a) Using a table format, compare FOUR key characteristics of information typically required by:  Operational management.

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a) Using a table format, compare FOUR key characteristics of information typically required by:  Operational management.

BCS Level 5 Diploma in IT IT SERVICE MANAGEMENT

Section A

Answer Section A questions in Answer Book A
A1.
a) Using a table format, compare FOUR key characteristics of information typically
required by:
 Operational management.
 Tactical management.
 Strategic management.

b) A recently published UK government research report claims that five
organisations, who compete in the same industry, achieved substantially different
results for the three years following implementation of the same enterprise
resource planning system. The report concludes that successful efforts to
implement and operate such systems are, more often than not, due to an
organisation’s ability to adequately manage the change process rather than the
information system itself.
Provide FOUR likely reasons for the report’s conclusions.


a) Provide a brief description for EACH of the following development approaches
that can be used to improve on the more traditional development approaches.
 Joint application design (JAD)
 Rapid application development (RAD)
 Agile development
 End user computing (EUC)

b) The process of implementing an Information System within an organisation can
lead to both opportunities and threats.
Provide ONE example when the implementation of an Information System can
lead to an opportunity and ONE example when it can lead to a threat.


a) Decision Support Systems (DSS) vary greatly, but all share specific features.
Typically a DSS is made up of the following THREE components; data
management, model management and user interface management.
Through the use of examples, demonstrate the function of EACH of the THREE
components.

b) In response to competitor pressures, your organisation has decided to implement
a customer tracking system to help identify profitable and not so profitable
customers. The CEO has asked you, the organisation’s IS manager, if the
development of the system should be carried out by the IS department or
outsourced to an external software house. Describe FOUR important issues that
you need to consider in your response to the CEO.

Section B

Answer Section B questions in Answer Book B

B4. Following the theft of equipment from a server room in your organisation you, the IT
Operations Manager, are asked by the Managing Director to review the physical security
of the facility.
a) Describe the THREE aspects of physical security that you think are most
important in a small to medium sized organisation (SME).

b) Write a memo to the Managing Director explaining, in non-technical terms, how
you propose to improve the overall physical security of the server rooms without
incurring major additional cost. You should state any assumptions which you
make.

B5. You are a software consultant who has been employed to introduce a new accounting
system into an advertising agency which employs 90 people.
Within a few days of beginning work in the offices of the agency, you realise that there is a
serious breakdown in communication between the three groups of staff; accounts staff,
marketing staff and sales staff, who will all be using the new system. You feel that the
introduction of the new system is an attempt to resolve issues that are not software
related, and that the implementation of the new accounting system is likely to fail.

a) Write a letter to the head of the agency, outlining your concerns about the
success of the project as currently planned.

b) To accompany the letter, write a proposal describing how you suggest that the
company addresses the issues of poor communication between the three groups
of staff. You should state any assumptions which you make.

B6. You are the IT Infrastructure Service Manager for a medium sized commercial
organisation based on a single site in a major city. The CEO of the organisation is
concerned about internal and external threats to the IT systems, specifically as the server
environment underpins the business activity of the whole organisation.
The CEO requires you to provide a number of options for the development of a business
continuity plan centred on the IT server environment.
a) Briefly describe THREE different IT recovery strategies that you could implement.

b) For ONE of the strategies you have described in a), produce a report for the
management group of the organisation in which you discuss and justify your
decision. You should state any assumptions which you make.