BTEC First Diploma

For ICT Practitioners

Providing ICT Technical Advice & Guidance

Assignment No 1
Candidate’s
Name: / Date issued
Date due for return
Teacher / Mr S Thistlewood / Date submitted
Teacher’s comments
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Interim grade / Assignment
New submission date / Grade
Internal Verifier Comments
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Name / Signature

Scenario

You work as an assistant network manager at St Clements College. You have been given the task of producing a handbook for the technicians explaining how to set up a helpdesk system.

The handbook needs to include:

  • A guide to the types of advice and guidance that will be provided
  • Methods for recording user requests
  • Procedures for dealing with user requests, written, flow charted and practical
  • How information sources are used to deal with advice and guidance requests
  • Examples of typical requests that are to be processed by the new system

You should use suitable word-processing or publishing software to create this handbook and the sample documents that can be produced by a typical helpdesk.

Note: This handbook will require an appendix, which contains three real records for requests for advice and guidance (see task 7). These should be produced during your own practical activities and experience using defined procedures, eg school helpdesk.

Tasks

1)Produce a section of the handbook that identifies the types of advice and guidance that users of ICT systems may need, illustrating each one with an example. The section should include advice and guidance on:

  • Hardware and software features
  • Maintenance procedures
  • Troubleshooting(P1)

A further section should explain some benefits of providing an advice and guidance helpdesk for individuals and organisation. (P2)

2)Create an advice and guidance section that shows the use of different sources of information to give guidance (solutions) for three problems listed in the appendix. (P4)

3)Extend the section created for task 2 by comparing two different sources of information used to provide guidance. Compare these sources using aspects such as ease of access and reliability as well as other areas you feel appropriate such as being up to date or including enough detail to resolve a problem. (M3)

4)Add a section that gives advice on good practice when communicating with users, covering ideas such as:

  • Methods used to report problems
  • How communication skills help the helpdesk’s response to angry, confused or experienced users. (M1)

5)Add a section that demonstrates and tests a fault finding process.

  1. Design a fault finding flow chart based on one of the three requests contained in the appendix (You may wish to use an example from task 2)
  2. Ensure that the flow chart is fully tested in a practical situation and record the result. (M2)

(Note: satisfactory completion of both task 5a and 5b are required to meet M2)

6)End the handbook by writing a summary which:

  1. Justifies the introduction of an ICT helpdesk to an organisation
  2. Describes the characteristics present in a good helpdesk operator.(D1)

7) Produce an appendix that contains copies of at least three completed end-user request and problem forms. You must follow defined procedures for completing, signing off and filing these forms. (P3)

Grading Criteria

Grading Criteria
To achieve a pass grade the evidence must show that the learner is able to: / Evidence can be found / Achieved yes/no
Give feedback on decision
P1Describe, using examples, types of advice and guidance that may be required by users of ICT systems / Task 1 – Section in handbook covering three types of advice and guidance with examples
P2Identify the benefits to individuals and organisations of having a helpdesk facility that provides advice and guidance / Task 1 – Section covering advice and guidance
P3Record information in response to requests for advice and guidance following defined procedures / Task 7 – Appendix containing at least three records of requests
P4Use different sources of information to give guidance for specified types of problems / Task 2 – Guidance section using different sources of information to give guidance covering three problems
M1Describe aspects of good practice in communicating with users / Task 4 – Section describing good practice in communicating with users
M2Design and test a fault finding process for users / Task 5 – Section showing fault finding flow chart and suitable testing
M3Compare two different sources of information used to provide guidance in terms of aspects such as ease of access and reliability / Task 3 – Section comparing different sources of information
D1Justify the introduction of an ICT helpdesk to an organisation and describe the characteristics of a good helpdesk operator / Task 6 – Summary containing justification of an ICT helpdesk and characteristics of a good helpdesk operator.

D Stainton/ICT/Btec/ICTtechnicaladvice&guidance/June 2007