
suggest alternative setups based on user feedback
3
Report
D2
discuss how the configuration of software will help a given user
perform their tasks.
7
MSWord
Learner declaration
I certify that the work submitted for this assignment is my own and research sources are fully acknowledged.
Learner signature:
Date:
Page 1 of 4
Assignment brief
Qualification
BTEC Level 2 Diploma in Information Technology
Unit number and title
Unit 3: Computer Systems
Start date
14th December 2010
Deadline
7th January 2011
Assessor name
Assignment title
Assignment 2 – Meeting user requirements
The purpose of this assignment is to give the learners the opportunity to:



Know the different uses of computer systems
Be able to connect computer hardware
Be able to configure computer software
Scenario:
Now that you have proved your competence to the lead technician at Castle College, you need to plan, organise,
build and test a system, as well as explaining the security hazards that could be faced if the correct safeguards are
not put in place.
Requests:
1. The Equal Opportunities Co-ordinator for the college has very limited sight. She writes policies, for which
she needs to read long complicated legal documents, uses email constantly and develops training material
for when she delivers training.
2. A student group are working on a complicated graphics assignment that requires them to use a range of
software; they also need to add sound to some of the projects.
3. A specialist course is being run for people who have never used a computer before, so they need a very
simple set-up to avoid confusion.
4. Three students have contacted the IT technicians for advice on the best computer they can buy to help
them with their course and their social networking.
Task 1
The IT team have been given some extra funding to purchase new computer systems. You have been asked to choose
one of the above requests and produce a report in MSWord that outlines your recommendations to meet the user
requirements. Your recommendation should outline hardware, software (systems, application & utility software)
plus any peripherals that are required.
You will also be required to demonstrate your recommendations to the lead technician (your tutor) to gain
feedback. This will be evidenced through an observation record.
(P4)
Page 2 of 4
Task 2
Within the same report created for Task 1, you should give reasons why the choice of components meets the user
needs.
(M2)
Task 3
Using the feedback given to you in Task 1, conclude the report created in Task 1 & 2 by suggesting alternative
setups.
(D1)
Task 4
The previous student who was on work experience dissembled a PC and never put it back together again. You have
been asked by one of the technicians to reassemble the PC and connect all the provided peripherals to it, following
the correct working practices.
You will then be required to test the PC to ensure it is working correctly. Evidence of this task will be achieved
through an observation record.
(P5)
Task 5
The lead technician wants to know what procedures you followed when setting up the PC for Task 4. He wants you
to write a report to explain what working practices and health and safety procedures you followed (or should have
followed) when connecting the hardware devices in Task 4.
(M3)
Task 6
The PC that you assembled in Task 4 will be used by one of the new administrators (your tutor) within the marketing
team at Castle College. He has specific software requirements, therefore you are required to sit with him and
configure systems, application and utility software to meet his requirements.
The IT team wants to keep a record of what configuration has taken place. Using MSWord, explain what
configuration has taken place. Further evidence will be provided to you in the form of an observation record.
(P6)
Task 7
Conclude your explanation in Task 6, by discussing how the configuration of the software for the new administrator
will help him perform his tasks more effectively.
(D2)
Page 3 of 4
Task 8
The new marketing administrator is unsure about what potential security risks exist in regards to his newly
assembled and configured computer system. He has asked you to describe the security risks so that he has a greater
understanding of them. You should evidence this task using a table in MSWord.
(P7)
Sources of information:
Textbooks
Jennifer Fulton – Complete Idiot’s Guide to Upgrading and Repairing PCs (QUE; 3rd Edition) ISBN 0789716429
White R and Downs T – How Computers Work (Que, 2003) ISBN 0789730332
Journals
Which? Computer
Computer Weekly
Websites
www.bized.co.uk
www.computerweekly.com
Course Wiki
This brief has been verified as being fit for purpose
Assessor
Signature
Internal verifier
Date
15th October 2010
Date
15th October 2010
Brendan Coulson
Signature
Page 4 of 4