INTRODUCTION

Every day, we are presented with new problems and challenges. These problems can be simple, such as deciding what to have for breakfast, or more complicated, such as trying to find out why your car is not starting. To solve these problems, you need to find and process data so that you can do the following:

• Identify what the problem is or how the problem occurred.
• Find a possible solution.
• Find out how to implement the solution.

You can do this by following the steps in the information management process, shown in the diagram below.

The information management process is a good example of how to collect, organise, interpret and present data as information. To help you get a better understanding of this process, we will take a closer look at information management. We will start by looking at how data can be gathered. We will then discuss how data can be stored, how to check the quality of the data, as well as how to process the data. Finally, we will take look at how data can be interpreted to give us information and how we can present this information to others.

UNIT
9.1 Problem solving cycle

In previous years, you learned that data is raw, unorganised numbers or facts and that these facts are difficult to use without being organised or changed. When data is organised so that it can become useful to people, it becomes information. Converting data into information can be seen when solving a problem. Problem solving is a process where you attempt to determine a solution to your problem by looking at the data and trying to organise it into useful information. Problem solving consists of the following five steps:

1. Define the problem: Here, you need to determine what the problem is you are trying to resolve. In order to do this, you need to understand what the problem is. The best way to do this is to write down everything you know about the problem. Make sure to include the following:

• What is known about the problem?
• What information is missing or is needed in order to determine the problem?

After you have written down everything that you know about the problem, you need to determine how you are going to find the missing information. One of the ways in which to do this is to use questions or questionnaires to collect data on the problem. This data can then be sorted into useful information that you can use to identify the problem as well as possible solutions.

2. Identify possible solutions: Once you have identified the problem, you need to research ways in which to solve the problem. You can use information sources and data-gathering tools for this. Information sources include electronic sources, such as wikis and internet articles, and printed media, such as books and standard operating procedures (SOPs). Data-gathering tools include conducting questionnaires and interviews with the relevant people or targeted market. Both of these sources will provide data that can be organised in order to come up with possible solutions.

3. Choose a solution: Your research would have identified several possible solutions to the problem, but how do you determine which solution is best? To do this, you need to apply your knowledge of the subject. Knowledge is something you gain through experience and education. Your knowledge of the subject should enable you to sift through all the information that you have obtained in order to identify the best possible solution to the problem.

4. Implement the solution: If you use your knowledge as well as the information that you have gathered, you should now have identified the best possible solution. Make sure that you implement the solution according to your knowledge and research. A solution that is not fully implemented might create new problems.

5. Review the solution: Problem solving does not end with the implementation of the solution. You still need to determine if the solution is effective for resolving the problem. If the chosen solution is not effective in resolving your problem, you will need to go back to Step 1 and identify why the solution did not work. Then repeat the process by choosing a new solution and testing to see if it resolves the issue.

Example 9.1 Use data to solve a problem

1.Write down the correct answer for each of the following questions

a.Which of the following is part of reading an academic article on the problem?

A.Research

B.Knowledge

C.Experience

D.Work

b.Which is the first step in problem solving?

A.List possible solutions

B.Review the suggested answer

C.Find the answer

D.Define the problem

c.What are raw, unorganised numbers or facts called?

A.Information

B.Knowledge

C.Data

D.Wisdom

2.Choose a term or concept from Column B that matches the description in Column A. Write only the letter next to the question number.

3.Answer the following questions:

a.What must be included in a problem statement?

b.List the five steps of problem solving.

c.Give four examples of information sources.

d.Explain how an interview can lead to solving a problem.

UNIT
9.2 Information management

Information management is the process of collecting, processing, and presenting data and information. The process consists of the following three main steps:

1. Input: This is the first step of the information management process and consists of identifying the main problems and collecting data.

2. Process and analyse: Once all the data has been gathered, it is converted to information by processing and analysing the data.

3. Output: This is the final step in the process and consists of presenting the information in such a way that it can be easily understood by other people.

PAT AND THE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT CYCLE

During your Practical Assessment Task (PAT) examinations, you will be asked to research and present your findings on a given topic. To do this, you will use the information management process.

Start by identifying the potential problems highlighted in the given topic. These problems can then be used to generate questions that you will use in order to gather data. Once you have gathered the data, it has to be processed and analysed to obtain information. The final step of the examination is to take the information and present it in a format that others will be able to understand.

Examples of potential topics include:

• What is the impact of fake news on society?
• An investigation into the shortage of high-school pupils and university students studying in the scientific, technical/technology and engineering fields.

In order to assist with your PAT examination, we will be using the following practical example to demonstrate each step of the information management cycle.

Example 9.2 E-learning in South Africa

STEP 1: TASK REQUIREMENTS

In order to determine whether or not e-learning can be implemented in South African schools, you need to understand exactly what is expected of you. To do this, you will need to write down the task requirements by looking at the instructions given in your PAT assignment. You can do this in the following way:

1. Identify the main problem you have to solve: Start by writing down everything you know about the problem and determine the main question that you would like to answer.

2. Identify a possible solution: Determine what information you will need in order to answer your main question. This usually requires creating questions with answers that will let you solve your main problem.

You can expand on your task definition by using mind maps, bulleted lists, or any other method that best describes your plan of action.

Example 9.3 Find answers to a question

STEP 2: GATHER DATA

Once you have determined your task requirements, you need to start looking at ways in which to gather the data and information needed to answer your main question.

To assist you in gathering data, we will now take a look at some data-gathering techniques that you can use.

INTERVIEWS

An interview is a conversation between two people; the interviewer and the person being interviewed (interviewee). The interviewer asks questions that are then answered by the interviewee. Interviews are an example of a primary data source, because data is gathered and analysed by the person conducting the interview. They can be conducted in a formal manner, focusing on structured questions, or in an informal manner where the interviewer asks general questions. Examples of interviews used to collect data include the following:

• One-on-one interviews conducted in person
• Interviews conducted over the phone
• Group interviews

When conducting an interview, make sure that the questions are clear and focused on the topic that you would like to discuss. Interview answers usually include descriptions that are not numbers and cannot be computed; therefore, this data collected through the interview process.

QUESTIONNAIRES

A questionnaire is a research method that uses a series of questions in order to gather data. These questions can be multiple choice, or questions that require the respondent to give a short description. However, it is recommended to use multiple-choice questions, as people are more inclined to want to complete the questionnaire. Questionnaires should, therefore, not require long explanations or descriptions.

Examples of questionnaires used to collect data include the following:

• Surveys
• Opinion polls
• Multiple-choice tests

Let’s take a look at the following guidelines for preparing a questionnaire:

• Decide what you are trying to learn from the questionnaire.
• Identify potential questions that will help you get the information that you need.
• Use closed questions (yes/no), as well as open questions (questions that require a description).
• Keep your questions short and simple to avoid confusion.
• Ask your questions in a way that will not guide people to a specific answer.
• Keep your questionnaire as short as possible.
• Test the questionnaire to ensure that it achieves what you are aiming for.

The data collected from questionnaires can be either quantitative or qualitative. Qualitative data is collected by looking at the answers provided. Quantitative data can be collected by assigning numerical values to the questions. An example of this can be seen in a survey that asks you on a scale of 1 to 5, how satisfied you are with the service you have received.

OBSERVATION

Observation is a method of collecting data where the researcher observes and documents participants performing a task in their natural setting. Unlike interviews and questionnaires, observation does not require the researcher to ask any questions; instead, it requires them to observe the task using their senses.

Examples of using observation to collect data include the following:

• Observing the interaction between a teacher and a student
• Observing a mechanic fixing a car
• Observing a train conductor operating a train

Observation can be used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data is collected by looking at the amount of times a specific task is performed. Qualitative data is collected by looking at how the task is performed.

DOCUMENTS AND RECORDS

Written documents and records are one of the oldest methods used to capture data and present information. These documents can consist of databases, notes, reports, letters, records and written accounts. In the modern day, documents and records are stored electronically on your computer. The data that is obtained from documents and records is classified as secondary data. This is because the data was not generated by the person conducting the research, but rather by someone else. Examples of documents and records being used to collect data include the following:

• Looking at your financial records
• Examining the notes for a meeting that you did not attend
• Using information from a textbook

THE INTERNET

The internet has played a very big role in allowing people around the world to access a wealth of data and information. Using a search engine, such as Google, is much more time efficient and effective than visiting your local library.

Let’s take a look at the following examples of where the internet is being used to collect data:

• Wikipedia: This website contains a wide variety of data and information. (Information obtained from Wikipedia should always be checked for quality and accuracy.)
• PriceCheck: This website allows you to compare the cost of items from different retailers.
• LinkedIn: This website provides information on job vacancies, as well as the professional profiles of people looking for part-time and full-time employment.

Example 9.4 Further research

Example 9.5 Further research

SPREADSHEETS

A spreadsheet is an electronic document that can be used to capture data in rows and columns.

Example 9.6 Capture data in a spreadsheet

The questionnaire regarding the use of e-learning in South African education was handed to and completed by 16 students, 27 parents and eight teachers. To help us get a better understanding of the data collected, we decided to capture the data by using a Microsoft Excel sheet. This was done in the following way:

1. Create a sheet called “Students”.

2. Add headings for each of the questionnaire questions.

3. Capture the data for each questionnaire completed by a student.

4. Repeat Steps 1 to 3 for the questionnaires completed by parents and teachers.

Here is an example of our data captured in Excel.

STEP 3: PROCESSING DATA

In order to convert your gathered data into usable information, you need to analyse the data. This can be done by sorting and grouping the data in a way that is easy to understand. Once the data has been sorted, you can use various formulae, functions and queries included in spreadsheets and databases to analyse the data.

Let’s take a look at some of the tools that you can use to analyse your data:

• Mathematical operators: Excel and databases use standard mathematical signs, such as a plus (+), minus (-), multiplication (*) and division (/).
• Formulae: A data analysis can be performed using the following formulae:

  ¿ SUM: This function calculates the total of a range of numbers.

  ¿ AVERAGE: This function calculates the average of a range of numbers.

  ¿ MIN: This function returns the minimum value from a list of values.

  ¿ MAX: This function returns the maximum value from a list of values.

  ¿ COUNT: This function counts the numbers in a list of values.

  ¿ VLOOKUP: This function allows you to search for a value in the left-most column of a spreadsheet. If found, it returns a value.

  ¿ IF statements: This function allows you to output text if a case is valid or false. For example, the formula IF(A1<A2, “Yes”, “No”) will give an answer of “Yes” when A1 is smaller than A2 and an answer of “No” when A1 is bigger than A2.

Database programs, such as Microsoft Access, use queries instead of formulae in order to analyse data. Queries do exactly the same things as the functions and formulae in Excel, but with less manual work.

Example 9.7 Processing data

In order to analyse the data we collected using the questionnaires, we transferred the data to an Excel spreadsheet. From there, we used the COUNTIF function to count the number of answers for each question.

This was done in the following way:

1.Open your sheet containing the answers obtained from students.

2.Create a new table with headings for each answer.

3.Use the COUNTIF function to count the number of times a specific answer was given.

4.Repeat Steps 2 and 3 for the answers obtained from parents and teachers.

Using the information obtained from the database, we can now start answering some of the main questions:

• Does South Africa have the infrastructure for e-learning? We know that more than two-thirds of schools already have Wi-Fi available and that every person that was interviewed owned a device that can be used for e-learning. This would indicate that South Africa does possibly have the infrastructure available to implement e-learning.
• Do people know what e-learning is? Our data indicates that about half of the people know what e-learning is and that only one-third is aware that e-learning is currently being used in South Africa.
• Would people make use of e-learning? Slightly more than half of the people make use of a digital platform to obtain their information and when asked if they are interested in making use of e-learning, two-thirds indicated that they are.

STEP 4: ANALYSIS

Once data has been processed it is time to return your problem. Are you able to answer your main question? Based on information from other sources and the results of processing in spreadsheets and databases, you must formulate clear arguments in support of a solution to your problem.

An example would be “Most teachers strongly agreed (80%) that e-textbooks would be more cost effective while 40% of parents strongly disagreed. The introduction of e-textbooks would require an advocacy program to convince parents of the cost saving in using e-textbooks.”

STEP 5: PRESENT INFORMATION

Now that you have collected, analysed and processed the data, the last step is to present all the data and information that you have collected so that it is easy to understand the main focus and outcome of the research. You can use the following methods to do this:

• Use graphs and tables
• Create a presentation
• Create a website
• Write a report

GRAPHS AND TABLES

One of the best ways to present your data is to use a visual representation of your findings. Table users visualise trends and comparisons by allowing them to organise the data; graphs help to represent the information visually.

To insert a chart in Excel, you can do the following:

1. Select the range.

2. On the Insert tab, select the chart type.

If you are unsure about which chart to use, you can use the recommended charts option.

PRESENTATIONS

PowerPoint presentations allow users to create a visual presentation of their findings through the use of slides. These slides can contain text, graphics and other multimedia sources, such as videos and animations. If you are looking to create a PowerPoint presentation in order to present your findings, here are a couple of tips:

• Keep it simple: Do not include too much information on a single slide.
• Keep it short: Try and present your information using as few slides as possible. This will keep your audience attentive and interested. However, do not leave out important information while trying to keep it short.
• Do not use too many animations: Excessive use of animations can cause the audience to get bored and lose attention.
• Choose a font size and colour that are easy to read: It is important to make sure that the audience will be able to read the text on your presentation, no matter where they are sitting. If the font is too small, or the text colour is unclear, many people might not be able to follow your presentation.
• Use graphics and charts: Instead of just having text, graphics and charts can be used to present your information in an easy-to-read and understand format.
• Use the notes: PowerPoint allows the user to make notes for each slide. This is especially useful to help you remember your main talking points for each slide.

CREATE A WEBSITE

During your PAT examinations, you might be asked to create a website to present your findings and information. This website will contain the same basic information that you would write in a report, with the difference being that the website will contain a more summarised version of the information. Follow these guidelines on how to create a website that is engaging and visually appealing:

• Simple: Simpler is better; websites should not contain too many design features, especially if those features serve no purpose.
• Understandable: The target audience of a website should be able to understand everything on the website without any difficulty.
• Purposeful: Websites should have a clear purpose, and every design and programming decision should work toward this purpose.
• Useful: A website should be useful and easy to use.
• Consistent: The design of a website should be consistent. This will make the website easier to understand and also make the website’s identity clearer.
• Visually appealing: It is important to remember that even the most simplest, understandable, purposeful, useful and consistent website will not be used if people do not like looking at it.

High-quality websites should contain good information and have a good design.

REPORTS

Many people look at memory as a filing cabinet in your brain, storing pieces of important information until you need them. However, memories may also be inaccurate, or you may forget certain things. A written report ensures that you have an accurate record of all the relevant information.

A report is a form of communication that provides data and information of an event or incident. It is used to inform another person or party of the facts surrounding the event.

It helps us to clearly state the problem, the solution that was implemented to fix the problem, as well as how effective the problem-solving solution was.

A report can be written in an informal or formal style. An informal report is a short report; usually consisting of one to three pages. It provides information, but contains little to no research. It makes use of personal language and is normally very direct. A formal report is usually longer, contains facts obtained from the research and analysis of data, and is more direct.

WRITING A REPORT

The information in a report should be presented in a way that is easy to understand and to use. A report consists of the following sections:

1. Introduction: The introduction is used to state the purpose of the report and provides a background on the issue. It is important to use your knowledge of the subject to provide a clear description of the problem that has occurred, as well as the solution that was implemented.

2. Body: The body of the report will consist of a summary of information found from various sources such as the internet, books, surveys and so on. Information should be supported by graphs and other evidence such as the output of database queries. This will be followed by an analysis of the information you found. On the basis of the information found, a possible solution to the problem should be formulated. Any references to information sources should be acknowledged (cited). Care should be taken to avoid plagiarism by using your own words.

3. Conclusion: This section is used to indicate whether or not the solution was a success and if any other solutions might be needed. If the solution was not successful, you need to include which steps you are planning to follow in order to make sure that the problem is resolved.

Always remember that it is important to write your report as soon as possible. This is to ensure that you include all the details that you have observed. The longer you wait, the better the chance that you might forget something important.

Example 9.7 Present information

1.Choose a term or concept from Column B that matches the description in Column A. Write only the letter next to the question number.

2.Answer the following questions:

a.List four guidelines to keep in mind when preparing a questionnaire.

b.Explain the difference between primary and secondary data.

c.What is the purpose of an executive summary?

d.Explain the three sections of a report.

e.Discuss the structure of a report. Make sure to elaborate on the three sections.

3.Which of the following criteria must be used to create a good presentation or website? State whether it is a presentation, website, or both. Copy the table into your exercise book and write the correct answer in the right-hand column.

REVISION ACTIVITY

SCENARIO

Your local community has decided to run a campaign on healthy lifestyles. Amongst the activities they are organising is a triathlon race. They have asked you to help in sending invitations, creating documents that explain the event, recording results, keeping records of athletes and creating a website to market the event.

QUESTION 1: WORD-PROCESSING

Study the questionnaire below and answer the questions that follow.

1.1Identify any ONE closed question in the questionnaire. Explain why you say that the question is a “closed” question. (2)

1.2Explain why it would be difficult to analyse the answers to Question B in a spreadsheet. (2)

1.3Explain why Question D on the questionnaire is not a good survey question. (2)

1.4The questionnaire does not have an introduction. Give ONE element that should be included in the introduction of a survey. (2)

1.5The above questionnaire was done as a word-processing form. Explain how you would capture the responses to the questionnaire in a spreadsheet or database. (3)

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QUESTION 2

In the PAT of 2018 leaners were asked to investigate the problem of fake news. A learner asked the following question in her survey:

“How often do you see fake news?” Answer 1 to 5 where:

1 = Not at all

2 = Not frequently

3 = Sometimes

4 = Regularly

5 = A lot

2.1The learner captured the responses from each person who completed her questionnaire in a spreadsheet. Some of the results are shown in the image on the left.
The respondents answered using the number 1 to 5. The learner used a spreadsheet function to convert the number to its matching description.
What spreadsheet function did she use to do this? (1)

2.2The learner then made a summary of all the responses to the question. What spreadsheet function did she use to do this? (1)

2.3The learner created a graph of the results shown in 2.2.

a.Write an argument to include in a report based on the information in the graph. (3)

b.The number 0% appears on the graph but is not linked to a “pie slice”. Why is this the case? (1)

c.What other types of graph could you use where it would be clearer which data item this is? (1)

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QUESTION 3

In the PAT of 2016 learners were required to investigate the problem of water shortages. A learner captured data about the capacity of dams which supply the Greater Cape Town area in a database table. The data spanned a period of three years from 2014 to 2015. The learner then created the following query:

The output of the query is shown in the figure above.

3.1Suggest two query design techniques that will produce a meaningful outcome. (2)

3.2Write down the criteria to inlaced all the dam names that starts with the letter ’S’ and the dams that have exceeded capacity > than 80% in 2015. (3)

[4]

QUESTION 4

As part of the PAT you are required to create a website. The image below shows a small part of the HTML.

The image below shows the output on the browser screen.

4.1What is the problem with the browser display? (2)

4.2Make ONE change to the HTML above to correct the problem. (1)

4.3A learner in your class says that if an image is on the internet, it is fine to use that image in your PAT website because it is for schoolwork. Is the learner correct? Justify your answer. (2)

 [5]

 TOTAL: 27

AT THE END OF THE CHAPTER