BTEC International Level 2 IT Unit 1 Using IT to Support Information and Communication in Organisations Questions

Pearson  BTEC International Level 2 Qualifications  in Information Technology

Unit 1 Using IT to Support Information and Communication in Organisations Assessment Brief

Unit in Brief

The aim of this unit is to enable learners to develop an understanding of the ways in which information technology can provide value to organisations, and engage with stakeholders.

Unit introduction

Developments in information technology (IT) have had a significant impact on the way in which organisations operate. Where once IT may have been considered separate from other parts of an organisation, successful organisations now integrate IT systems into  all aspects of their business and operations. This unit helps learners to understand the different uses of IT in organisations, and how its effective use can contribute to the organisation’s success and improvement.

In this unit, you will explore different types of organisation and examine how IT helps them to meet their organisational needs and complete common business functions effectively. You will explore the value IT provides for an organisation and its internal  and external stakeholders, examining ways in which information is used by different stakeholders, and considering how that information is best presented to them to improve engagement and add value to the organisation.

You will respond to a scenario and plan and develop an information campaign aimed  at internal and external stakeholders.

Assessment 

This unit has a Pearson Set Assignment. Learners must complete a Pearson Set Assignment Brief.

Learning aims

In this unit you will:

• Explore how IT meets the needs of organisations
• Plan an information campaign for an identified organisation
• Produce an information campaign for an identified organisation.

Summary of unit

Learning aim A: Explore how IT meets the needs of organisations 

A1 Business functions and organisational needs

How common business functions support the needs of organisations.

• The purpose of different organisations (commercial businesses and not-for-profit) in terms of providing:
  • a service o a product o both products and services.
• Common business functions and how they relate to the needs of organisations:
  • production/operations to include – manufacturing, delivery of services, order fulfilment, supply chain management, resource management
  • marketing and sales to include – market research, advertising, new product development, customer relations, promotional campaigns
  • human resources to include – staff recruitment, staff management, compliance with employment law, payroll management
  • accounts and finance to include – budget allocation, financial reporting, monitoring cash flow, invoicing, account management.

A2 Data and IT used in organisations

How data and IT are used in organisations and the impact on the success of  an organisation.

• The measurable value of data and IT:
  • improvement and efficiency of decision making o optimising manufacturing and supply logistics o delivery and improvement of products and services o increasing profits, e.g. reducing costs, reducing waste o optimising productivity
  • increased customer engagement and satisfaction, e.g. improved brand recognition, identifying customer needs
  •  
• How data and IT are used in organisations to support business functions:
  • analysis of trends
  • prediction of and planning for fluctuations in prices, availability of resources and demand
  • setting and monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs) and quality control metrics
  • customer interaction and engagement o customer behaviour analysis and targeted marketing.

A3 Computer systems used in organisations

How IT systems are used in organisations and the impact on the success of  an organisation.

• The use of computer hardware to support business functions:
  • personal computers to include – desktops and laptops o mobile devices to include – smartphones, wearable devices, laptops o peripheral devices for system input and output to include – keyboards,  sensors, scanners, printers, projectors, RFID systems
  • accessibility devices to include – alternative keyboards, sip-and-puff systems, wands and sticks, braille embossers
  • storage devices to include – USB flash drives, internal and external hard drives, optical drives/discs.
• The use of networks and communication systems to support business functions:
  • the components of a network to include – servers (physical and cloud), clients, access points, infrastructure/cabling, routers
  • benefits of using networked systems, e.g. remote working, shared resources, central storage, access to and maintenance of data
  • drawbacks of using networked systems, e.g. cost implications, security and privacy concerns, maintenance.
• The use of software to support business functions:
  • applications software, e.g. word processing, spreadsheets, databases, graphic editing
  • system and utility software to include – operating systems, anti-virus, firewalls, back-up and restoration, task schedulers
  • specialist software, e.g. payroll, enterprise resource management, content management, project management tools.

Learning aim B: Plan an information campaign for an identified organisation

B1 Stakeholders

The roles and needs of different stakeholders.

• Internal stakeholders: o shareholders/owners o management o
• External stakeholders: o suppliers o customers/clients o government o pressure groups o
• Reasons for communicating with internal stakeholders:
  • formal reporting to include – business proposals, business plans, financial summaries, impact analysis, sales reports
  • planning for and managing changes within the organisation to include – new or improved products/services, diversification, changes to manufacturing processes, changes to legislation, change of premises, responses to cybersecurity incidents, new developments in technologies
  • staff training o informing staff about company policy.
• Reasons for communicating with external stakeholders:
  • advertisement (direct and indirect marketing)
  • responding to queries, e.g. price queries, issues with a product, returns o technical support o providing instructions.

B2 Methods of com municating with stakeholders

The selection and use of appropriate methods for communicating with different stakeholders.

• Internal communications:

o email o business reports o policy documents o notice board announcements (physical and virtual).

• External communications:

o email, e.g. formal direct letters, mailshots, personalised recommendations o social media, e.g. public posts, direct messages, viral campaigns o targeted advertisements o podcasts o videos.

• Utilisation of multi-channel campaigns, i.e. the use of more than one communications channel to communicate to stakeholders.

B3 Preparing for an inform ation cam paign

Approaches to planning an information campaign.

• Gather data, interpret, and prepare data for inclusion in the campaign,

e.g. AdWords, social media trends, publicly available large data sets.

• Preparing a communications plan:
  • identifying stakeholders and target audience, e.g. age, gender, interests, income
  • medium/platform of communication to be used for identified stakeholders o creating keyword strategies o planning content appropriate to:
    • chosen medium/platform
    • target audience
    • key messages
    • brand/company image.
  • planning a series of related communications to reveal information/build interest over time, e.g. multiple related posts/tweets, teaser adverts
  • research related to publishing schedule to include:
    • best time to publish social media posts
    • types of content that generate best engagement at different times
    • creating a publishing schedule to include – type of content, frequency,

day and time.

Learning aim C: Produce an information campaign for an identified organisation

C1 Producing an information cam paign

• Considerations when communicating with internal and external stakeholders: o maintaining privacy and security o tone of voice
  • presenting to different technical and non-technical stakeholders, e.g. when to use technical language or jargon, emphasis on different information
  • maintaining company image/brand identity
  • clarity of information o inclusion and diversity.
• Presenting information in different ways for different audiences:
  • written information
  • graphs o infographics o images o video and animation.
• Utilising features of different platforms and mediums for communication to improve reach and impact: o cookies o links o hashtags/keywords
  • polls o audience targeting o comments o

Assessment Criteria

Essential information for assignments

This unit is assessed using a Pearson Set Assignment Brief. A set assignment must be used to assess learners.

Further information for teachers and assessors 

Resource requirements

For this unit, learners must have access to networked computer systems with access to the internet. Learners will need access to:

• content creation tools, e.g. graphic editing software, audio editing, video editing
• office productivity software, e.g. word processing, spreadsheets
• email software
• internet access including access to metrics/analytics from social media.

Essential information for Assessment Decisions 

Learning aim A

For Distinction standard, in their evaluation learners must consider the value of data and computer systems to an identified organisation. They should consider the extent to which use of data and computer systems impacts on the organisation and enables them to meet their business needs. Learners should explore the ‘value’ to a company both in terms of monetary value, e.g. how it helps save money or contributes to improved profit and in terms of more abstract value, e.g. improved customer experience, brand recognition. As part of the evaluation learners should draw conclusions as to the potential impact these have on the identified organisation and its stakeholders.  The learners’ conclusions must be supported with relevant examples.

For Merit standard, learners must provide detailed descriptions of how data and computer systems are used in an identified organisation and industry. Their descriptions should include information as to how the identified data and systems provide measurable value for an identified organisation. For example, learners may describe how specific sales data is used by a supermarket to optimise stock levels and supply chains and advertise stock, or how the business makes use of user feedback data to improve the quality of goods and services.

For Pass standard, learners should outline the needs of an identified organisation. They should consider the core purpose(s) of the business, i.e. if it is a service or product-based business and the common business functions that inform the business needs.

Learners should also outline how data and computer systems support the business functions of an identified organisation. Their outline should make reference to specific computer systems and data that might be used in the organisation. While these should be relevant to the identified business or sector, at this level it is likely that there will be  a number of generic examples.

Learning aim B

For Distinction standard, learners must produce comprehensive communications plans for an information campaign. Their plans should provide detailed coverage of a range of information, platforms, and mediums they intend to use to communicate the information for the campaign to identified stakeholders.

The plan should include a rationale for their planning decisions, which is well-reasoned with supporting evidence. The plan must:

• provide details of the internal and external stakeholders that will be targeted in the campaign, demonstrating a good understanding of the needs of the identified target audience
• provide a supported justification for the medium/platform of communication to be used to communicate with the identified stakeholders, effectively explaining the key tools and features they will make use of
• provide details of an effective and appropriate keyword strategy they will use in the campaign providing effective justification for the strategy chosen
• contain content for a series of related and effective communications to reveal information/build interest over time, e.g. multiple related posts/tweets, teaser adverts
• contain a detailed publishing schedule for the communications they intend to create.

The range of information, platforms, and mediums required to be effective will vary depending on the type of campaign. For example, depending on the campaign and target audience, an effective campaign might require only the use of two platforms,

e.g. email and social media or it might require the use of more. If an identified campaign only requires a small number of platforms to be used, the campaign can still effectively use a number of different ways to present information and engage with stakeholders using those mediums.

At this level the plan should be appropriate for use in a range of settings, i.e. for use by  a content production team to implement the campaign and also for senior management in the business to make decisions about the campaign planned. Their rationale should make clear reference to the needs of the targeted stakeholders and the needs of the business as appropriate.

For Merit standard, learners must produce a detailed and effective communications plan for an information campaign. Their plans should provide details of the range of information, platforms, and mediums they intend to use to communicate the information for the campaign to identified stakeholders.

The plan should include a rationale for their planning decisions, which is generally  well-reasoned but may not always be fully convincing or supported. Their plans must:

• provide details of the internal and external stakeholders that will be targeted in the campaign, demonstrating a sound understanding of the needs of the identified target audience
• explain the medium/platform of communication to be used to communicate with the identified stakeholders, identifying the key tools and features they will make use of, and their reasons for choosing them
• provide an explanation of the keyword strategy they will use in the campaign
• contain content for a series of related communications to reveal information/build interest over time, e.g. multiple related posts/tweets, teaser adverts
• contain a publishing schedule for the communications they intend to create.

The range of information, platforms, and mediums required to be effective will vary depending on the type of campaign. For example, an effective campaign may only make use of two platforms (email and social media) but might effectively use several different ways to present information and engage with stakeholders using those mediums. At this level the plan will be mostly appropriate for use in a range of settings but  there may be some choices that will be less effective for their intended purpose.  Their rationale will make reference to the needs of the targeted stakeholders  and the needs of the business but these may not always be explored in detail.

For Pass standard, learners should produce a communications plan for an information campaign. Their plan must contain details of:

• the medium/platform of communication to be used to communicate with the identified stakeholders
• the key tools and features they will make use of
• details of the keywords to be used in the campaign
• plans for a series of related communications, e.g. multiple related posts/tweets, teaser adverts
• a basic publishing schedule.

The learner must have identified multiple platforms and audience members, but these may not always be the most appropriate or may lack the detail needed to fully inform the creation/implementation of an effective campaign.

Learners should prepare information for internal and external stakeholders ready for inclusion in a campaign. While the data chosen may not be fully appropriate at this level to be considered ‘effective’ or ‘convincing’ there should be clear evidence that they have taken into consideration some of the key characteristics of the target audience. For example, learners may have chosen to provide data that informs management about profits over time, but the information extracted may also contain too much data about individual sales, rather than high-level strategic information.

They should include a rationale that attempts to explain reasons for the planning decisions they have made, but this will not always be fully convincing or supported.

Learning aim C

Learners are not expected to use live social media platforms for this task. Evidence using offline/simulated environments or mock-ups is acceptable.

For Distinction standard, learners must implement a comprehensive and effective information campaign as identified in their plans. They should make effective use  of tools and features provided through their chosen medium and platform. It would  be expected that while different communications in the campaign may be targeting different stakeholders, they will clearly form a cohesive part of a larger campaign.  It would be expected that they all have clear brand identity, in addition to effective communicating to the targeted stakeholder.

For Merit standard, learners must implement their plan, by creating the communication materials they have planned. Learners’ evidence should demonstrate  a good understanding of the tools being used. The selection of content, medium and platform should be appropriate for the intended task. However, it may be the case that while most are appropriate there may still be some features chosen that are less effective or less appropriate for the intended purpose.

For Pass standard, learners must implement their plan by creating the materials to communicate information to internal and external stakeholders. In both cases the way  in which they communicate, in terms of tools, platforms chosen and quality, should be generally appropriate, however there may be some issues. For example, as part of their campaign, they may have selected to communicate sales information to investors, and while the information they provide may be accurate, they may have used tables of information, where graphs or info-graphics would have been more appropriate.

Assessment Controls

Time: this assignment has a recommended time period. This is for advice only and can be adjusted depending on the needs of learners.

Supervision: you should be confident of the authenticity of learners’ work. This may mean that learners should be supervised.

Resources: all learners should have access to the same types of resource to complete the assignment.

Research: learners should be given the opportunity to carry out research outside of the learning context if required for the assignment.

Links to other units and curriculum subjects

This unit links to:

• Unit 2: Data and Spreadsheet Modelling
• Unit 6: Introduction to Digital Graphics and Animation
• Unit 7: Introduction to Website Development
• International GCSE/core curriculum in Information Technology.

Employer involvement

This unit would benefit from employer involvement in the form of:

• guest speakers and interview opportunities
• work experience
• business material as exemplars
• visits to appropriate business organisations.

Opportunities to develop transferable employability skills

In completing this unit, learners will have the opportunity to develop skills in research and planning, problem-solving, responsibility, and communication.