Business Quest : Proposal

After examining the different business IT solutions, Your task will now to preapre a proposal for a project that you may undertake.

Prepare a one page document with the following information

a) Describe three types of business that my require information technology solutions.

b) In each of the above businesses described, name one client for each.

c) For each of the businesses stated above, describe  two suitable IT solutions for each of them.


Note: It is from this that I will determine the kind of project you will undertake.

Business Quest Unit Details

Background Information

The unit is designed to allow you to explore the different computer technology solutions in business. We will identify different IT solutions and examine the impact of using the IT solutions in business. Investigating a local business and developing a suitable product that will help the identified stakeholder (a client) will be key to the unit. In order to achieve this, we will investigated and study different IT solutions in businesses; including websites, videos for business, commercials, music, Databases, and other IT solutions.

Unit Details

Unit Question: What are the impacts of information technology systems on businesses?

AOI: Human Ingenuity: What are the consequences of what we create in businesses?

Significant Concept: All businesses use or can use IT for launching, analyzing, storing and marketing of their services and products

AK Focus: Global Economics: Trade and Development

The study of how individuals and societies exchange goods and services.

Summative Assessment

You will investigate a local business and develop a suitable product that will help the identified client. Some of the options available a website,  a video for the business, a commercial or advert, produce a commercial song/advert, develop a database, etc. The product can address any specific themes in the business; marketing and advertising, Training, data analysis and storage.

Business Quest Unit

Initial activity

a) What are some of the IT products that have enabled businesses to grow and flourish?

b) Identify one online business in Mombasa that sells goods or services online.

• What is the name of the business?
• What are some of the benefits of this business in running their business online?
• What are some problems or dangers of running the business online?

c) Identify or download  any business database.

• What is the name of the database?
• Outline some key features of a good database solution.
• What are some advantages of businesses in using databases.

d) Spreadsheets can be used to manage the accounts of any business.

• Identify and name one example of a spreadsheet product that is used by any business.
• What are some of the common functions (formulas) that are always used in many spreadsheet products?
•  Outline some advantages of using spreadsheets to manage the accounts of any business.

 e) Computer games or animations can be used for training of staff in a business or marketing a product to a group of people.

• Identify and name one such product.
• Describe the main advantages of business in using such option.
• Why would businesses prefer using humans for training and marketing rather than computer games or animations?

f) Some businesses have created videos, or adverts to market  businesses.

• Identify and name such two products
• Compare and contrast the two videos
• What must a good video advert have?

Evaluate Stage: Going Green Unit

The product/solution should be evaluated against the design specification in an objective manner based on testing, and also evaluate its impact on life, society and/or the environment. Ensure you explain how the product/solution could be improved as a result of these evaluations.

Your own performance at each stage of the design cycle must be evaluated and suggest ways in which your performance could be improved.

Moderation feedback on Evaluate stage:

This criterion was covered well by most students, particularly self-evaluation at the different stages of the design cycle.  However, more detailed testing against specifications was required in a number of cases. Also, some students failed to suggest modifications to their product/solution in response to feedback from clients. Students should be encouraged to analyze the feedback they receive. 

What affected most student's achievement was a lack of appropriate product testing. Students generally limit this to obtaining feedback, yet this is not always directly linked to the design specifications. Appropriate testing methods should be described in the investigation stage, while evidence of success should be included in the evaluation. Students should the base an objective evaluation of the product on the results of testing. Feedback could be used more effectively when evaluating a product's impact.

Ensure that students respond to feedback from clients by suggesting modifications and improvements to their product/solution.

Levels	Task Specific Descriptor
0	The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors given below.
1-2	The student evaluates the product/solution or his or her own performance. The student makes some attempt to test the product/solution.
3-4	The student evaluates the product/solution and his or her own performance and suggests ways in which these could be improved. The student tests the product/solution to evaluate it against the design specification.
5-6	The student evaluates the success of the product/solution in an objective manner based on the results of testing, and the views of the intended users. The student provides an evaluation of his or her own performance at each stage of the design cycle and suggests improvements. The student provides an appropriate evaluation of the impact of the product/solution on life, society and/or the environment

 

Create Stage: Going Green Unit

You will start creating the product/ IT solution by following your Plan and taking into consideration the chosen design. The Created product should show
          -Thorough competence in the use of IT tools
          - Fully justified any modifications to the original design in Journal
          - Original and outstanding solution with many IT techniques applied.

The process journal should be used frequently to document progress in this stage. Use of screenshots, clips or photographs evidence to show progress is paramount. This should be done at the end of each class and any time you have done some work at home or at school. Ideas in the journal could include:

Appropriate quality: Ensure that the best possible product / solution is produced, taking into account the resources available, the skills and techniques used. Also, show how the product/solution addresses the identified need.

Moderation report comments extract;

• The monitoring team felt that despite a lack of creativity in some of the products/solutions, students had worked conscientiously on this stage.  
  
• The comparatively strong students included detailed journals, mentioning problems they faced and how they overcame these problems. However, there was a lack of evidence to show what they had achieved during each of their ‘create’ sessions. Screen shots or photographs illustrating the progress being made could have achieved this.

• Students document the create process with clips and photographs that illustrate their progress at significant stages of the create progress.  
  
  
  

  Levels	Task Specific Descriptor
  0	The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors given below.
  1-2	The student considers the plan and creates at least part of a product/solution.
  3-4	The student uses appropriate techniques and equipment. The student follows the plan and mentions any modifications made, resulting in a product/solution of good quality.
  5-6	The student competently uses appropriate techniques and equipment. The student follows the plan and justifies any modifications made, resulting in a product/solution of appropriate quality using the resources available.

   

Plan Stage: Going Green Unit

In this stage you will develop a detailed Plan that shows:

• A logical sequence of work that describes how each of the skills and techniques will be applied; describes the duration of time for each sequence and resources to be used
• logical steps to take that leads you to creating your chosen product 
• Justification of any modifications to the design
• An evaluation of the plan in terms of how realistic, logical, achievable the plan is.

A Gantt chart and the creation plan are recommended to be used.

The Gantt chart should be realistic, simple and very neat and in one page.

Creation Plan should give details of what skills/techniques will be used, what resources will be used and for what purpose, when they will be used and some evaluation of their use.


Note: Feedback on Plan stage from Moderation report

The plans were essentially well documented and provided a link between the final proposed design and the realization of the final product/solution. Most plans included logical sequential steps and timings. Students should be encouraged not only to list resources but also say how they may be used.

The evaluation of the plan is necessary for students to reach the higher-level descriptors. It is required to determine whether the plan is feasible or realistic, could be followed by others and has undergone any modifications since the design stage.

Levels	Task Specific Descriptor
0	The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors given below.
1-2	The student produces a plan that contains some details of the steps and/or the resources required.
3-4	The student produces a plan that contains a number of logical steps that include resources and time. The student makes some attempt to evaluate the plan.
5-6	The student produces a plan that contains a number of detailed, logical steps that describe the use of resources and time. The student critically evaluates the plan and justifies any modifications to the design.

 

Design Stage: Going Green Unit

In this stage you will generate several feasible designs for your product that meet the design specification and then evaluate each design against the design specification. After all the good quality designs have been generated, one design should selected, justify your choice and evaluate this in detail against the design specification.

The designs can be drawn on paper or designed using an appropriate software but submitted in hardcopy and softtcopy where possible.


Note below the feedback extract from the moderation report on Design Stage

The comparatively good students produced very clear and well-annotated design proposals. However, overall students did not show a wide range of ideas, which is necessary to reach the higher band levels. Again, ideas were mostly pencil drawings and may have been improved by including samples from various sources that could be used as part of their product/solution.

At the design stage, student are encouraged to develop their initial drawings with clips or screen shots from sources that may visually enhance their ideas/solutions.

Levels	Task Specific Descriptor
0	The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors given below.
1-2	The student generates one design, and makes some attempt to justify this against the design specification.
3-4	The student generates a few designs, justifying the choice of one design and fully evaluating this against the design specification.
5-6	The student generates a range of feasible designs, each evaluated against the design specification. The student justifies the chosen design and evaluates it fully and critically against the design specification.