1. Cambridge Technicals: IT
Unit 2: Global Information
LO2 - Understand the styles, classification and the management of global information

2. Thinking Task - Mind Map
How many different types of data do you receive during a day? Create a mind map of the sources from which you receive information on a typical school or college day and the sources from which you receive information on a day over the weekend.
Try to explain any differences in the type of data you receive at school or college and the data you receive out of school or college.

3. Assessment Outcomes 2.1 Information styles and their uses
2.2 Information classifications
2.3 Quality of information
2.4 Information management
This is not a wrote learning course, you will need to understand the basics of Computing in order to adapt your knowledge towards companies and their needs. For LO2, this will involve understanding:
Information styles and their uses
Information classifications
Quality of information
Information management
In the exam you will be given precise questions requiring precise answers based on a scenario to answers questions from, and adapt your knowledge and use the key terms and named components to give a judgemental answer

4. Keywords and definitions
Explanations of the key terms used within this unit, in the context of this unit
Data
Data is information that has been coded and structured in some way, ready for processing, storage, transmission, etc. Data has no context and has no meaning. Examples of data could include: shoe size stored in the stock database of a shop, a date, etc.
Global divide
The divide that exists in terms of access to information between different countries and different types of holders of information across the world.
Green IT
The practice of reducing energy use by IT equipment and thus improving sustainability. This relates to both individuals and organisations. The main purpose of Green IT is to increase the sustainability of IT equipment and operations. Examples of Green IT range from an individual using their PC power settings to automatically switch off the screen after a certain time with no keyboard/mouse activity, up to the virtualisation of a large, global organisation’s data stores to reduce the number of servers in their data centres.
Holder of information
Any individual or organisation that holds information
Information
Information is data that has been given context and meaning in some way (e.g. by processing, storing or transmission). An example of information is: a shop receipt showing the model, price and size of shoes, together with the time and date of the purchase
Information formats
The different ways in which information can be presented using world wide web (www) technologies. Examples of information formats are: web pages; RSS feeds; podcasts; blogs; and social media channels.
Information style
The style of information, regardless of the technology used. For example, the audio information style could be represented by spoken instructions, an MP3 music file, a DVD soundtrack or a podcast. Many, but not all, of the information styles will have a corresponding information format on the world wide web.

5. Information Styles and their uses
There are many, many, different styles of information and each has its own use. Think how you might show someone information – you could use Text, Charts and Graphs, Videos, a Table – each of these styles has its own use:
A table for example is good at showing a variety of linked, yet different, information
Text is useful for giving facts or telling a story
Charts and Graphs can be used to visualise numbers of responses.
Text (different character sets e.g. Western, Cyrillic, Arabic, etc)
Graphic (e.g. logo, photograph, diagram)
Video (e.g. instructions on how to carry out a software update, live broadcast of a music festival)
Animated graphic (e.g. pop-up book character, operation of the human heart)
Audio (e.g. spoken instructions, music track)
Numerical (e.g. profit, date and time)
Braille text (e.g. written report printed on a Braille printer)
Tactile images (e.g. NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope images converted into tactile images for people who cannot explore the images by sight)
Subtitles (e.g. translated speech for a film in a foreign language)
Boolean (e.g. yes or no answer on a form)
Tables and spreadsheets (e.g. simple database tables and spreadsheets)
Charts and graphs (e.g. identifying trends, making comparisons)

6. Thinking Task – Mind Map
Add to your mind map to state the ‘style’ of information that you receive from each source.
Presenting your Mind Map
Take a picture of it and put it on a PowerPoint

7. Information Styles and their uses
Text (written format) is the simplest format in which to keep information. However, different character sets are used in different parts of the world. This text, for example, is written in western character set. Other character sets include Cyrillic, which is used in Eastern Europe and parts of Asia, and Arabic, which is used in areas where Arabic is spoken
Graphics Diagrams are probably the most obvious examples of graphics, as they are usually intended to provide instructions or convey knowledge. Logos represent an organisation and also convey information. For example, some logos contain the organisation's name (e.g. Kellogg's or Google) while others are represented without words (e.g. the Olympic rings, Twitter or Firefox). Either way, they are designed to visually convey certain information about the brand (e.g. the Firefox wraps around the world, suggesting global coverage and passion), which may be received subconsciously
Animated graphic is an image where elements move and change. They offer an advantage over a video, as they can include step-by-step instructions, as well as text. Individual scenes can be shown for longer on the animated graphic than they would on video, so that the full process can be seen. Scenes can zoom in, or give exploded views, so that what is happening can be seen in greater detail
Video - Information is conveyed as a visual and audio presentation. Seeing others performing tasks, for example, or showing examples of what they are talking about, is usually more engaging than just listening to a person talk about their work. A video of how a petrol engine works is likely to be far more interesting and informative than a verbal description
Audio - Audio refers to any recorded sound and can therefore include the spoken word, as well as music. The tradition of using songs to tell a story is not a modern phenomenon and there are many examples, from folk through to opera, of important political or social stories being told through music. Music can also be used to help check what (for example) guitar exam pieces should sound like, or as a medium to remember facts like the order of the planets in the solar system. One clear benefit of presenting information as audio is that it becomes accessible to those who are visually impaired
Numerical - Numerical information is presented as numbers. This includes financial information, such as profit and loss accounts, or statistical information, such as the average age of a class of students. However, other information may be shown as numbers. Dates and times are also presented as numbers and so are included within this area of information.

8. Information Styles and their uses
Braille is a tactile form of writing that uses dots on a page and is read by touch. Because set patterns of dots are used to represent individual letters, braille may be considered another form of text or language. Braille is capable of holding the same information as any other form of written text. It can't be replicated electronically, but braille printers can replicate written text for braille readers
Tactile Images As well as braille, information may be presented in other tactile ways. For example, a viewer can feel certain images and experience their shapes through touch, rather than just by sight. Tactile imagery can portray any of the features of visual images except colour. NASA's project to create tactile images from images captured by the Hubble Space Telescope is a good example of how images that would not otherwise be accessible have been made available to people who cannot explore them by sight
Subtitles allow deaf viewers to access audio information. Films, interviews and other news items can also be translated via subtitles
Boolean information is any information that can only be in one of two forms. Therefore, the answer to the question 'is the dog alive' can only be 'yes' or 'no' and so is Boolean
Tables and Spreadsheets Numerical data may be held in many forms. Using a database or a spreadsheet means that the data can be analysed by inputting queries, for example, and patterns identified
Charts and graphs present data in a more visual manner than lists of text by using lines or boxes. Many people find charts and graphs easier to use when identifying trends or comparisons

9. Task – Group Presentation – 30 Minutes
Text
Graphic
Video
Animated graphic
Group 2:
Numerical
Braille
Tactile images
Subtitles
Group 3:
Boolean
Tables and spreadsheets
Charts and graphs
Audio
Group 4:
Using research and the slides provided, create a presentation on any four Information Styles outlining, purpose, style, audience, benefits, drawbacks, and data handing.
Your slides should outline:
A description of each information style
The primary purpose of the information style
A few good examples of each information style
An explanation of the purpose each style could be used for in a business context
The benefits of the information style
The drawbacks of the information style

10. 2.1 – Information Styles - Text (different character sets)
Sometimes it is necessary to use different character sets within documents e.g.. Western, Cyrillic, Arabic, etc. There are two types of characters, Unitype (or Unicode) and Truetype. Each of these is scalable, e.g. 111 and therefor placing the text within a written document is straightforward.
To write something in Arabic is just a matter of changing the keyboard layout or inserting the Unicode. Similarly with Greek or French. But to write in Japanese characters, Korean, Chinese etc. this is more difficult as letter forms are not the same when matched with side by side letters.
At the end of the day when it comes to information and data representation, a company will choose whatever font is appropriate for the occasion, large bold and forthright for posters, sans serif for formal letters, serif for informal and Cyrillic when the need comes to it.

11. 2.1 – Information Styles - Text (different character sets)
Written communication methods including those using Information technology
Written communication methods include:
Business letters – used for either internal or external communication, they should follow a set structure.
Memos (an abbreviation or memorandum) – a written message used for only internally. Many businesses use computers to send these through the internal system. An example of a memo sent by is shown to the right.
Reports – detailed documents about a particular issue or problem. These are often produced by experts working in the business. They can be sent to managers to read before a meeting to discuss the issue. Very often these reports are so detailed that they could not be understood by all employees.
Notices pinned on boards – These are used to display information which is open to everyone. However, there is no certainty that they are read.

12. 2.1 – Information Styles - Graphic
Diagrams are probably the most obvious examples of graphics, as they are usually intended to provide instructions or convey knowledge.
Logos represent an organisation and also convey information. For example, some logos contain the organisation's name (e.g. Kellogg's or Google) while others are represented without words (e.g. the Olympic rings, Twitter or Firefox).
Diagrams specifically are used to represent large or complex data like flow diagrams.

13. 2.1 – Information Styles - Video
Information is conveyed as a visual and audio presentation. Seeing others performing tasks, for example, or showing examples of what they are talking about, is usually more engaging than just listening to a person talk about their work. A video of how a petrol engine works is likely to be far more interesting and informative than a verbal description.
Instructions (e.g. instructions on how to carry out a software update, live broadcast of a music festival) can be very effective but information within them can be easily missed. For certain needs such as adverts this is the prime format, within instructional videos this and diagrams are key.
Music, TV & Cinema, Games – All adverts on TV have some degree of videoed animation on them now. Simple ones include text animating on to the screen or bubbles floating off. Chocolate bars breaking open to show the excitement inside etc. The more complex ones involves animated characters, digitally recreated cars etc. The reason is that they are more entertaining than real life, and that recreating them non-digitally is too difficult.
Cinema – there are so few film opening sequences that are not done through digital means today. From Harry Potter opening titles, Terminator intros, Game of Thrones opening sequence. To not go digital means a serious expense, for the rest, download a template, change the text.
Music videos have come a long way in terms of videos since Yellow Submarine and Aha. Guitars that explode fire, digitally recreated backgrounds, animated notes, performing gorillas. The days when it was just camera work are gone, ¾ of all music videos will be enhanced by animations.

14. 2.1 – Information Styles – Animated Graphic
Animated graphic (e.g. pop-up book character, operation of the human heart) can be effective when demonstrating how something works or operates, but they have to be short and unobtrusive to be effective. For instance one on a website page is good, ten is not. Types include:
Web graphics, Flash Games) – Web graphics that animate on site can look cute the first time but the novelty wears off. Animations like above, page transitions, picture movements, whole pages that are interactive like Disney Map site. These are novel, they allow the user to rollover and see more details on a part of the image without leaving the page. Flash Games are similar in that they are there for entertainment value but can be more. Web animations in Flash can be simple , a banner that has arrows, to complicated, MyMaths, Dynamic banners where you play a game and win a prize. These are embedded into frames on the site and work on most browsers.
Educational animations (training and safety videos) – There are two type of educational animations, those that impress and those that do their job. H&S videos do their job, show people lifting boxes, climbing ladders, doing CPR, the characters are neutral, the animations technical. The more entertaining educational animations are usually Flash based. Then there are tutorial videos with animations, images with animated arrows that prompt the user, again more practical than quality.

15. 2.1 – Information Styles - Audio
Audio (e.g. spoken instructions, music track)Voice over on a is a good way of getting instructions across to a target audience such as a Sat-Nav or a voiceover on a tutorial video. The benefit of this is that the audience can listen in their own time and at their own speed to the audio but there are downsides when using this medium for information dissemination:
Accents used – not everyone understands in the same way
Speed of dictation
Compatibility of file formats used
Volume and tone setting
For auditory learners this is a good form of transferring information. Similarly in adverts on Television, the use of a music track or background noises can be used to emphasise the information. Make the music more relevant and jingle like, and the audience is likely to use it as a key trigger to remembering something.
The most common uses for this medium include adverts, films, games, audio books, children’s toys, radio and direction finders.
Places you are least likely to find this format include web pages due to the risk and annoyance, in public places, libraries and religious areas.

16. 2.1 – Information Styles - Numerical
Numerical (e.g. profit, date and time)
It is likely that there will be occasions when you have numerical information that you want to include in your work, for example figures and other statistics from secondary sources (such as books, journal articles or newspaper reports); the results of experiments; or data that you have collected and analysed as part of a project or dissertation. Such information can be used to illustrate an argument or convey complex or detailed information in a concise manner.
There are three main methods of presenting such information:
it can be incorporated into the main body of text;
it can be presented separately as a table; or
it can be used to construct a graph or chart.
Determining which of these methods is the most appropriate depends upon the amount of data you are dealing with and their complexity. The choice about whether to use text, tables or graphs requires careful consideration if you are to ensure that your reader or audience understands your argument and is not left struggling to interpret data that are poorly presented or in an inappropriate format.
It is crucial to remember that when using a table or graph the associated text should describe what the data reveal about the topic; you should not need to describe the information again in words.

17. 2.1 – Information Styles - Numerical
For example:
86% of male students said they regularly ate breakfast compared to 62% of female students.
If you are discussing three or more numbers, including them within the main body of text does not facilitate comprehension or comparison and it is often more useful to use a table incorporated within the text. For example:
53% of male students said that they always ate breakfast, 33% said that they usually did, and 14% said that they never ate breakfast.
Is more clearly expressed as:
Male students said they ate breakfast:
Always %
Usually %
Never %
In order to help the reader compare the numbers it is also useful to list them according to their magnitude (e.g. from large to small) unless there is a particular pattern or trend in the data that you want to highlight.
In general, numbers are usually given as digits rather than spelt out in the text, e.g. 400 rather than four hundred. However, in some academic journals the convention is to spell out whole numbers between one and ten and use values for all other numbers - so you may wish to find out what the usual practice is within your own discipline.

18. 2.1 – Information Styles – Tactile Images
Tactile Images are images converted into a format for people who cannot explore the real version. For instance NASA is a government owned body and therefor the images takes by NASA are made available to the public for public use. These images are extremely high definition and detailed, they are used by researchers around the world for the benefit of human kind.
Similarly images like medical 3D images of the human body are created and used by medical surgeons around the world for all sorts of reasons.
Tactile imagery means to provoke a sense of feel or touch, they are designed to be more interactive and malleable for the target audience.
This is often used in children’s books to portray a feeling like fur or smooth, to invoke a reaction from the audience that is beyond words.
In terms of data and portraying information is limited in its use. 3d charts, graphs, maps etc, have their uses like election time but they are more designed to impress than benefit.

19. 2.1 – Information Styles - Subtitles
Subtitles (e.g. translated speech for a film in a foreign language) – This has been a common form of use since the silent movie days in video form or from footnotes in books.
They are designed to be accurate, in keeping with the action and not obtrusive to the action.
They are usually written in simple sans serif format to make them easier to read in a hurry and tend to have rules such as:
Subtitlers must always work with a (video, DVD, etc.) copy of the production and if possible, should have a copy of the dialogue list and a glossary of unusual words, names and special references.
It is the subtitler's job to spot the production and translate and write the subtitles in the (foreign) language required.
Translation quality must be high with due consideration of all idiomatic and cultural nuances.
Straightforward semantic units must be used.
Where compression of dialogue is necessary, the results must be coherent.
Subtitle text must be distributed from line to line and page to page in sense blocks and/or grammatical units.
As far as possible, each subtitle should be semantically self-contained.

20. 2.1 – Information Styles - Boolean
The use of Boolean (e.g. yes or no answer on a form) is not necessary but is often used to simply narrow down the mistakes made by users inputting information and by speeding up the process of data input. There are different forms of Boolean used for different purposes such as:
Yes or No
True of False
A or B
1 or 2
Other forms include AND
E,g, Christmas AND EASTER
NOT
E.g.
>10 NOT 12
Each of these is used when running queries within a database, or to limit a form when an Input mask is not used.

21. 2.1 – Information Styles – Tables and Spreadsheets
Tables and spreadsheets (e.g. simple database tables and spreadsheets) are one of the most common forms of disseminating information that is too detailed to be written as individual sentences.
Spreadsheets – Everything is in a table to begin with and then they information is defined by individual sheets or by a structure within a sheet. For example, an invoice would be one table, one sheet, but it might pick up information fro other sheets using vlookups or cell referencing.
Databases - A table is a data structure that organizes information into rows and columns. A database table is similar in appearance to a spreadsheet. For instance in a Cars Database, the type of car and model would be in one table, the number on the lot would be in another, where purchased from in a third etc. These would then be linked (if data integrity is initiated) by a Key field to maintain referential integrity.

22. 2.1 – Information Styles - Charts
Charts and graphs (e.g. identifying trends, making comparisons) are the visible result of the information presented within a table in either a spreadsheet or a database.
The information within these represents the data and is usually automatically updated when the data changes. There are 4 main types:
Bar chart – Such as monthly sales where figures and trends can be compared.
Pie charts – represents a whole area with each piece of data taking a percentage slice such as votes in an election.
Line charts – Good for showing trends like a break even chart and represents the progression or regression of a set of figures.
Scatter graph – a used geographical or statistical chart to represent a range of varied data set against an XY axis to determine plus or minus contingencies.
These charts are very customizable for the purpose and audience such as people shapes to represent populations or house shapes to represent number of house sales.

23. 2.1 – Information Styles – Braille Printing
Braille text (e.g. written report printed on a Braille printer
Braille is a tactile reading system that was invented in France in the mid-1800s and is named for its inventor, Louis Braille. There are two versions: Alphabetical braille and Literary braille.
The dot positions are identified by numbers from one through six. 64 solutions are possible from using one or more dots. A single cell can be used to represent an alphabet letter, number, punctuation mark, or even an entire word. In the face of screen-reader software, braille usage has declined.
For a blind person, printing a report in Braille is good for several reasons:
Reduces the bias against blind people
Means it can be read
Will be available in printed form for customers.
The downside is that Braille printing and Braille written form is very large and requires 6 times the space to store.

24. 2.2 Information Classifications
The old saying 'information is power' is more true in our technology driven world than ever before. The disclosure of sensitive data into the public realm can often result in severe financial loss and reputation destruction. Information that may be exposed could include trade secrets, credit card numbers, health records, financial data, customer details and other types of sensitive information.
This information can be used by competitors to commit crimes or to engage in unethical business practices. In addition, for many organisations the disclosure of certain information may breach regulatory guidelines and result in penalties being levied.
Classifications we will need to cover include:
sensitive
non-sensitive
private
public
personal
business
confidential
classified
partially anonymised
completely anonymised

25. 2.2 Information Classifications
Description
Sensitive
Sensitive information should not be generally available, usually if it could cause harm if it was released. This definition works for business information as well as it does for personal information. An example of sensitive personal information would be medical records. This information is clearly personal and so should not be generally available.
Non-sensitive
An example of non-sensitive information business information would be the addresses of shops in the chain, or of the head office.
Private
This is information about individuals or organisations. This information includes addresses, phone numbers, nationality, gender and marital status. It is covered by the Data Protection Act and so would need to be held in a manner that was legal. Any other information that was not personal would not be covered by this Act.
Public,
This is information about government and other publicly owned organisations.
Personal
Personal information is private information about individuals. e.g. an individual's phone number.

26. 2.2 Information Classifications
Description
Business
Business information is information about businesses, e.g. the annual sales figures of an organisation.
Confidential
This is private information that should be kept private. This is a higher degree of restriction than sensitive information, e.g. a report about the needs of an individual student in a school. This information would be needed for some staff, but not for all and definitely not for the other students.
Classified
This is public information that should be kept private. e.g. the NHS patient database.
Partially and completely anonymized
Information that is completely anonymized has had any information that could link the record to the source, or the person or organisation it's about, removed; while partially anonymized information has had some information removed.

27. Impacts on different stakeholders
Stakeholders are those who have an interest in or are impacted by, the actions of an organisation. Stakeholders can be internal (those who are inside the organisation) or external (those who are not inside the organisation).
Different holders of information have to take account of these classifications. For example, confidential personal information needs to be held more securely than non-confidential information.

28. Task: Scenario analysis – 30 Minutes
For each of these scenarios:
Describe the problem
Explain who the information holder is and the information that is likely to be held
Identify the style of information
Justify the sensitivity of information.
A parent of a 14 year old is asking to see the medical information in a hospital on their daughter.
A school wants to put images of students on sports day on to the website.
A school wants to put the current student grades and feedback sheets on a shared folder so students can access these from home without a login.
A student is using the class tracking sheet for a project on excel formulas.
Student images are stored on the public network drive for an art project.
The medical information of a dead person is being used by a newspaper to highlight an incident.

29. For next lesson Finish your pre-reading on: 2.3 Quality of information
2.4 Information management