Information Processes and Technology 2018 HSC exam pack (archive)

Students should:

• ensure the question and all of the required parts are answered
• display excellent knowledge and understanding of the syllabus items being assessed
• provide diagrams where appropriate to demonstrate their understanding of a system in a variety of scenarios, for example, ‘context diagram’, ‘Gantt chart’
• support their responses with examples relevant to the scenario provided.

Question 21

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify the required information technologies including hardware and software (a)
• describe a messaging system including reasons why this technology was suitable for the business (b)
• describe the ‘SQL’ required to generate and display a report (c).

Areas for students to improve include:

• identifying both hardware and software when asked to provide the information technology in a given scenario (a)
• justifying why they chose a particular messaging system in the scenario provided (b)
• demonstrating their understanding of a report including the process of gathering data from a database (query) to include in a report (c).

Question 22

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify relevant symbols in a context diagram and label the correct data interpreted from the scenario (a)
• use the correct terminology such as ‘data mining’ to engage with the question and refer to examples of data in the system and how the data could be used by management (b)
• include varied examples for both the manager and the customer as well as clearly explain the difference between security and privacy for both the customer and manager (c).

Areas for students to improve include:

• knowing the difference between a context diagram and a dataflow diagram
• identifying the importance of data warehousing and describing data mining using an appropriate example (c).

Question 23

In better responses, students were able to:

• describe and differentiate between the communication skills required by the project manager to communicate with the restaurant chain and the development of team members (a)  
• provide a correct Gantt chart with all tasks finishing within an 8-week period (b)
• explain why each protocol is used in the given scenario (c).

Areas for students to improve include:

• referring to the given scenario when describing each communications skill (a)
• demonstrating a deep understanding of different protocols and explaining why they are used in a variety of systems (c).

Question 24

In better responses, students were able to:

• describe multiple benefits of a prototype in the context of the bushfire prevention system (a)
• explain live data testing in relation to the bushfire scenario provided (b)
• name and justify appropriate communication mediums that take into account the physical environment in the stimulus provided (c).

Areas for students to improve include:

• using the context in their response as well as providing more than one example when asked for ‘benefits’ (a)
• demonstrating their understanding of ‘live data testing’ and why it is used when developing a new system (b)
• understanding the characteristics associated with communication mediums and why some are better suited in some contexts and not in others (c).

Question 25

In better responses, students were able to:

• understand correctly and provide an outline for a limitation of batch processing (a)
• clearly articulate the correct difference(s) between web based and non-web based transaction processing system with a correct example for each (b)
• understand the real purpose of a management information system and how it can work together with a transaction processing system within an organisation (c)
• provide a description which includes advantages and disadvantages for both customers and employees for the given scenario of the coffee shop and its virtual ordering and payment system (d)
• understand what a transaction log is and describe its role in the provided scenario of the short term bicycle sharing system (ei)
• provide an explanation of data integrity, security and quality and its importance in the short term bicycle sharing system (eii).

Areas for students to improve include:

• clearly outlining a limitation of batch processing (a)
• understanding how web based and non-web based transaction processing systems differ with examples (b)
• demonstrating their knowledge and understanding of a management information system (c)
• provide a description which addresses all the elements within the question (d)
• having a clear understanding of what a transaction log is and be able to apply that to the scenario (ei)
• ensuring they understand the difference between data integrity and quality and be able to explain the importance of this in relation to the given scenario (eii).

Question 26

In better responses, students were able to:

• outline the purpose of certainty factors in expert systems (a)
• provide how OLAP uses functions such as data visualisation, provides drill downs and in depth analysis to support decision making (b)
• explain how the various functions of GDSS such as voting, anonymity, online meetings, file sharing could improve the meeting process (c)
• provide three substantially correct formula including either a nested IF or a LOOKUP or a VLOOKUP (d)
• clearly explain how the GIS helps the user make decisions about the bike to hire and the route to use including how the GIS functions in this purpose (ei)
• explain the data/information requirements for the three required information processes and indicate the connection between these processes (eii).

Areas for students to improve include:

• understanding why expert systems use certainty factors (a)
• demonstrating their understanding of the features and processes involved in OLAP and how it supports decision making but does not make the decisions (b)
• demonstrating their understanding of how GDSS support decision making within a meeting but do not make decisions, as well as the functions of a GDSS (c)
• the development of complex spreadsheet formulae including Lookups and absolute referencing (d)
• demonstrating their understanding of how GIS support decision making but does not make the decision (ei)
• understanding the organising process within a system, and provide specific examples of organising (eii).

Question 27

In better responses, students were able to:

• correctly identify and outline the purpose of critical damping, often including an example (a)
• effectively describe the effects of deskilling with consideration to individuals, groups and the human context (b)
• clearly articulate the difference between the two system types with accurate and correctly described AMS systems (c)
• describe the operation and function of each device with specific reference to the drone scenario (d)
• provide a clear link between the identified sensors being used within the scenario (ei)
• provide an explanation for how quality can be consistently maintained (eii).

Areas for students to improve include:

• demonstrating an in depth understanding of actuator and sensor operation (d)
• providing considerations for consistency in manufacturing and quality control testing of the final product when explaining how quality can be consistently maintained (eii).

Question 28

In better responses, students were able to:

• relate the meaning of integrity to an effect on a multimedia product as well as provide an example to show why integrity is important (a)
• differ between the two animation techniques with an example of each (b)
• describe the roles of both the project manager and technical support staff as well as recognise specific areas of overlap of the roles (c)
• describe the specific features of the software required to create each element such as video editing software to crop the video and add effects (d)
• further elaborate on the specific features of the interactive user guide including its multimodal nature and how it not only provides information but allows the user to navigate/learn at their own pace and gain information in the areas they want (ei)
• explain the data/information requirements for each of the information processes displaying, processing and storing and retrieving and for each process, name the data and information specific to the bicycle hiring app (eii).

Areas for students to improve include:

• providing an example to support or clarify their response, for example, a medical website with integrity would have referenced information from reputable sources and this would increase consumer confidence in the information it provides (a)
• giving specific supporting examples including a brief description that states why the animation is considered to be a path-based or a cel-based animation (b).