1. FatMax 2007. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 LicenseCreative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License Capabilities and Limitations of ICT

2. FatMax 2007. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 LicenseCreative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License Introduction/Objectives In this topic we look at three things: The capabilities of ICT for providing organisations with useful (and valuable) information. How the response speed of ICT systems facilitates the use of feedback The current limitations of ICT

3. FatMax 2007. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 LicenseCreative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License Core Uses of ICT There are six things ICT is good at or six core uses of ICT that make it valuable to organisations: Core uses of ICT Repetitive Calculations Vast storage Searching and Sorting Combining data Fast response Communications

4. FatMax 2007. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 LicenseCreative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License Repetitive Calculation Computers can carry out millions of repetitive calculations per second – something that would be very labour intensive and costly without computers. Banking Utility Billing (gas etc.) Research Payroll With a computer it doesn’t matter if it is ten calculations or ten million – it costs the same. Not strictly speaking true but you get my drift ;-)

5. FatMax 2007. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 LicenseCreative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License Vast Storage Capacity Computer systems store 100s billions of data items. With the large capacity of modern hard drives, vast amounts of data can be stored electronically. Banking records Customer databases Stock control Government databases Internet

6. FatMax 2007. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 LicenseCreative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License Computer databases allow us to retrieve related information quickly and accurately. Banks Billing Systems Police databases Online Retailing Stock Control Are there any other examples you can think of? Searching and Sorting

7. FatMax 2007. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 LicenseCreative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License Combining Data Computer analysis of data can show up patterns and trends not previously seen or impossible to see without vast processing power Satellite Imaging Medical Research Scientific Research Police databases (e.g. HOLMES 2) Astronomical Research Market Research Computer Modelling & Simulation Why is ICT so important in weather forecasting?

8. FatMax 2007. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 LicenseCreative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License Communications In recent years computers have revolutionised the world of communications so much a C was added to IT!!! Internet Cell Phones Digital Broadcasting Satellite communications Global Positioning System (GPS) Don’t forget ICT doesn’t just refer to desktop computers!

9. FatMax 2007. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 LicenseCreative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License Fast Response Times Allows ‘real time’ feedback Retail Systems Banking (e.g. ATM) Computer Games Systems Control Ticket Booking systems Medical monitoring Note: May be pseudo real time

10. FatMax 2007. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 LicenseCreative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License Feedback Feedback = Output affects Input Example 1 - Stock Control Sufficient stock must be kept to satisfy customers but… Storage of large levels of stock is expensive The ICT system continually adjusts stock levels to make JIT orders of stock Example 2 – Systems Control Systems control on a car, aeroplane etc. continually responds to changes in its environment (measured by sensors) Feedback is only possible because of the response speed of ICT

11. FatMax 2007. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 LicenseCreative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License Dependence on ICT Technology based countries are now almost totally reliant on computers Even small scale failure can have devastating and costly consequences Major systems/infrastructure couldn’t function without computers Water, Gas, Electricity supply T.V., Radio, Telephony Food/Fuel transport, Rail, Air, Road travel Financial Systems

12. FatMax 2007. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 LicenseCreative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License Limitations of ICT Hardware is pushed to its limits Processor speed, disk capacity, bandwidth Think about video calls on MSN etc. Software “bugs” and design flaws Can make a system fail or behave in an unpredictable way Systems may be poorly designed and don’t achieve what they set out to do. There are many examples of failure covered in ICT4 Computer output can only be as good as the input GIGO!

13. FatMax 2007. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 LicenseCreative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License AI (Artificial Intelligence) AI is the goal of computer scientists but… Many tasks that humans find easy are hardest to replicate in computers! Reading handwriting accurately Interpreting images Adapting to new environments

14. FatMax 2007. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 LicenseCreative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License Revision Use the website and Internet sources to make supplementary notes on Capabilities and Limitations of ICT Choose any real life situation or system e.g. preparing a gas bill. Which of the six capabilities identified in the diagram earlier in this presentation apply to the system?