MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SKILLS

DEVELOPMENT
QUALITY ASSURANCE AND ASSESSMENT UNIT

Reference No: A3021910

Hardware Manufacturing

CERTIFICATE IN
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS
TECHNOLOGY

INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT PROJECT

PROJECT SPECIFICATION FOR CANDIDATES

Candidates Guide to the Integrated Assessment Project

Certificate in Information and Communications Technology

CERTIFICATE IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS

TECHNOLOGY
INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT PROJECT
PROJECT SPECIFICATION FOR CANDIDATES

Before reading this Project Specification, read the accompanying Candidates Guide to
the Integrated Assessment Project

Project Aim
The aim of your project is:
design documentation for a computer manufacturing process including health
and safety and quality control

Project Specification and Objectives

You have started your own manufacturing business, building computers from
imported parts. You employ several staff, each of whom is responsible for building a
complete computer from the component parts from scratch.
However, you feel their output can be improved if you utilized a more efficient
production line method. For example one person would be responsible for installing
the hard drive, the next person on the line the memory, the next person the processor
etc...
You have promoted your business using the strap line Quality First. To meet this
standard you test all manufactured computers to ensure they operate as required.
You have decided that to convert the manufacturing process to a production line you
must provide the following:

A diagram showing the layout of the production line

Details showing the inputs, production and outputs from each stage of the
production line including parts

A production manual which details what is to be completed at each stage of the

production line

A health and safety manual for all staff involved in the production process with
emphasis on parts handling

A list of tests, possible outcomes and correction procedures to be followed by

testing staff

The objectives of your project are to produce a Manufacturing Manual which covers
all of the aspects listed above.
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Candidates Guide to the Integrated Assessment Project

Certificate in Information and Communications Technology

Units and Outcomes covered by the project

After completion of the project you are expected to demonstrate the knowledge and
skills acquired through study of the following key skill and vocational units:
Personal and Interpersonal 2 (1, 2, 3)
Communications 2 (1, 2, 3)
System Selection and Specification (1,2)
Hardware and Software Installation and Maintenance (2,3,4,5)
User Support (1,2)
The project will also give you the opportunity to further develop and apply
knowledge, understanding and skills in the following areas:
Meeting planned work schedules
Costing \ Time management
Work practice
Communication Skills
Problem Solving Skills

Information Sources
During the development of your project, you are expected to make use of all or some
of the following resources:
Manufacturers web sites providing installation information
Manufacturers manuals
Upgrading guides
Videos on training techniques
Safety regulations
Technical College Teaching Staff

Try to take advantage of as many of these resources as possible.

Candidates Guide to the Integrated Assessment Project

Certificate in Information and Communications Technology

Project Stages and Evidence Requirements

As you complete your project, you will be required to produce evidence that you have
indeed completed each of the tasks that are required to achieve the project objectives.
Your project will be completed in three stages, these being:
1. Planning
2. Implementing
3. Evaluating
The evidence you must produce for each stage is explained below:
1.

Planning

Planning is an essential part of your project. Having firstly carried out some
investigation and gathered the information required for you to proceed with the
project, you must then plan your activities in a logical way, so that you are able to
complete the project before the final submission date.
The evidence item for the planning stage of the project is:
a written plan of action
At certificate level, this plan should be a minimum of 500 words long. The written
plan of action must be based on your own project. It must show that:

you are able to investigate and gather information required to solve problems

that you can plan your activities.

You will be assessed on these two requirements.

The written plan of action should be structured to include:
an introduction which clearly states
the project aim
the selected product or event for the project
the project objectives
target timescales for achieving the objectives.
a main body of the plan which:
identifies the additional information that you have gathered at the early
planning stage
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Candidates Guide to the Integrated Assessment Project

Certificate in Information and Communications Technology

the materials and resources required to complete the project

a breakdown of the project objectives into manageable tasks
You are encouraged to show the details of your proposed activities in a diagrammatic
form, for example by using a bar chart or a flow diagram.
You must complete your written plan of action before you move on to the next
stage.
You will also be required to word process either your written plan of action or
your evaluation report and to show that in doing so you have maintained the
standards of the key skill unit Information and Communications Technology 2.
2.

Implementing

This is the stage when you undertake the activities that you have identified in your
plan of action. In this stage you must show that you can:

time manage the activities to the target timescales of your plan of action

make use of the information you have gathered and the other resources available
to you

carry out all the tasks of your plan

use up-to-date technology/methods in completing your project.

Implementing is to do with how you go about things. You will be assessed on the
four requirements above.
The evidence items for the implementing stage of the project are:
a record of the timescales you achieved during the project
and
a portfolio of evidence containing all the documents you have gather and
produced.
In addition to the above evidence which you must gather, your lecturer will also
record your performance of key practical activities using observation checklists or
other means such as video.
3. Evaluating
This stage is when you review your own project work. The evidence item for the
evaluating stage of the project is:
a written evaluation report

Candidates Guide to the Integrated Assessment Project

Certificate in Information and Communications Technology

At Certificate level, this report should be a minimum of 500 words long. Your report
must show that:

you are able to review the effectiveness of your original plan of action, explain the
amendments made during implementation of the project, including any adjustment
you made to the target timescales

you are able to assess the quality, strengths and weaknesses of your own work and
to identify the knowledge and skills which you developed during your project.

You will be assessed on these two aspects of your report.

The evaluation report should be structured to include:
a brief outline of what your project was about
points relating to the effectiveness of the original action plan and changes
made to the original timescales
a statement of the knowledge and skills which you applied and developed
an honest assessment of the quality of the project outcome.
If you do not word process your written plan of action, you will have to word
process the evaluation report and show that in doing so you have maintained the
standards of the key skill unit Information and Communications Technology 2.
The Project Outcome
The outcome of your project will be the completion of the manufacturing manual.
You will be assessed on four aspects of this, namely:

the quality of what you achieve in terms of preparation, content and presentation

the quality of the documented evidence you produce for all stages of the project

how well you have integrated knowledge, understanding and skills from a number
of units of your award programme

how well you demonstrated subject expertise and occupational language

Marking and Grading of your Project

Your External Project Assessor will look at all the evidence you present and will
grade your project, awarding you:
a Pass grade or
a Merit grade or
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Candidates Guide to the Integrated Assessment Project

Certificate in Information and Communications Technology

a Distinction grade
Should you fail to reach the required standards for a Pass grade then you will not gain
the group award.
The Integrated Assessment Project Assessor will look at the quality of your work for
each stage of the project. He will also check that you have achieved all the project
objectives and will look at the quality of the project outcome. The Assessor will pay
close attention to each of the twelve aspects of your evidence which are bulleted in the
previous section on evidence requirements. To achieve a Pass grade you will have to
maintain the standards of the units covered by the project. If you consistently
demonstrate a higher standard than that required for a Pass you may be awarded a
Merit grade or a Distinction grade.
The following information will help you to understand what would be required of
your project outcome at each grade.
Manufacturing Manual
For the Manufacturing Manual to be at a reasonable standard (Pass grade), it must
cover the minimum production requirements of a computer system covering
minimum production procedures, health and safety requirements and testing.
For a Manufacturing Manual to be of a good standard (Merit Grade), it must cover
the production requirements of a standard computer system covering a suitable level
of production procedures, health and safety requirements and testing
For a Manufacturing Manual to be of a high standard (Distinction Grade), it must
completely cover the production requirements of a high end computer system,
covering all possible production procedures, health and safety requirements and
testing.