IB Computer Science

Topic1 : System fundamentals

1.2 : System Design Basics

Topic sections :

01 Components of a computer system.

02 System design and analysis.

03 Human interaction with the system.

Starter task
Components of a computer system

Define the terms: hardware, software, peripheral, network,

01 and human resources.

02 Describe the roles that a computer can take in a networked

world.

03 Discuss the social and ethical issues associated with a

networked world.
 Topic 1.2.1
Define the terms: hardware, software, peripheral, network,
and human resources.
5 Components of a computer system :
Components of a computer system

Computer hardware:
The physical elements of a Computer.
- Internal parts = components
- External devices = peripherals
Components of a computer system

Computer software:
A series of instructions that can be
understood by a CPU.
These instructions guide the CPU to
perform specific operations.
Software is comprised of both programs and
data.
Components of a computer system

Peripheral device:
any auxiliary device that can communicate and
work with a computer.
A peripheral device extends the capabilities of the
computer system it is connected to. The peripheral
is not a core, essential, part of the computer.
Components of a computer system

Computer Network:
A set of computer systems that are
interconnected and share resources, as well
as data.

For example:
- Local Area Network
- Wide Area Network, etc..
Components of a computer system

Human Resources:
is used to describe both the people who work for a company or organization and the
department responsible for managing resources related to employees.
• They are often referred to as the end-users of a system.
 Topic 1.2.2
Describe the roles that a computer can take in a networked
world.
 1 computer = many possible roles
Depending on what software is installed on a networked computer,
it can do a variety of different tasks.
 Client - Server

ROLES of a computer
 E-mail server

ROLES of a computer
 Domain name system server (DNS server)

A special type of server mapping web addresses to IP addresses allows

us to surf the web without having to loop up the IP address of every
website we want to visit.

ROLES of a computer
 Router

ROLES of a computer
 Firewall

ROLES of a computer
 Topic 1.2.3
Discuss the social and ethical issues associated with a
networked world.
 What is a social issue?
• A social issue is a problem that influences a considerable
number of individuals within a society.

Examples of social issues are:

– Crime
– Health
– Education
– Media & Propaganda
– Poverty
– Terrorism
What is an ethical issue?
• A problem or situation that requires a person or organization to choose between
alternatives that must be evaluated as right (ethical) or wrong (unethical).

Examples of ethical issues are:

– Computer crime
– Responsibility for computer failure
– Protection of computer property, records, and software
– Privacy
The IT subjects of social and ethical significance are:

• Reliability
• Integrity
• Inconsistency
• Security
• Privacy
• Anonymity
• Intellectual property
• The Digital Divide and Equality of access
• Surveillance
• Globalization and Cultural Diversity
Topic sections :

01 Components of a computer system.

02 System design and analysis.

03 Human interaction with the system.

 Topic 1.2.4
Identify the relevant stakeholders when planning a new
system
Stakeholder
• A person, group, or organization that has an interest or
concern in an organization or might be affected by its
outcome/performance.

• Not all stakeholders are equal. A company's customers are

entitled to fair trading practices but they are not entitled to
the same consideration as the company's employees.

• key stakeholders
Internal vs External stakeholders
When identifying stakeholders for a new system, be sure
to ask:

• Who will be affected by the new system?

• Who will the new system affect?
• Who will the end-users be?
• What are their needs?
 Utilitarianism
• When designing a new system, we usually try to design it
for the greatest good for the greatest number of people.

• This approach is called utilitarianism.

 Scenario

The library needs a way of keeping track of which students have come
into the library in the morning, during lunch, and after school

• What components are needed in the solution’s system?

 Scenario
• What are stakeholders?
people with a vested interest; people who are impacted
E.g. librarians, administration, students; teachers
 Scenario

• What are different ways to obtain requirements from stakeholders?

Ask them
Surveys
Questionnaires
Interviews
Watch them / observations
Topic 1.2.5
Describe methods of obtaining requirements from
stakeholders.
What does the client want?
• Before designing a new system, it is crucial to determine
exactly what the client’s requirements are.

• There are several ways/methods of obtaining these

requirements.
Methods of obtaining requirements
• Surveys
• Interviews
• Direct observation
• Collecting documents
Questionnaires/Surveys
• Involves handing out questionnaires for people to fill out.
It can be restricted or unrestricted.

• Advantages:
– A large amount of data from a large group can be gathered
– Takes little time to analyze (if done electronically)
– Simple

• Disadvantage:
– It is hard to ask the ‘right question’
– Information gathered is limited by questionnaires, and can be biased
– Quality of responses not ensured
Interviews
• Involves interviewing key people within the system to find out how it works. It can
be Structured interviews or Unstructured interviews.

• Advantages:
– Allows a lot of very detailed information to be gathered
– People can be asked about what they don't like about the system

• Disadvantages:
– Takes a long time
– Unstructured interviews often yield data too difficult
to summarize, evaluate or perform any form of statistical analysis on them.
Observation
• Involves walking around the organization watching how things are done
with his/her own eyes. Being on-site over a period of time.

• Advantages:
– Possibility of gathering first-hand, unbiased information

• Disadvantage:
– Often people might not work the way they normally do when being observed
“Hawthorne effect”
Topic 1.2.6
Describe appropriate techniques for gathering the
information needed to arrive at a workable solution.
Steps in designing a new system
Before you start …
• Before you start making a new system, you need to make sure you know
exactly what’s going on at the moment and what other information you
might need.
• There are four techniques we can use to gather these bits of
information:
– Examining current systems
– Looking at competing products
– Organizational capabilities
– Literature searches (web/books)
Examining current system
Before you do anything new, see what is currently being done.
• Who does what?
• How do they do that?

Think about the 5 components of a computer system:

hardware, software, network, peripherals, human resources…
Competing products
Next, have a look at what the competitors are doing.
The aim is not to copy them, but to get an idea of what is
possible/being done at the moment.
Organizational abilities
A big consideration before creating a new system is determining what the
organization would be capable of.
• Can they afford a new system/new equipment?
• Can the staff use the new system? Training needed?
• Can they have any ‘downtime’ to upgrade?
Literature search
Finally, have you consulted literature to see what else might be
out there?
In IB terms, the term “literature” refers to books, magazines, websites,
journals, videos, academic papers
Topic 1.2.7
Construct suitable representations to illustrate system
requirements.
A picture is worth a thousand words…
How can you explain how a new system will work?
Often it is much better to explain how a new system will
work by including a diagram or chart.
Although we will look at three examples of diagram types,
there are many more that could be given in an exam.
Three types of illustrations
A. System flow chart
• A flow chart is a type of diagram representing a process using different
symbols containing information about steps or a sequence of events.
• Each of these symbols is linked with arrows to illustrate the flow direction
of the process.
• The IB only uses two shapes for all commands:
Flow chart examples
B. Data flow diagram

A data flow diagram (DFD) maps out the flow of information for any
process or system.
It uses defined symbols like rectangles, circles, and arrows, plus short text
labels, to show data inputs, outputs, storage points, and the routes between
each destination.
Data flow diagram Example
C. Structure chart
The diagram shows the breakdown of the system to its lowest manageable
levels.
Topic 1.2.8
Describe the purpose of prototypes to demonstrate the
proposed system to the client.
Prototypes
• A prototype is either a working or non-working preliminary version of the final
product or a simple version of the final system that is used as part of the design
phase to demonstrate how the final product will work.

• They are important in testing as each component of the system can be tested
before implementation, and to illustrate the working of the future system to the
client.
Prototype example
Purposes of a prototype
• Fail early and inexpensively

• Gather more accurate requirements

• Technically understand the problem

• Other purposes include…

– Resolve conflicts

– Rally financial support

– File patents more

Topic 1.2.9
Discuss the importance of iteration during the design
process.
Iteration

the repetition of a set of instructions a specific number of times or until the

operations yield the desired results.

Even the best designers cannot design perfect products in a single attempt,
so an iterative design methodology should be adopted.
IB (MYP) Design Cycle
Internal Assessment Design Cycle
Topic 1.2.10
Explain the possible consequences of failing to involve the
end-user in the design process.
Not involving the end-user = trouble
• User may be unsatisfied with system
• System may be unsuited for user's problem, affecting productivity
Topic 1.2.11
Discuss the social and ethical issues associated with the
introduction of new IT systems.
 What is a social issue?
• A social issue is a problem that influences a considerable
number of individuals within a society.

Examples of social issues are:

– Crime
– Health
– Education
– Media & Propaganda
– Poverty
– Terrorism
 What is an ethical issue?
• A problem or situation that requires a person or organization to
choose between alternatives that must be evaluated as right
(ethical) or wrong (unethical).

Examples of ethical issues are:

– Computer crime
– Responsibility for computer failure
– Protection of computer property, records, and software
– Privacy
Topic sections :

01 Components of a computer system.

02 System design and analysis.

03 Human interaction with the system.

Topic 1.2.12
Define the term usability.
How do you know how to use a mobile?

Did you read an instruction booklet? Did you attend a course

on how to use a mobile phone? Did you take an exam?....
If not, why not?
 Ergonomics = human engineering
refers to the design of safe and comfortable products, systems, or processes,
specifically for people.
For example, computer hardware, such as keyboards, is shaped by ergonomic
considerations in order to improve users’ comfort.

Simply put: How well the form fits the function

Accessibility
• Accessibility refers to the potential of a service, product, device, or
environment to serve and meet the needs of as many individuals as
possible.
• A system characterized by high accessibility can meet the needs of
many people
• system with low accessibility presents barriers to specific groups of
people.
Accessibility
Refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for
people with disabilities or specific needs.

Includes specialist peripherals/software like:

• Braille keyboards
• Eye-typers
• Accessible controllers
• Screen readers
• Voice synthesizers
Usability

The ease of use and learnability of a human-made object.

The object of use can be a software application, website, machine,
process, or anything a human interacts with
 JUST
SUS (System Usability Scale) READING

In systems engineering, the system usability scale (SUS) is a simple, ten-item

attitude scale giving a global view of subjective assessments of usability. It was
developed by John Brooke at DEC in the UK in 1986 as a tool to be used in the
usability engineering of electronic office systems.
Topic 1.2.13
Identify a range of usability problems with
commonly used digital devices.
Be aware of usability problems with
• PCs (including laptops/desktops)
• tablets
• GPS/navigation systems
• Digital cameras
• Cell phones (mobiles)
• Games consoles
• MP3 players
Students should analyze the overall usability of a device using the
8 quality components of usability:

1. Complexity/Simplicity: Amount of effort to find a solution or get a

result.
2. Effectiveness: Comparison of user performance against a predefined
level.
3. Efficiency: Task completion time after the initial adjusting period.
4. Error: A product’s usability can easily be measured by the way its
responds to human errors. A usable product tries to resolve errors
seamlessly.
Students should analyze the overall usability of a device using the
8 quality components of usability:

5. Learnability: Time used to accomplish tasks on the first use.

6. Memorability: Time, number of button clicks, pages, and steps used by users

when they return to the device after a period of not using it.

7. Readability/Comprehensibility: Reading speed.

8. Satisfaction: Attitude of users toward applications after using them; if users

like it.
What will happen if a product is not usable?
• It is difficult to learn the product.

• There are chances of more errors, and hence more error handling needs to be done in
designing the product.

• Since it is a difficult-to-use product, it requires more cost to provide support to users.

• The trust of users is lost if they get unexpected behavior from the product.

• Making changes to user demand becomes expensive since the product is not flexible.
How to ensure usability?
How to ensure usability?
 GPS/navigation systems
Why could this device be considered to have ‘low’ usability?

1. Small screen.
2. Low-quality speakers.
3. Antenna with poor performance that makes it difficult to receive a
satellite signal.
4. Inaccurate geographical data.
5. Outdated street data.
6. Inefficient routing software.
 Game consoles
Why could this device be considered to have ‘low’ usability?

1. Some portable game consoles have relatively small screens.

2. Buttons may be too small.
3. Difficult to use outdoors (insufficient brightness).
4. Short battery life.
 TABLETS
Why could this device be considered to have ‘low’ usability?

1. Accidental touch leads to undesired selections.

2. Difficult to learn different gesture features’ of various
manufacturers.
3. Bad or poor scaling and zoom control.
4. Difficult-to—use control features.
5. Small side buttons.
6. Poorly written instructions.
Topic 1.2.14
Identify methods that can be used to improve the
accessibility of systems
Accessibility
Refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for
people with disabilities or specific needs.

Includes specialist peripherals/software like:

• Braille keyboards
• Eye-typers
• Accessible controllers
• Screen readers
• Voice synthesizers
 Types of disabilities
There are four different types of disabilities that can affect the way
people use and interact with digital devices.
4 specific ways to improve
accessibility of a system:
• Touch screens
• Voice recognition
• Text-to-speech
• Braille keyboard
Topic 1.2.15
Identify a range of usability problems that can
occur in a system
Systems to consider:
• Ticketing
• Online payroll (paying salaries/wages)
• Scheduling (transport)
• Voice recognition
• Systems that provide feedback
 Possible issues…
• What would happen if someone can’t access the system?
• What would happen if they can only access certain parts?
• What happens if they misunderstand what the system requires as input?
• What would happen if they can’t access the output?
Case study: Recognising Accents

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNx0huL9qsQ
Topic 1.2.16
Discuss the moral, ethical, social, economic, and
environmental implications of the interaction
between humans and machines.
 What is a social issue?
• A social issue is a problem that influences a considerable
number of individuals within a society.

Examples of social issues are:

– Crime
– Health
– Education
– Media & Propaganda
– Poverty
– Terrorism
 What is a moral issue?
A problem is presented as any issue with the potential to help or harm
anyone, including oneself.

• Examples of moral issues are:

– Death
– Hurt
– Disadvantaging someone/a group
– Freedom/restriction
– Gambling
– Social constructs (marriage/divorce)
 What is an ethical issue?
• A problem or situation that requires a person or organization to
choose between alternatives that must be evaluated as right
(ethical) or wrong (unethical).

Examples of ethical issues are:

– Computer crime
– Responsibility for computer failure
– Protection of computer property, records, and software
– Privacy
 What is an economic issue?
• A problem or situation that is concerned with the organization
of the money, industry, and trade of a country, region, or society.

• Examples of economic issues are:

– Generating income
– Costs
– Wealth
– Working
 What is an environmental issue?

• A problem or situation that is concerned with the protection of the

natural world of land, sea, air, plants, and animals.
• Examples of economic issues are:
– Global warming
– Electronic waste
– Plastic waste
– Power generation
– Fuel / Batteries
– Loss of habitat
– Dangerous chemicals
Why is working from home better than working from
an office? Justify your answer.

• Economic issues and implications

• Social issues and implications

• Environmental issues and implications

• Moral issues and implications

• Ethical issues and implications