Unit Information

Unit content
1 Know the ways in which organisations use IT
Business use: promotional eg marketing, advertising, recruitment; technical eg manuals, specifications
Communication: internal eg email, intranet; external eg letter, invoices, websites, direct mail shots
Managing information: storing eg customer details, sales records; competitor details; online services
eg banking, shopping; manipulating eg interpreting data eg accounts, trends; decision making eg forecasting, budgets

2 Understand the reasons why organisations use IT
External factors: penetration into new digital markets eg voice recognition, multitouch input, new consumer devices and platforms; changing external requirements eg supplier expectations, changing market needs, changing legislation
Internal factors: meeting business needs eg cost effectiveness, increases in output, increases in data storage, speed, gaining a competitive edge, adapting to changing customer requirements, access to resources; other commercial drivers eg efficiency gains, consolidating data

3 Understand the impact of IT on individuals and organisations
Impact on individuals: re-skilling employees eg support and training needs; deskilling eg automation of previous user tasks, outsourcing of tasks eg network support, storage; home working; reduced job security
Impact on organisations: risks eg security, compatibility, health and safety, impact on staff Trends: changes eg new applications, wireless technologies, operating systems, innovative software platforms; changing market leaders; future developments

4 Be able to plan a working environment to incorporate IT
Working environment: ergonomics eg workstation layout, furniture design, positioning of equipment; health and safety issues eg repetitive strain injury, eye strain, electrical equipment safety, trailing cables
Room layout: positioning of office furniture eg desks, chairs, filing cabinets, photocopiers; positioning of IT equipment eg workstations, cabling, servers, printers; lighting; air-conditioning

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