AS Level ICT

1. AS Level ICT Evaluation of ICT-related solutions

2. Evaluation – Why? • When the solution to a problem has been designed and implemented, it is always useful to evaluate the solution so that lessons can be learned and mistakes can be avoided in the future • The best way to evaluate a solution is to answer pertinent questions: • Did the final solution meet all the client’s needs? • What problems arose during the processes of design and implementation? • How were these problems overcome?

3. Evaluation – Meeting the client’s needs • To evaluate whether or not the solution meets the client’s needs, certain questions need to be answered: • How closely did the solution match the client’s original requirements? • If the solution did not match the clients’s original requirements, how did they not match and what were the reasons? • What modifications were necessary to both the client’s requirements and/or the solution during its development?

4. Evaluation – Meeting the client’s needs • Were any compromises necessary, and if so, what were they? • Does the solution have any limitations, and if so, what are they? • An evaluation needs to address these questions and answer them in full

5. Evaluation – What makes an ICT solution effective? • If an ICT solution is to be adjudged as successful it must: • Meet all the client’s requirements • Ensure that it is very difficult to process inaccurate data • Use the most appropriate methods to collect and input data • Use the most appropriate methods to display outputs • Ensure that any outputs are accurate

6. Evaluation – What makes an ICT solution effective? • Ensure that any outputs are produced in a logical order • Display relevant and helpful error messages if incorrect, inaccurate, or erroneous data are inputted • Ensure that health and safety issues are addressed • Ensure that the user interface is easy to use • Ensure that all aspects of the solution are easy for the user and any intended audience to use

7. Evaluation – What makes an ICT solution effective? • Ensure that any text is spelt correctly and is grammatically accurate • Only contain material (e.g. images, information) within the solution is accurate and up-to-date • Use appropriate design elements (e.g. fonts, font size, colour schemes) • Match the capabilities of the user and/or audience

8. Evaluation – Feedback • Feedback from the client, users, and potential audiences should inform any evaluation that is produced • Feedback can be obtained in a variety of ways including: • Interviews with clients, users, and audiences • Questionnaires completed by clients, users, and audiences • Observations of users and audiences using beta-test versions of the solution

9. Evaluation – Making an ineffective solution effective • During the process of evaluation, it should become apparent if the solution falls short of the client’s requirements in any way • These short-falls should be noted so that strategies can be adopted to eliminate them • This would ensure that an ineffective solution can be made more effective • It is not always possible to implement any or all of the necessary strategies during the available time-frame; however, knowing what the short-falls are and how to overcome them is absolutely essential

10. AS Level ICT Evaluation of ICT-related solutions