Legal aspects overview

Intermediate Questions

1) Managers at the highest, or strategic levels of an organisation have particular requirements from an information system.

a) Give 1 example of an information system that would be useful to managers at this level, and explain how they would use it. (3)

b) State the 2 other levels of task and/or personnel within an organisation (2)


2) The introduction or development of an information system will result in change that must be managed.

Describe 3 areas that will need effective management. (6)


3) Any personal data that an organisation holds on a computer about its employees, or it customers, is covered under the Data Protection legislation.

Describe 3 methods by which a company can ensure that the requirements of Data Protection legislation are followed. (6)


4) Management's understanding and involvment can play an important part in the introduction of a MIS.

Give 3 actions that managers could take to increase the chances of a MIS begin successful. For each action state how it would help ensure success (6)


5) There are a number of social, moral and ethical issues associated with the introduction and use of ICT systems. Some of these issues may possibly be covered in an organisations ICT code of practice.

Describe 4 issues that could affect an ICT professional (8)


6) Project Management and effective ICT teams

a) Explain why ICT projects are often sub-divided into tasks and allocated to teams (3)

b)Within ICT projects, describe the need for:
i) clear timescales (2)
ii) approval to proceed (2)

Information and the Professional Overview

Project Management Overview

Managing Change Overview

ICT4 Overview (BA)

User Support

Traditionaly software products were supported in the following ways:

• user manual
• telephone support
• on-site training

Products were often sold with support packages as extra, and these support packages were often as expensive as the product!

Nowadays there are more varied types of user support options:

• robotic support (Ikeas' Anna)
• chat/messenger based support
• animated user manuals
• FAQ/troubleshooting guides
• user forums

When considering what support you will provide for your users, you must deicded upon 3 things:

• effectiveness (how effective it is to help the users)
• the user experience (bad user experience may turn users off)
• cost

For example; Ikeas' robotic Anna is

• is fairly effective in answering simple questions about specific things, but not as good as a real person
• provides a good user experience because people are comfortable speaking to someone, but as good as a real person
• and less expensive than having rooms full of telephone support personel

Animated user manuals are better than text based manuals as users are more likely to use and understand them and therefore less likely to ring up telephone support (expensive!).