Project 2 - Problem Solving using ICT Coursework Guidance
Now that you have completed Projects 1A and 1B you must complete a major project that will demonstrate everything you have learnt about using software. You must create a system that will SOLVE A PROBLEM for somebody else. It is best if you make this person somebody who runs and organisation or business. It must make the running of their business or organisation more efficient and therefore easier.
The software you will use is data handling
software. Microsoft Access is the software we have available at school for you to
use. Examples of problems you can solve using data handling software are:
Creating stock databases to keep track of the movement of stock. A database like
this can also be used to help with customer enquiries. For example if customers need
to know whether an item is in stock - Music CDs available in a music shop, or second-hand
cars available at a car dealership. You system must be an improvement on the
exisiting system. It must be user-friendly so you must make it in such a way that it
is easy for somebody else to use. This will be done at the end of the project by
creating a User Guide.
If you think the database you made in Project 1b (Task 2) would solve a problem for a business or organsiation then YOU ARE permitted to use it for this project. However, unlike Project 1b you must explain exactly how you know it will help and also how you found out what the person you are helping required. To do this you must show evidence of thorough research in the form of interviews, questionnaires and surveys with the people you are creating the system for.
Your Project should be divided into the following sections:
Analysis
Design
Implementation
Evaluation
Below is a checklist of exactly what you will need to show as evidence in order to receive maximum marks for Project 2.
| Project 2 "To do" List | Evidence | Marks | ||
| Analysis | ||||
1 |
User
Request A request from a ‘manager’ of a real organisation or business, probably in the form of a letter. The letter should outline the nature of a problem that requires a solution: A sample problem statement from a "manager" might be:"My stock list is currently stored in a booklet that often gets lost. It takes me a long time to find information I need about my current stock" |
|
1 | |
| 2 | Fact
gathering forms. To find out exactly what you need to do to produce the solution you must ask questions to help you. What information do you want to get out the database? How many records will it have? What are the type of information that you want to store? Write these questions out in the form of a questionnaire or interview. Keep a record of what you find out from the fact gathering forms - this can be placed in the Appendix of your project. Keep a minimum of three responses |
|
4 | |
| 3 | Write a summary of the responses for each question from the questionnaire or interview. "8 out of 10 staff wanted to be able to print lists of the current stock". Explain what you thing the users requirements will be. |
|
2 | |
| 4 | Diagram
of the existing system Now that you have gathered all the necessary information you must describe the existing system. This can be in the form of a diagram. Identify data passing through the system, the people who handle it and how it is stored.(Inpus - Outputs and Processes) |
|
1 | |
| 5 | System Objectives Now that you have found out what the problem list at least 8 things your system will do to improve the exisiting one. Make these objectives as detailed as possible. ie Print a list of available stock Find a list of all the stock that needs to be re-ordered Sort stock entries by date purchased Search for customers by surname List cutomers in alphebetical order by region |
|
2 | |
| 6 | General
Objectives List at least three ways in which the new system will be an improvement on the old one - use a system diagram to help illustrate this. |
|
2 | |
| Design | Analysis Total Marks |
12 | ||
| 7 | Choice Of Software List the software and hardware you are going to use Justify your choice of software package by comparing it with other ways of solving the problem. Use the following sub-headings: Using existing commercial packages Writing code from scratch or Using a different database package (Works, Dbase, Excel etc) |
|
4 | |
| 8 | Database
table design Show evidence that you have; Designed suitable table(s) for your system. Designed suitable fields (must relate to you objectives in the analysis section) Designed suitable validation checks (show examples) |
|
2 | |
| 9 | Design
data input forms Include fields and field labels |
|
1 | |
| 10 | Query
design To gain maximum marks these must include examples of advanced query functions: AND, OR, NOT and parameter queries |
|
1 | |
| 11 | Data Capture Sheet Construct a data capture sheet (for collecting the data you users are going to input). This can be hand drawn to show layout and then word processed. |
|
1 | |
12 |
3 completed
data collection forms Fill in details on three forms ready for entering into the database table.
|
|
1 | |
| 13 | Design
a test plan Create a table with the following column headings: Input Action Expected output/results Fill in details for 5 tests that you can do on your database - test the database running under normal conditions and under extreme conditions (ie when wrong types of data are entered into inappropriate fields) |
|
2 | |
| Implementation | Design Total Marks |
12 |
||
| 14 | Creating Your Database Write a list of all tasks that you had to do to make your database. You must explain it in such a way that a non-IT expert could follow the list like a set of instructions and be able to actually make the same database: ie: 1 - Open Access using Start > Programs > MS Access 2 - Select "Blank database" 3 - Save the database as stock.mdb 4 - Select the table tab and then "Create Table In Design View" wizard 5 - Enter field names etc Use screen captures (Print Screen) to help explain what you did. To gain extra marks you must include information about modifications you made to the original design. |
|
2 |
|
| 15 | Software
Features Describe 2 features of 2 software packages that could be used to solve the problem. Explain first how it can be done in Access and then describe how you would do the same thing in another software package. ie Creating a search or perfoming a sort on the data. |
|
4 |
|
16 |
What can your database can do? List 3 things your database does well and 1 thing it does badly. Explain how you could improve the way your database works. |
|
2 |
|
17 |
Make a "User Guide" This is a document that will help the user (The manager, shopkeeper) to use your database properly. Explain with screen captures; How to open the database How to enter new information (new stock items) How to search for information in the database How to print information form the database For extra marks: Create a troubleshooting guide - how to correct errors that appear in your database. ie saving tables, print errors, mis-typing search conditions, Month not Moth etc. |
|
7 |
|
18 |
Test The System Use the test plan created in the design section. Print out or screen capture the results of the tests and decribe whether they were successful or not. |
|
7 |
|
| Evaluation | Implementation Total Marks |
21 |
||
| 19 | Describe what your database solution can do and how it works. |
|
1 | |
| 20 | Write down which system objectives have been succesfully completed and which ones have not. |
|
1 | |
| 21 | Find out and report on what users think of your system. Describe what improvements you could make to it if you were to do the project again. |
|
2 | |
Evaluation Total Mark |
4 | |||
Project 2 Total Mark |
56 |