A project in a bank
Your teacher says the project is set in the finance sector. You use a banking app, but you have never seen how a bank runs its computers.
You have a few days to find out. Where do you start? You start with six good questions.
By the end of this lesson
Note
I can find the facts about a business that a project will need and write them in a notes table.
Key words
| Word | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Sector | a group of businesses that do the same kind of work | banking |
| Regulator | a public body that checks firms follow the rules | the FCA |
| Availability | how much of the time a system works when people need it | a cash machine |
| Source | where a fact comes from | a regulator's website |
| Context | the facts about the place where the work happens | who the customers are |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
Starter
Have a go
Starter
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.
This is practice
Important
The real pre-task and tasks come from the exam board. This lesson uses an invented organisation. Your teacher will tell you how the real tasks are set and what you may bring in.
Six questions to ask about any business
Ask the same six questions about any business you must learn fast.
- Who are the customers?
- How do they use technology to reach the business?
- What must never go wrong?
- Which rules and laws apply?
- What attacks and faults are common?
- What do time and money limit?
The answers become the context for your project.
Worked example: Harbour Credit Union
| Question | What you might find out | What it means for the project |
|---|---|---|
| Customers | Members of all ages. Many use a phone app at night | The app must work all night |
| Technology | A web site, an app, three branches, two cash machines | Branches need a safe link to the main office |
| Must never go wrong | Balances must be right. Money must not go to the wrong person | Keep copies of data and check changes |
| Rules | Data protection law. Card payment standards. Rules from the regulator | Protect personal details and log who did what |
| Common attacks | Fake emails that trick staff, and fraud | Train staff and block bad mail |
| Limits | A small team and a small budget | Choose simple, cheap, safe options |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
Check
Have a go
Check
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.