Level 2 IT Users Qualification – Unit 1 Improving Productivity

Carl

I can describe the purpose of using IT in my work

I used ICT to complete my coursework because it made me more efficient with my time. If I had not used ICT in my work then the pictures would have been harder to use because I couldn’t have searched for them easily using Google. I included a Youtube video in my presentation because it made it more interesting to look at. Without ICT, adding this video would have been impossible and would have made my work look rubbish. My newsletter included articles which were not written by me but came from someone else. I used ICT to complete a Google search to find articles about gaming consoles. My business card, letter and newsletter were made using these articles and also with a range of templates. These helped me in my work because they did the work for me. If I had completed my work without a computer then I could have done lots of things wrong but because most software has spellcheck I was able to use it to check things before they went wrong. If I had not used ICT for any of this work it would have taken longer and definitely looked less professional.

I can describe the methods, skills and resources needed to complete my tasks successfully

In order to complete my tasks successfully I had to know how to use the software. Each piece of software was something I had not used before and this meant that I had to learn lots of new skills. In my presentation I had to know how to select an existing template and then had to add text and pictures. I thought about the design and organised my slides so they looked high quality. I used a main menu which included using a wide range of hyperlinks to link to and from the main menu. Using these made my presentation interactive and also made it professional. I also made it better by including a range of advanced features such as animations and transitions. These made the presentation better to look at. Publisher enabled me to use a range of alternative methods to create my products. It enabled me to choose a design and colour scheme before starting my project so that I could then use a template which helped me create my coursework. Templates were useful because they enabled me to keep the design consistent whilst adding all of my own content. Using these saved me lots of time but meant my work looked really good. For most of my work I needed pictures and I found these by Google search. I had to change the settings on Google when looking for my pictures so that they did not break the copyright rules. I also had to store them in a source and store table so I could show work that didn’t belong to me . I also had to reference the websites of articles and video’s I used in my work so that I gave credit to the owner.

I can describe factors that might affect the task

There are several factors which could have affected me from completing the tasks set. The first factor is to make sure that I have access the to technology to be able to complete the tasks set. Without a computer I wouldn’t have access to resources on my computer and so I wouldn’t be able to complete tasks quickly . The computer or software could be out of date and this could affect the task because I might not have all the tools I need. I used the internet a lot in my work so if there had been problems with the internet such as losing connection or sites being blocked then this could have prevented me from getting articles for my news paper or copyright free images by using the search tools on my browser. Copyright could have been something else which might have affected the task because I had to search for images that were copyright free and sometimes the pictures I wanted to use weren’t available because they had copyright restrictions. Finally, the biggest factor which could have affected the task is me. If I did not know how to use the software then I wouldn’t have been able to complete the coursework.

I can describe how the purpose and outcomes have been met by the chosen IT systems and tools

I created my presentation using Powerpoint and my business card, letter and newsletter using Publisher. I chose Powerpoint to create my presentation because it has a range of presentation features. Firstly, it included the ability to add text and images. Writing directly onto the computer saved time because otherwise I’ll have to write it all myself. Getting pictures straight from Google was easy because I could search for them and didn’t have to find them in a book. Powerpoint was good for a presentation because it has a wide range of effective features such as hyperlinks and videos which made it perfect for your work. Publisher also had a wide range of amazing features but most of these were to do with the range of templates available. By choosing a design and colour scheme I was able to add a template which did most of the design work for me. This meant I could focus on making a professional logo and finding effective articles. Publisher also enabled me to save my work as a PDF. This was useful because it meant the person looking at my work didn’t need publisher to view the files.

I can describe any legal or local guidelines or constraints that apply to the task or activity

I completed my coursework at school which meant that I worked from a password protected log in. It is important that my account is protected so that other people can’t make changes to my work. I also completed my work in school which meant that I had to follow school policy when using the computer. This policy included not doing things on the computer I shouldn’t be and not going on sites which have been blocked. Some software the school has in free but some software has been purchased which means it needs a licence. Software licences are all different, some can restrict whether the software can be used on a desktop or laptop and others can restrict what tools I use within the software. If you don’t buy a licence then you are breaking copyright law. Copyright was very important in my coursework because I wanted to use pictures from the internet and video’s from youtube without making them myself. I followed copyright law by using a source and store table which showed lots of information about the asset I had found online such as where I got it from and information like the file size and type. I found pictures using a copyright free Google image search to make sure that I had permission to use it in my work.

I can describe whether the IT tools selected were appropriate for the task and purpose

Many of the tools I used in my coursework were appropriate for the task and purpose because it saved time . For my presentation unit I was able to create a master slide so that all my slides could be consistent in design, layout and colours which made my work look professional. I was able to use hyperlinks to link to video on YouTube. This made the main menu and individual slides more interactive. I was able to add pictures, text and videos so that the actual presentation was nice to look at and this made the presentation suitable for my audience. Presentation software allowed me to choose from a range of animations and transitions. While these made my work look more professional, I was not able to make my own. Desktop publishing software enabled me to create a range of publications such as a business card, letterhead and newsletter by choosing a design which was consistent . The tools in desktop publishing software included allowing me to write my articles in columns and this made my work look more professional. Desktop publishing software also allowed me to save my files as PDF so that anyone could view them. Finally, online tools such as vistaprint helped me to create my logo in a quick and easy way. Overall, the tools I used were appropriate for the activity because they helped with everything I wanted to do.

I can assess the strengths and weaknesses in my final work

When completing my presentation I thought that my hyperlinks were effective because they meant the viewer could get to any place in the presentation from anywhere else. I also thought that my design was nice to look at because it is up to date and has vibrant colours. I felt my main weakness was information because it was difficult to find information which suits it but also that my chart could have improved because I rushed it.

When completing my business card, letter and newsletter I thought that my choice of design was one of my strengths and while this was a preexisting software feature, I was able to adapt it to fit with my logo. I thought my newsletter was the best of all three publications because it looked really nice and had good information with necessary pictures. I thought that I could improve my letterhead by adding more to it.

I can describe ways to make further improvements to my work

I could have made further improvements to my presentation if I had consider alternative software such as keynote. If I had used keynote instead then I could have made something unique. Many of the features of presentation software are the same but most presentations are made using Powerpoint that people want something different. I used Powerpoint because I used it before but looking back my work could have been more effective if I had experimented with another piece of software. I could have improved my newsletter if I had had been able to get more articles specific to my company. I was pleased with the finished newsletter but felt that there was room to make it better if it had more specific articles.

I can review the benefits and drawbacks of IT tools and systems used in terms of productivity and

efficiencyThere were a few factors which affected me in terms of productivity and efficiency but the one I noticed the most was trying to learn how to do something I had not done before. Some of the tools in PowerPoint and Publisher were tools I had not used in a while which meant that I lost time having to learn how to use them. An example was that some of the designs in publisher were not available for all publications so I had to spend extra time making sure that the one I chose was available. As I had to follow copyright law, I lost time when creating my newsletter as I had to copy and paste articles that were relevant to my product and stuff I'm allowed to use. I could have been more productive if I had taken from the web instantly but this was something that I could not avoid. Each lesson I had to access my user area and sometimes this took a long time. During some lessons websites didn’t open and this slowed me down because I couldn’t do as much as I wanted to.

I can describe ways to improve productivity and efficiency

There are a number of ways I could have been more productive and efficient in my coursework. The first is if I had concentrated on my own work. There were many lessons where I did not make much process and if I had of been more focused then I could have been more productive. Sometimes, when looking at the next section , I took a long time as I had to make sure I understood what I was doing. Some of the features within Publisher were ones you hadn’t used before. This meant that I had to take my time until I was as confident as I wanted to be. Throughout the project I kept my files organised which made me more efficient as I was able to always find what I was looking for. I also only wrote the contact details for my company once then copied and pasted so that I could be more productive with my time. The use of templates helped me as it only had to be done once which made me more productive because I didn’t have to repeat any work.