Learning Guide # 11: Dandi Boru College Jimma Campus
Learning Guide # 11: Dandi Boru College Jimma Campus
Ethiopian TVET-System
Ethiopian TVET-System
LEARNING GUIDE # 11
Unit of Competence: Migrate to new technology
To ensure that IT is totally aligned with business objectives, IT managers need to:-
The IT leadership must be connected to business management
Think about the impact of tasks on business as a whole rather than provide
solutions for individual tasks
Concentrate more on end-user experience with new technologies rather than the
technology itself.
Focus on the business goals and let the technology follow.
Play a strategic role in the future of the organization.
Name:-
Date:-
Instruction I: Answer all the questions listed below, if you have some clarifications-
feel free to ask your teacher.
Answer true or false.
1. Technology is so intangible that it is impossible to put a dollar value on the
benefits of technology to an organization.
2. Selection of new technology should be driven by a solution not a need.
3. New technology solutions should match the organization’s strategic direction.
4. Technology is changing so rapidly that experience gained in previous projects
is no longer useful when planning for new technologies.
5. If our major competitors have used a new technology, then we must
immediately implement this technology to maintain our competitive edge.
6. Introducing new technology does not always guarantee increase in
productivity.
7. The word ‘technology’ refers only and specifically to tangible, working
machinery, stuff you can touch.
Instruction II. Choose the best answer.
8. Technology should be a transparent tool that is used to:
A. Define the goals of your business
B. Broaden the scope of your business
C. develop and improve your business
D. Test and evaluate your business
9. In a competitive business environment, all businesses aim to: (select two)
A. Increase profit and improve service
B. Increase credit and reduce inventory
C. Increase inventory and reduce bad debts
D. Increase market share and reduce cost
E. Increase sales and reduce credit
Answer key:-
1.
2. False
3. True
4. True
5. True
6. True
7. False
8. C
Classifications of testing
Level 1
These tests are used to test the major functions of the equipment and usually this is done
during the equipment selection process.
Users for whom the new technology is an integral part of their work
Representatives from IT personnel supporting the new/upgraded equipment
Individuals who understand the business objectives and the rationale behind the
implementation of the new equipment.
Technology strategy
When introducing new equipment into any existing system, you must conform to the technology
strategy of the organization because this will:
Reduce completion time and accelerate the progress by providing a framework for
integrating new technology into the existing system.
Reduce total IT costs through appropriate technology selection as well as improve
software development and package selection decisions.
Enable increased return on your technology investments.
Provide a competitive advantage through the strategic use of information technologies.
LO3
Evaluate new or upgraded technology performance
Planning evaluation
The evaluation plan should be flexible enough to accommodate new questions and
information sources. Here are some strategies in planning evaluation:-
Obtain a list of all stakeholders of the new technology.
Identify stakeholders that must be consulted to evaluate the performance and
usability of the system.
Identify any other data sources to collect information such as documents, reports,
performance logs, etc.
Identify key performance indicators with regard to performance and usability of
the software applications and hardware.
Determine the resources that are needed to carry out the evaluation.
Identify the methodologies that will be used to conduct the evaluation.
The possible methodologies are:
observations,
questionnaires,
walkthroughs,
Interviews focus groups, etc.
Gathering feedback
The goal of collecting feedback from users and gathering information from other sources is
to enable the technology committee to assess how well the software and hardware
implementation is satisfying the key usability and performance indicators.
Sources of information
You can gather data from people, documents, performance data, observation of events or any
other empirical method such as experiments and benchmarking.
Interviews
Here are some tips for conducting interviews:
Choose stakeholders who would have greater or unique involvement with the new
system.
Communicate the purpose of the interview to the interviewee.
Ask brief questions relevant to performance and usability of the system.
Don’t interrupt.
Be a good listener.
Take notes.
Focus groups
These are group interview situations where discussions can take place about the
usability and the performance of the hardware and software. Here are some tips for
conducting focus groups:
Reward the attendees by providing refreshments as this could be a good motivator.
Start and finish on time.
Be prepared to hear positive and negative comments.
Be prepared with prompting questions to start the discussions about usability and
performance of the system.
Let the participants communicate and listen carefully.
Avoid being defensive.
Listen to all comments.
Engage a note-taker.
Surveys and questionnaires
These are used to gather quantifiable data about the system from a large number of people.
You should make allowances for the low response rate and the slow response time. Here are
some tips for conducting surveys:
State the objective of the survey as evaluating the performance and usability of
the new technology.
Keep the survey to a manageable length.
Use both open-ended and closed questions.
Support
Help desk Support Support Support Excellent support
services mechanisms are mechanisms exist. mechanisms exist. mechanisms.
non-existent or But fees Fees for help desk Reasonable fees
not adequate associated with calls are and acceptable
help desk calls are reasonable but response times.
high and response response times are Relevant cheat
times are slow. slow. Cheat sheets sheets and how-to
and how-to guides guides are
are available for accessible through
some features the web-based
support system
Technical needs assessment
Needs assessment Needs assessment Some groups of Needs for all An elaborate and
conducted for was not stakeholders were stakeholders comprehensive
implementation conducted surveyed to identified needs assessment
identify computer however not all was conducted
hardware needs are and it all
requirements. accounted for in stakeholders were
the final well informed
implementation about the
improvements
that would be
introduced.
Training
Training prior to Training was not Training was More customize A comprehensive
and during provided. provided in large training for small training plan was
implementation groups. groups derived and all
users were trained
in groups for
common skills
and on a one-to-
Summary
Migrate to new technology Page 20
We began with a discussion of the need for and process of evaluation when implementing new
technology. Then we moved on to planning an evaluation, key indicators of usability and
performance, and environmental considerations when purchasing new equipment. Then we
explored using feedback, its value and how to gather, analyses and process it. We finished with
an example of a scoring system to identify how the new system is performing with regards to
usability and performance
Answer key:-
1. C
2. The evaluation process can help to:
identify any issues relating to the relevance, effectiveness and efficiency of the
hardware and software systems installed
identify necessary changes required to address any pressing issues
ensure that the organizational process used for migrating to new technology
was acceptable to stakeholders and identify any changes that are necessary
Verify whether the system has delivered what was expected so as to benefit
future projects.
3. You can gather data required for evaluation by talking to users, customers (if applicable)
and managers as well as reviewing documents, performance data, help desk logs and
observation of events.
4. Some favorable environmental outcomes include:
Reduction in wastage
Replacement of old equipment that is not environmentally friendly
Reduction in paper usage
Reduction in energy consumption.
5. The following are some indicators for measuring the usability of a system:
Ease of use — users find it easy to apply to their intended tasks.
User satisfaction with the functional capabilities.