Table of Content

Introduction …………………………………………………………………………………..​1
“Ubiquitous Information Technology is the everyday helper.”..…...…………………………​2
1. You are the director of operations of a large airport. Discuss the above statement
showing how far it is reflected in your day to day work. …...……………………………​2
Cameras ( overseeing operation) - ……………..………………………………………​2
Walkie-talkie & phones ( communication ) - …………..…………………………………​2

Manage and monitor staff atendance on site maximize staff productivity using
Wireless logging device- …………………………………………………………………...​2
Ensuring that procedures are carried out properly. ( ensure company-wide
compliance). ………………………………………………………………………………….​3
Managing procurement ( Budgeting ) …………………………………………………….​3
LOGISTICAL EFFICIENCY ( coordination) ……………………………………………...​3
REDUCE AIRCRAFT TURNAROUND TIME ..…..………………………………………​3

Capacity planning ……………………………………………………………………………​4

Managing vehicles​…………………………………………………………………………...​4

a) ​Communication​…​……………………………………………………………….…………​4

b) ​Security ……………………………………………………………………………………​5

Five types of user interface: ……………………………………………………………​8

5. Describe a biometric based system which can be used at the airport for security
purposes. ……………………………………………………………………………………..​9

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Introduction
Computers nowadays form a crucial part in our day to day life, from our fridge at
home to our mobile phones helping us to communicate instantly with others to the
plane that flies on auto-pilot up in the sky. We are in a stage in human civilisation
where the computer has become a crutial to our existance. The technology behind it
is constantly involved through new research and development, computers now run
the day to day life of each individual as well as to the whole economy where it is
ubiquitous in all sectors of the economy from manufacturing to health, aviation,
hospitality banking and so much more.

“Ubiquitous Information Technology is the everyday helper.”

1. You are the director of operations of a large airport. Discuss the above
statement showing how far it is reflected in your day to day work.

To understand how ‘’Ubiquitous Information Technology’’ will affect my day to day

work as director of operation of an airport, we must first, clearly understand my role
and responsibility as an airport ‘director of operation’. My role and responsibility is
found in ( ) in below.
Below we will see how the above statement reflects in my day to day work.

Cameras ( overseeing operation) -

Cameras are a great help because they allow me to have a close eye on everything
happening in the airport any time of the days, from anywhere that is, even if I am in my
office,I can use surveillance cameras to see what is happening at the other end of the
airport, on the tarmac, or in the passenger waiting area, luggage department, and the list

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goes on. Camera allows me to be Ubiquitous.

Walkie-talkie & phones ( communication ) -

We all know that good communication is key to success, Walkie-talkie and mobile phone
allow me to communicate with all staff and non staff anytime and anywhere. Instead of
going from Point A to Point B. Walkie-talkie and mobile phone allows me to talk, solve
problems and give instruction and commands instantly with having to move thus saving
time and increasing efficiency.

Manage and monitor staff atendance on site maximize staff productivity

using Wireless logging device-

As operation manager, managing and monitoring staff atendance and productivity is key
for the airport to perform at its best level. So I need to know where each staff member is,
keep track of their completed work and know exactly what they are going to be working on
next. With electronic logging devices, I can be ubiquitous and monitor my staff efficiently.

Using programs and sensors to identify traffic flow and manage

accordingly ( managing resources).

Managing time and human resources form part of my duty. Having sensors that monitor
passenger flow helps me to make decisions accordingly to allow more parking space for
passengers going in and out, place more security guards to ensure security of the
passenger, and put more onboarding staff to increase traffic flow from the waiting room to
the departure area.

Ensuring that procedures are carried out properly. ( ensure

company-wide compliance).

As operation director, my job is to make sure that procedures are carried out properly,
using the airport checklist program, I am aware that all tasks are done correctly.

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Managing procurement ( Budgeting )

The Specialised procurement program allows me to keep track of all my past expenses,
and my forecast expenses as well, I.t helps me because it provides me the support to
manage my budget. As well as storing my past expenses. It allows me to make detailed
reports and comparing with previous end of year reports helps me if I am making progress
by reducing expenses while maximising production.

LOGISTICAL EFFICIENCY ( coordination)

Logistic operations helps to assure a quick delivery of goods around airports with
the minimum environmental impact. Technologies like driverless electric vehicles
help me reduce time and costs.

REDUCE AIRCRAFT TURNAROUND TIME

With special programs, i.t helps me to manage aircraft turnover through meticulous and
timely planning, these specialise programs help manage fueling time, maintenance and
parking space to reduce the time that elapses between one flight and the next.

Capacity planning

Capacity planning software helps me determine the production capacity needed by the
airport to meet changing demands.

Managing vehicles

A busy airfield will contain many different vehicles with different operational aims
at any time, which all need to be managed.Vehicle Management System (VMS)
helps me to control my vehicle fleet. The system uses telematics to ensure full
utilisation of vehicles, and to minimise lost revenue brought by accidents. It also
gives me information such as the driver’s identity, exact vehicle location and speed
it is going.

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2. The Information Super-highway is widely used in modern
airports. Discuss how the Information Super-highway is useful in the
following domains:

a) Communication

Communication is crucial in an airport, lack of communication may result in serious

or even deadly accidents. To prevent such accidents, information communicated
from either Airport tours to flying planes or vice versa must be congruent for the
safety of the passengers on the planes as well as to the safety of the staff working in
airports. Communication highways help in the communication of airport control
towers to flying planes. According to ​www.travelleisure.com​, ​ there were 3,354
planes in the sky at the same time, with this amount of planes flying all at the
same time in the sky, information super-highways allows planes to transmit
important data such as gps location, speed, altitude, and mechanical and
engine information to the control center. Communication when a plane is
approaching the tarmac to ask permission to land, the plane navigation
systems always communicating with satellites for anti-collision and weather
information. All these information transmitted all at once from every plane
flying represent a huge flow of very important data and without information
super-highway, these transmissions would not be possible and thus, only a
small number of planes could fly at the same time.

b) Security

Airports are the main gateway to the world, everydays millions of people travel from
one place to another in the world either for work, for family reasons or for holidays.

Eventually, it becomes really really hard to control and monitor each and every
individual who uses the planes. So to prevent dangerous people like drug traffickers
and terrorists from getting through, information superhighways helps airport security

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to screen everybody though face recognition cameras where the information is
compared with other airports and security databases around the world to detect any
potential threat.

Information superhighways is also useful in the way where all airports from around
the world are able to communicate to each other instantly, that is, they can send
information about travellers, logistics and even planes mechanical informations, for
example if a boeing 747 is having an engine failure or a conception defects,
information superhighway helps to share the information all airports allowing them to
take specific actions quickly to minimize any chance of accident. This helps to keep
travelers and working personnel safe when flying.

3. The engineering department at the airport has some

difficulties to solve a problem with a new aeroplane.
Discuss how artificial intelligence and an Expert System
can be helpful.

Artificial intelligence generally refers to algorithms and related statistical methods

aimed at imitating (or exceeding) human reasoning, pattern recognition, problem
solving and learning and the Expert System can resolve many issues which
generally would require a human expert. It is based on knowledge acquired from an
expert and is helpful to tackle specific problems.

Artificial intelligence will help the engineers to know where the problem comes from
exactly, they will allow the engineer to have a fully detailed report through the
conduction of extensive diagnostic to each part of the new aeroplane. Through these
detailed reports, it will be helpful for the engineering department to have a clearer
idea of the problem they are facing. Making their job easier to tackle.

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Artificial intelligence will provide different possible scenarios of genuine ways to
solve the problem. This will be helpful in time saving because it will compare
thousands of scenarios in a few seconds and come up with the best one whereas
humans will have to go through each problem solving scenario at a time thus wasting
precious time.
Artificial intelligence and expert systems will be helpful in giving precious advice and
demonstrating to the engineering department how to employ the right methodology
to solve the problem in the best and most durable way. Which in the long run will
reduce repair cost and time waste.

Artificial intelligence and expert systems will help in the suggestion of alternative
options to problem solving as well. This will be helpful to the engineers because they
will have the advantage of choosing which option is best for them, best for company
requirements, market demand and options that will best suit their budgets. Artificial
intelligence and an expert system will give them the ability to make choices that will
best suit their demand.

Artificial intelligence will be helpful in predicting future problems so that the

engineering department can prepare themself to tackle these new upcoming
problems when they arise overtime, this will help the engineering department in the
refinement of their own knowledge.

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4. An information desk is available in the airport
terminal where passengers can have access to
information without being assisted by an airport staff.
State which type of User Interface is most
appropriate, justifying your answer. Describe the
features of such an interface which makes it suitable
in this context.

A user interface is here to allow the user to communicate and give commands to the
computer, website or application. According to ‘’ en.wikibooks.org ‘’ there are

Five types of user interface:

● command line (cli)
● graphical user interface (GUI)
● menu driven (mdi)
● form based (fbi)
● natural language (nli)

Personally, I believe that Graphical User Interface is the most appropriate in an

airport because it is user friendly, that is everybody can easily operate it ,even
people who are not familiar with computers will be able to easily access information
due to its visual presentation.

Some features of a Graphical User Interface is that

● it allows users to open up multiple windows displays on their screen
simultaneously like flight time, weather, boarding time, ticket status, food
menu onboard, and much more.

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 ● Also the user does not have not have to learn complicated commands, they
either use a cursor or finger if it is a touch screen to press on the desired
icons to access information.
● Graphical User interface applications are self descriptive, that is we do not
need to read manuals to use them.
● Users do not need to know any programming languages to use it.

5. Describe a biometric based system which can be used at the

airport for security purposes.

A biometric based system for airport security would be facial recognition​.

Facial recognition is the best and most suitable biometric base system for airport
security. As all airports have cameras and are connected to information
superhighways, it is easier to keep track of every individual as they get in and out of
the airport.

Facial cameras will automatically analyze everyone going through the airport and as
it detects a threat or dangerous people, It can automatically contact airport security
and police force. Also, using facial recognition cameras won’t disturb the customer
experience in the airport as he will not even know that he is being monitored.

Facial recognition biometric base system is more time effective than other biometric
systems compared to fingerprint sensors where each individual will have to input his
fingerprint, facial recognition analyses the person and automatically compares it with
its database, it is done in seconds and no special train staff are needed.

Facial recognition can be used to moderate the staff working at the airport. That is
preventing staff accessing unauthorised departments and sections, to prevent
terrorist act for the safety of the passenger.

But as the airport is a big institution, it cannot only rely on one biometric security
system, it can mix facial recognition with fingerprints, physical movement and
navigation patterns that will increase the security level of the overall airport.

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www.internetsociety.org/resources/doc/2017/artificial-intelligence-and-machine-learnin

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Director of Operations Job Description Examples,​

www.indeed.com/hire/job-description/director-of-operations.

“Ground Level Coordination.” ​International Airport Review,​ 26 Jan. 2017,

www.internationalairportreview.com/article/1808/ground-level-coordination/.

Korolov, Maria. “What Is Biometrics? 10 Physical and Behavioral Identifiers.” ​CSO Online,​

CSO, 12 Feb. 2019,

www.csoonline.com/article/3339565/what-is-biometrics-and-why-collecting-biometric-d

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“Title=System Software: User Interfaces.” ​Title=System Software: User Interfaces -

Wikibooks, Open Books for an Open World,​

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