7

The ways in which ICT is used

Communication
Interactive
Data handling
Measurement
Control
Modelling
Business
Schools
Booking systems
Banking
Medicine
Libraries
Expert systems
Retail

Desktop publishing and word processing; newsletters, websites,

multimedia presentations, flyers, posters, business cards
blogs, wikis, social network websites
surveys, contact lists, school reports, school records
scientific experiments, environmental and weather conditions
air conditioning, greenhouses, central heating, electronic gadgets
simulators, spreadsheets, financial models
billing systems, stock control, e-commerce, m-commerce
electronic registration, school reports, school records
theatre, travel
EFT, ATM, Internet banking, phone banking, credit/debit cards
expert system diagnostics, patient records, pharmacy records
members, books, issuing systems
geological surveys, medical diagnostics, car engine diagnostics,
share dealing
stock control, POS, EFTPOS, Internet shopping

On the following pages are examples of some of the applications listed above.

IGCSE ICT Cambridge University Press 2010

Revision notes: Module 7 1

Control systems
Computer systems are used in a variety of control situations including domestic
appliances such as washing machines and large industrial processes such as glass
manufacture.
Any control system can be broken down into the stages of input, processing and output.
Input

Sensors take readings at regular time intervals and send the readings to the computer.
Sensors may be measuring temperature, pressure, water flow, wind speed.
Processing

The computer compares these readings and decides what action to take.
Output

The computer sends output signals to devices which control motors/heaters/switches.

Process control
Process control is an example of a real-time system. Data is processed as soon as the
computer receives it, allowing the system to respond immediately to any changes.
Advantages

Immediate response
Fewer staff needed
System can work 24/7, 365 days per year
Used where it may be dangerous for people.

Disadvantages

Greater unemployment
Large initial cost of setting up the system.

IGCSE ICT Cambridge University Press 2010

Revision notes: Module 7 2

Library systems
Every book in the library has a bar code printed inside it. When a new member joins, a
card is issued containing a bar code.
When a member borrows or returns a book, the barcodes of the book and the members
card are read by a bar code reader.
Input

The bar code from the book

The bar code from the members card
The date

Process

If the book is being returned, the system will calculate if any book is overdue and any
fines to pay.
Output

The library system is a real-time system as a book is taken out or returned the
database is immediately updated.
The database can be searched for any book to find if it is currently in stock in the library
or whether it is out on loan.

IGCSE ICT Cambridge University Press 2010

Revision notes: Module 7 3

Billing systems
Invoice billing systems
The company has a database of all its customers. As well as name and address, this
includes details such as previous order history and possibly payment method.
Input

At regular intervals, customers submit their orders via the Internet, by post or by
telephone.
Processing

The invoice for each customer is calculated by the computer.

A billing system is usually run as a batch processing system. Large volumes of data
may be entered and then processed when all the data has been collected. Often the bill
processing may be run at off-peak times (e.g. overnight).
The database is updated in the billing process. A backup copy of the database is made
before this is done. The files can then be re-created and the whole process repeated with
no loss of data.
Output

Depending on their payment method with the company, the invoice is posted or
emailed to the customer and payment will be made electronically. Otherwise the
customer will send payment to the company after receiving the invoice.

IGCSE ICT Cambridge University Press 2010

Revision notes: Module 7 4

Booking systems
Many people now book on-line for holidays, trains, planes, hotel rooms and theatre
tickets.
Input

When a booking is made, the customer will need to provide input details (name, date,
place, number of people etc.).
These details may be entered by:
a ticket/booking agency, at a computer terminal in a multi-access system;
an individual person, on a form on an Internet web page;
the company, by transcribing them from a paper booking form posted to them or
input during a telephone booking.
Processing

This data is validated and checks are made for availability, the booking is made and
details saved in the database. On-line payments for the booking are required and can
generally be made using a credit or debit card from a secure web page (or over the
counter). As soon as the booking has been processed, no other customer can make the
same booking. This is a real-time (transaction processing) system.
Output

Documents will need to be printed for the customer and sent, but these are often
printed at home by the customer as an e-ticket.

IGCSE ICT Cambridge University Press 2010

Revision notes: Module 7 5

Stock control
Stock control is the name given to the process where the number of items for sale in a
shop is under constant examination.
A stock control system:
keeps track of how many of each item are in stock;
decides (using the in-built rules and stock reorder level) if items need to be reordered from their suppliers;
analyses sales to determine which items are selling well.
The computer stores a master file with records of every item sold in the shop.
As an item is sold, the barcode is scanned and the computer will deduct 1 from the stock level
for that item. The computer will therefore know exactly how many of each item is in stock.
Once the number of items falls below the reorder level then the computer is able to
automatically order new stock from the supplier. This is another example of a real-time
system.

IGCSE ICT Cambridge University Press 2010

Revision notes: Module 7 6

Payroll systems
At the end of each month or week, employees have to be paid. A payroll system uses
a computer to calculate the salaries, print out payslips, record the information for
financial accounts and arrange for the money to be transferred to the employees bank
accounts.
Input

Employees database (salaries, pay rates, bonus rates etc.)

If employees are paid by the hour then the number of hours worked and number of
hours overtime are needed.

Process

Calculate:
actual pay
deductions such as tax
net amount for each employee.
A payroll system is usually run as a batch processing system. Large volumes of data may
be entered and then processed when all the data has been collected. Often the payroll
processing may be run at off-peak times (e.g. overnight).
The employee database is updated in the payroll process. A backup copy of the database
is made before this is done. The files can then be re-created and the whole process
repeated with no loss of data.
Output

Print payslips with actual pay, deductions and net amount.

Update the employee database.
Pay money directly into employees bank accounts.

IGCSE ICT Cambridge University Press 2010

Revision notes: Module 7 7

Expert systems
Expert systems, also known as knowledge-base systems, simulate human knowledge
and suggest solutions to given problems.
The four parts of a medical expert system are:
the facts about illnesses and conditions the knowledge base;
the means of asking questions and getting responses from the system the user
interface or human computer interface (HCI);
the set of rules which the data has to abide by the rule base;
the program that can apply the rules to the data in order to get sensible results the
inference engine.
Examples:

medical diagnosis
engine diagnostics
energy conservation
geological surveys
commodity prices
share dealing.

Limitations

Training is needed to operate the system.

Knowledge base is only as good as the experts who set up the system.
Could become out of date as knowledge improves.

Medical diagnosis using expert systems

The patients details and symptoms are input, and the system outputs probable
diagnoses, recommended treatments or drugs which may be prescribed.
The advantages of an expert system over a doctor are:
database knowledge can be kept up to date;
system can store more specialised knowledge than a non-specialist doctor;
system cannot forget or get facts wrong, provided the original rules were correct;
no loss of knowledge as there would be when a doctor leaves.

IGCSE ICT Cambridge University Press 2010

Revision notes: Module 7 8

Robotics
A robot can carry out the same task over and over again, and it can be reprogrammed to
change the task. Used on repetitive work and jobs that may be dangerous
Robotic systems are real-time systems.
Any data the processor receives from the sensors will be processed immediately.
An embedded system contains a ROM chip which has special software to control a
machine. This software will run continuously. The program processes the data and
sends output signals to motors to control the robot.
Advantages

Robots:
work 24/7 no need for breaks
do not have to be paid
work consistently no mistakes.
Example (in car-making factory)

The jobs may include:

welding or assembling parts
paint spraying
moving heavy parts around the factory.

IGCSE ICT Cambridge University Press 2010

Revision notes: Module 7 9