OCR LEVEL 3 CAMBRIDGE TECHNICALCERTIFICATE/DIPLOMA IN

IT

IT SYSTEMS TROUBLESHOOTING AND REPAIRA/601/7280

LEVEL 3 UNIT 22

GUIDED LEARNING HOURS: 60

UNIT CREDIT VALUE: 10

TECHNICALSCambridge

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IT SYSTEMS TROUBLESHOOTING AND REPAIRA/601/7280

LEVEL 3

AIM AND PURPOSE OF THE UNIT

The aim of the unit is for learners to be able to troubleshoot and repair a range of hardware and software faults in computer systems and select appropriate remedies for repair. Learners will understand the implications of organisational policies and their effect on troubleshooting activities.

The hardware and software tools available to support troubleshooting are vast and it is important that the learner will be able to identify appropriate tools depending on whether the problem is a simple one or complex. Learners will be able to select and apply fault remedies whilst maintaining good working practices.

Accurate records of fault diagnosis and repair activities are key requirements within any organisation and can help to establish trends with faults, as well as compliance with legal requirements. Learners will understand the importance of accurate records and be able to maintain accurate records of their activities.

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IT Systems Troubleshooting and Repair Level 3 Unit 22

ASSESSMENT AND GRADING CRITERIA

Learning Outcome (LO)

The learner will:

Pass

The assessment criteria are the pass requirements for this unit.

The learner can:

Merit

To achieve a merit the evidence must show that, in addition to the pass criteria, the learner is able to:

Distinction

To achieve a distinction the evidence must show that, in addition to the pass and merit criteria, the learner is able to:

1 Understand how organisational policies can affect IT troubleshooting and repair

P1 explain the impact of organisational policies on the troubleshooting and repair process

D1 describe the constraints that organisational policies can have which affect the troubleshooting and repair process

P2 use hardware and software tools to troubleshoot simple IT problems

2 Be able to use appropriate tools to troubleshoot IT problems

P3 identify sources and select suitable fault remedies

M1 troubleshoot complex system problems

3 Be able to select and apply fault remedies to IT systems

P4 apply fault remedies safely to simple IT system problems

M2 apply fault remedies safely to complex IT system problems

P5 demonstrate good working practices when applying fault remedies

M3 explain different working practices that must be followed when applying fault remedies

P6 keep accurate records of fault diagnosis and repair activities

D2 create a fault diagnosis flow chart for a simple IT system problem

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TEACHING CONTENTThe unit content describes what has to be taught to ensure that learners are able to access the highest grade.

Anything which follows the i.e. details what must be taught as part of that area of content.

Anything which follows an e.g. is illustrative, it should be noted that where e.g. is used, learners must know and be able to apply relevant examples to their work though these do not need to be the same ones specified in the unit content.

LO1 Understand how organisational policies can affect IT troubleshooting and repair

• organisational policies - resource and skill availability - cost, (e.g. repair or replace) - performance - system down time, (e.g. work station, LAN, WAN,

running of important programs/functions) - impact on business and/or service, (i.e. loss of business

from existing and/or new customers) - priorities based on urgency and need.

• constraints - time - cost - technical skills - system availability - work priorities.

• hardware tools - electrical/electronic test instruments - self-test routines - monitoring devices - pliers, screwdrivers, screws - voltmeters - power supply testers - loop back devices.

• software tools - diagnostics - monitoring programs - error logging programs.

LO2 Be able to use appropriate tools to troubleshoot IT problems

• fault diagnosis process - fault validation - information gathering - information analysis - solution identification.

• diagnostic methods - substitution - replication

- performance and functional testing - environmental change.

• diagnostic tools - electrical/electronic instruments - on-board self-test programs - loop-back devices - on-line/remote monitoring software - diagnostic software.

• diagnostic and technical information - taking measurements - observing and recording system performance - interviewing relevant personnel - obtaining technical specifications - obtaining fault history - product technical specification.

• analyse information to diagnose faults - trend analysis - gap analysis - what-if scenarios - flow charts - cause and effect.

• types of faults - simple, (e.g. CD/DVD drive not working)

• common faults• easily diagnosed• easily remedied

- complex, (e.g. lack of network connection)• unknown fault• multi-step diagnosis• multi-step remedy• uncommon.

• identifying remedy sources - on-line discussion forums - technical manuals - manufacturer’s website - discussion forums - fault history records - FAQs.

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IT Systems Troubleshooting and Repair Level 3 Unit 22

LO3 Be able to select and apply fault remedies to IT systems

• working practices - health and safety procedures - data security e.g.

• backing up the data - retrieving software registry keys - planning activities - record keeping

• date of fault and date of repair• location of fault, (e.g. which PC in which room)• fault description• supporting information• diagnostic tools and tests used• cause of fault• remedy implemented or escalation to expert

- the importance of maintaining accurate records• legal requirements• fault history• trends• analysis• communicating information to colleagues• types of records

• fault log• on-line monitoring system• paper based recording system

- fault diagnosis flow chart• diagrammatic representation of a sequence of

operations to obtain the solution to a problem• use of standardised flow chart design symbols, (e.g.

start, process, decision)• clear, neat, easy to follow• logical order• test validity of flow chart.

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DELIVERY GUIDANCE

Learners will need to practice fault diagnosis and remedies for a range of simple and complex problems within the hardware and software. If learners have experience either in the work place or while on work placement, then they should be encouraged to offer such experience by contributing to class or group discussions. They could also be invited to share their experiences with novice colleagues during class to confirm that what is being required of them will aid their development in becoming IT Practitioners. Encourage learners to review the faults that they have encountered when working with or using computers. Discuss how they dealt with these, how they discovered just what the fault was and how to repair it. Learners should carry out a minimum of fifteen fault finding activities ranging from the simple to the complex to ensure they have a full understanding of the process and the scope.

Understand how organisational policies can affect IT troubleshooting and repair

Learners will need to be aware of the organisational policies affecting troubleshooting and repair activities. Learners should research different types of businesses e.g. large retail company, company that uses e-commerce, small building contractor and establish the types of organisational policies and procedures which they may have. Guest speakers could be invited to speak to the learners and explain the importance of ICT within their organisations and the policies that they have in place e.g. timeline for dealing with customers, providing computerised accounts/payments etc. Learners could ask the speakers what types of problems they have had with the use of ICT and the impact it had on their day to day business. They should be given the opportunity to discuss a range of different types of organisations and consider their individual needs. The learners should discuss as a group differing types of problems and the adverse effects these may have on different organisations; this will enable them to have a better understanding of the constraints that they have to consider when diagnosing and offering repair solutions. The learners should be made aware of considering the different constraints that may arise such as the downtime of a system – what effect would this have on the business as a whole and its ability to function? They should consider how they would prioritise their activities to ensure that those with the most urgent need are dealt with as a priority e.g. a business that relies on access to the Internet to function would have priority over a business which had a fault with one of the printers when there were other printers that could be used.

Be able to use appropriate tools to troubleshoot IT problems

Learners should be given the opportunity to troubleshoot and repair a range of hardware and software problems. The problems should be a mixture of simple (e.g. cannot access a network printer) and complex (e.g. a system which has a number of different faults which are interlinked) requiring more challenging diagnosis. Complex problems are problems which are unusual and/or require a number of steps during diagnosis and repair. Simple problems could include viruses, malware, software conflicts, driver conflicts. More complex problems have non-specific symptoms e.g. Windows Mail freezes on an ad hoc basis. This can be a practical session where learners are provided with systems containing a range of simple and complex faults which they have to diagnose and provide a solution for. The activities should require the learners to follow the fault diagnosis process and enable them to use a range of fault diagnostic methods such as substitution, replication etc. They should use a range of diagnostic tools as identified in the teaching content. The learners should be able to gather diagnostic and technical information from a range of sources e.g. fault history, technical websites and manuals and analyse it in order to select appropriate remedies to rectify the faults.

Be able to select and apply fault remedies to IT systems

Learners should be taught how to carry out identified repairs (these could be based on the diagnosis of the faults that they carried out for Learning Outcome 2). It is important that good working practices are explained to the learners to include the working practices as identified in the teaching content. They should be taught how to record troubleshooting and repair activities ensuring that they provide a clear and accurate reflection of the fault, the diagnosis and the solution. The solutions can either be those that they identified from the practical activities for Learning Outcome 2, or learners could be provided with pre-diagnosed faults for which they have identified repair solutions It is important that learners are made aware of what information is required e.g. date of fault, fault description, location of fault (this means where in the building e.g. PC 34 in Classroom A), supporting information e.g. when will the system be available for repair, the diagnostic tools and tests carried out, cause of fault, identified remedy or escalation, date of completion. Learners should be made aware of the importance of maintaining accurate records e.g. legislative, historical information, to identify trends etc.

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IT Systems Troubleshooting and Repair Level 3 Unit 22

Fault diagnosis flow charts are used commonly within the IT industry and the learners should be provided with the opportunity to look at a variety of different flow charts used for simple and complex troubleshooting and repair activities. In addition, learners should be taught how to construct fault diagnosis flow charts following the guidelines within the teaching content.

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SUGGESTED ASSESSMENT SCENARIOS AND TASK PLUS GUIDANCE ON ASSESSING THE SUGGESTED TASKS

Assessment Criteria P1, D1

These assessment criteria could be carried out through a case study of an organisation that the learner has researched. For P1, learners should explain the impact a range (three or more) of different organisational policies can have on the troubleshooting and repair process. This could be evidenced in the form of a report or a PowerPoint presentation supported by speaker notes.

For distinction criterion D1 learners must describe the constraints that organisational policies have on the troubleshooting and repair process. They could include the examples of hardware and software faults that they have identified within their case study. Learners could provide evidence through producing a separate report or include it as an additional section on their report or PowerPoint presentation produced for P1. It is important that they describe what each constraint is, why it is a constraint and how it would affect the troubleshooting and repair of the fault(s).

Assessment Criterion P2

Learners are required to use hardware and software tools to troubleshoot simple IT problems. The faults should require learners to use at least one hardware and one software tool. The evidence could be a report supported by diagnostic printouts, screen dumps of tests, or fault recording documentation. Learners should include an explanation of the fault as well as the tools used.

Assessment Criteria P3, M1

For P3, learners should either be given a range (three or more) of simple problems to consider, or they could use the same faults as for assessment criteria P2. There must be at least one software and one hardware related problem. Learners are required to identify the sources they would use and select appropriate remedies for each of the faults. It is important that each of the faults has a number of different remedies that could be selected. Learners could evidence this by providing a table identifying the fault, the source(s) used and the identified remedies.

For merit criterion M1 there must be at least one complex hardware fault and one complex software fault which learners must troubleshoot. There must be evidence of learners troubleshooting the complex IT problems. This could take the format of a video, report with annotated printouts from the use of diagnostic hardware and software or photographs. Learners must identify remedies for each of the problems which could be in

the format of a table identifying the fault, source(s) used and the identified remedies.

Assessment Criteria P4, P5, M2, M3

For P4 and P5, learners must provide evidence of implementing at least one hardware fault remedy and at least one software fault remedy for simple IT system problems. The evidence must include a plan of how they are going to carry out the repair, following relevant health and safety procedures and maintenance of the safety and security of the system. Learners could provide a report of their repair activities supported by their work plan and recording documentation. A witness testimony, observation, work log and/or video could also be used as supporting evidence.

For merit criteria M2 and M3, learners must provide at least two examples of applying a remedy or remedies for complex IT problems (M2). Learners must provide an explanation of the different working practices that they have followed. The explanation should include the working practice undertaken and why it is important. (M3). The evidence can be in the form of a report supported by their fault recording documentation.

Assessment Criteria P6, D2

For P6, learners must provide evidence of accurately recording the details of the fault diagnosis and repair activities that they have carried out. The documentation may be paper-based or printouts from electronic logs. The content, regardless of the format used, must be accurate.

For distinction criterion D2, learners must create a fault diagnosis flow chart for a simple IT system problem. The evidence will be the actual flow chart produced by the learner. The flow chart must follow the conventions as identified in the teaching content as a minimum. The flow chart can be hand drawn or produced using flow chart design software.

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IT Systems Troubleshooting and Repair Level 3 Unit 22

MAPPING WITHIN THE QUALIFICATION TO THE OTHER UNITSUnit 8: IT technical support

Unit 11: Maintaining computer systems

LINKS TO NOSUnit 7.3: IT/ Technology Problem Management

CONTACT USStaff at the OCR Customer Contact Centre are available to take your call between 8am and 5.30pm, Monday to Friday. We’re always delighted to answer questions and give advice.

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