"We just need some new computers"
The manager of a money advice centre says, "We just need some new computers." You could buy ten laptops and go home.
But the advisers talk to clients about debts. The volunteers share two old PCs. The clients wait in a room next to the advisers. Different people need different things.
By the end of this lesson
Note
I can find the general and specific needs of each group and match them to hardware, software and data links.
Key words
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Needs analysis | finding out what each group of people needs before you suggest a solution |
| Stakeholder | a person or group who is affected by the work |
| General need | something every group needs |
| Specific need | something only one group needs |
| Hardware | the physical parts, such as laptops and printers |
| Software | the programs that run on the hardware |
| Data communication | how data travels between devices, such as broadband or Wi-Fi |
| Network | computers and devices joined together so they can share data |
| Router | a device that passes messages from one network to another |
| Encryption | scrambling data so only the right key can read it |
| VPN | a safe tunnel across the internet, so remote work stays private |
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.
Start with who is affected
Larkspur Advice Centre helps people with money problems. It has 6 advisers, 8 volunteers who take turns on 2 shared PCs, a manager, and clients who visit.
Each group is a stakeholder. Write down each group and ask, "What do you need to do your job, or to be safe, or to get help?"
Worked example: needs for each stakeholder
| Stakeholder | What they need | General or specific? |
|---|---|---|
| Advisers | Reliable internet, private conversations, locked client records, a laptop that opens quickly | Reliable internet is general. The rest are specific |
| Volunteers | Reliable internet, a simple sign-in, no access to client records | Reliable internet is general. The rest are specific |
| Manager | Reliable internet, reports on how many clients were helped, access from home | Reliable internet is general. The rest are specific |
| Clients | Reliable internet for online forms, a private place to talk, a clear way to ask for help | Reliable internet is general. The rest are specific |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
Match each need to a technology
For each need, name the technology that meets it. Say it in three groups: hardware, software and data communication. Then say why.
A good answer is specific. Do not write "a computer". Write "a laptop with a lock and a privacy screen for each adviser".
Worked example: needs and technologies
| Need | Hardware | Software | Data communication | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Locked client records | Lockable cabinet for paper. Laptops with disk encryption | A records program with a sign-in for each adviser | None needed | Only advisers see client details |
| Reliable internet | A router with a spare mobile link | None | Broadband plus a 4G back-up | The centre can still work if the line fails |
| Simple volunteer sign-in | Two shared PCs | A volunteer account with limited access | Wired to the switch | Volunteers cannot see client records |
| Work from home for the manager | A work laptop | A VPN and a second check at sign-in | Over the internet | Safe access without going to the office |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.