ICTTEN516 Learner Guide

Information Technology
ICTTEN516 Produce technical solutions from

business specifications
Learner Guide
Contents
Prepare to produce technical solutions from business specifications........................................9
Obtain business requirements and business specifications for the client from
appropriate person............................................................................................................................ 9
Research and identify the client’s business model...................................................................14
Determine technical specifications for the business................................................................17
Clarify and confirm the business problem and key stakeholders’ requirements with
stakeholders...................................................................................................................................... 20
Evaluate the impact of the technical requirements......................................................................24
Review and assess business problems, opportunities, and objectives.................................24
Determine technical requirements in respect of input and output, interface, process
flow or quality requirements......................................................................................................... 28
Analyse hardware, software and network requirements.........................................................30
Build business platform based on software solutions..............................................................35
Investigate processes to be changed by the business solution............................................41
Produce an evaluation document on the impact of the technical requirements on the
business.............................................................................................................................................. 45
Produce technical business solutions...............................................................................................48
Develop technical solutions in response to problems and business requirements..........48
Determine costs involved to implement the technical business solution............................54
Investigate a range of supplier products to determine which one best meets technical
requirements..................................................................................................................................... 57
Produce a report on the technical solutions addressing the business specifications and
recommendations against business requirements...................................................................59
Document and validate agreed solutions....................................................................................... 62
Forward technical requirements and solution overview to appropriate person for
feedback............................................................................................................................................. 62
Analyse feedback and incorporate change as required.........................................................63
ICTTEN516 Produce technical solutions from business specifications 2|Page

Abbey College Australia
National Provider No. 91136| CRICOS Registration No. 02658G
Version V1.0 August 2019
Document changes and distribute to the appropriate person..............................................64
Obtain sign-off on the final business solution...........................................................................66

ICTTEN516 Produce technical solutions from business specifications
Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to compile and evaluate business
specifications from a client and produce viable business solutions.
It applies to individuals who carry out network design and implementation of practical
technical solutions of information and communication technology (ICT) networks. They
are employed by telecommunications and information technology networking
provisioning companies specialising in integrating converging and emerging technologies
of ICT networks.
No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of

publication.
Unit Sector
Telecommunications – Telecommunications Networks Engineering

Elements Performance Criteria
Elements describe Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate
the essential achievement of the element.
outcomes
1. Prepare to 1.1 Obtain business requirements and business specifications for the client
produce technical from appropriate person
solutions from 1.2 Research and identify the client’s business model
business 1.3 Determine technical specifications for the business
specifications 1.4 Clarify and confirm the business problem and key stakeholders’
requirements with stakeholders
2. Evaluate the 2.1 Review and assess business problems, opportunities and objectives
impact of the 2.2 Determine technical requirements in respect of input and output,
technical interface, process flow or quality requirements
requirements 2.3 Analyse hardware, software and network requirements
2.4 Build business platform based on software solutions
2.5 Investigate processes to be changed by the business solution
2.6 Produce an evaluation document on the impact of the technical
requirements on the business
3. Produce 3.1 Develop technical solutions in response to problems and business
technical business requirements
solutions 3.2 Determine costs involved to implement the technical business solution
3.3 Investigate a range of supplier products to determine which one best
meets technical requirements
3.4 Produce a report on the technical solutions addressing the business
specifications and recommendations against business requirements
4. Document and 4.1 Forward technical requirements and solution overview to appropriate
validate agreed person for feedback
solutions 4.2 Analyse feedback and incorporate change as required
4.3 Document changes and distribute to appropriate person
4.4 Obtain sign-off on final business solution

Foundation Skills
This section describes language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills incorporated in the
performance criteria that are required for competent performance.
Skill Performance Description
Criteria
Reading 1.2, 2.1, 4.2  Organises, evaluates and critiques workplace
documentation from a range of complex texts
Writing 1.5, 2.6, 3.4, 4.3  Prepares clear and concise workplace documentation
including reports and design solutions incorporating
technical language to communicate complex
information clearly and effectively
Oral 1.4  Uses active listening, observational and questioning
communication techniques to identify different perspectives and
confirm, clarify or revise understanding
Numeracy 3.2  Uses mathematical formulas and calculations to
interpret business costs and evaluate possible technical
design solutions
Interact with 1.1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.5, 4.1,  Recognises and applies protocols governing what to
others 4.3, 4.4 communicate, with whom and how in context of own
work
 Selects appropriate communication protocols and
conventions in a broad range of work contexts
Get the work 1.3, 2.1-2.5, 3.1, 3.3  Uses a combination of formal, logical planning
done processes and an increasingly intuitive understanding
of context for complex, high-impact activities with
strategic implications
 Demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of
principles, concepts, language and practices associated
with the digital world and uses these to understand
uses and potential of technology
 Implements actions according to a predetermined
plan, making adjustments if necessary and addressing
unexpected issues
 Considers strategic and operational potential of digital
trends to achieve work goals, enhance work processes
and enhance solutions
 Uses formal, analytical and lateral thinking techniques
for identifying issues, generating and evaluating
possible solutions

Unit Mapping Information
Code and title Code and title Comments Equivalence status
current version previous version

ICTTEN516 ICTTEN5204A Updated to meet Equivalent unit
Produce technical Produce technical Standards for
solutions from solutions from Training Packages.
business business
specifications specifications
Assessment requirements
Modification History
Release Comments
Release 1 This version first released with ICT Information and
Communications Technology Training Package Version 2.0.
Performance Evidence
Evidence of ability to:
 adapt technologies for required technical solutions

 use site design software and hardware
 evaluate client specifications against accepted industry practices
 develop technical solutions from business specifications
 document information that can be shared between businesses
 apply design concepts to business solutions
 document technical reports
 make recommendations and offer optimum design solutions.
Note: If a specific volume or frequency is not stated, then evidence must be provided at
least once.
Knowledge Evidence
To complete the unit requirements safely and effectively, the individual must:
 explain the client business domain, business function and organisation

 explain compatibility issues and resolution procedures
 outline configuration of internet protocol (IP) networks
 describe common desktop applications and operating systems
 explain how to document technical specifications
 summarise security protocols, standards and data encryption
 explain the role of the following technologies in business systems:
o network topologies
o network protocols and operating systems
o radio frequency (RF) networks
o optical networks
o mobile cellular networks
o core networks
o access networks
o radio frequency identification.
Assessment Conditions
Gather evidence to demonstrate consistent performance in conditions that are safe and
replicate the workplace. Noise levels, production flow, interruptions and time variances
must be typical of those experienced in the telecommunications networks engineering
field of work and include access to:
 client functional requirements

 business specifications
 database software
 simulation software
 organisational guidelines
 network and computer layouts
 site design software and hardware
 information on a range of ICT business solutions

Prepare to produce technical solutions from business
specifications
Obtain business requirements and business specifications for the client from
appropriate person
The modern business world is changing rapidly and to cope with such rapid change
organisations need to continually evolve their business systems. But system development
solutions are not just plug and play. They require thoughtful consideration before
technical solutions to satisfy business needs are found.
First, let us consider what a technical solution in the ICT domain might be. ICT technical
solutions cover the wide fields of telecommunications, systems analysis and design,
software, web development and IT networks. A diverse range of solutions are available to
address the business challenges of the modern era.
The starting point for an efficient technical solution is to develop a complete

understanding of what business problems are going to addressed by deploying the
chosen solution. To understand this, you need to work through the business requirements
and specifications.
According to IIBA (International Institute of Business Analysis), a Requirement is:
“A condition or capability needed by a stakeholder to solve a problem or achieve an

objective”, or
“A condition or capability that must be met or possessed by a solution or solution

component to satisfy a contract, standard, specification, or other formally imposed
documents”.
These requirements can be divided into:
 Business Requirements: These are the essential declarations of the objectives,

goals, and needs of the organisation. For example, a company aims to grow its
sales by 15% by the end of this year or intends to increase productivity by 5%.
 Stakeholder Requirements: Such requirements involve the needs or interests of the
stakeholders or the class of the stakeholders.

For instance, sales staff request a new CRM system, or accountants need new functionality
to deal with taxation regulation changes.
Functional Requirements: These define the required capabilities of a system to be able to

meet the needs of a business function. For example, a business analyst might specify that
the system has to create a daily sales report for the sales team to monitor their progress.
Non-Functional Requirements: These are the requirements that go beyond system

features to meet operational requirements and focus more on the branding, customer
experience, information security, maintenance, etc. For example, training materials
developed for a product.
Transition Requirements: These are must-have solution capabilities to facilitate any

transition from the current state to the desired future state. For instance, data migration
may require a specific sort of software or data format.
The next important concept is Business Specifications. Sometimes business specifications

are called business requirements, but these two are not as similar as one might think.
Specifications are detailed descriptions of the present or the future that can be interpreted
without ambiguity.
Requirements are generally the description of future needs describing high-level ideas for
a product, service, or user experience, whereas Specifications are more detailed and may
include documentation of non- functional requirements.
Business specifications generally include designs, processes, methods, interfaces, practices,

assets, and technologies, etc., whereas requirements are business challenges and issues
that are required to be addressed.
When preparing technical solutions two aspects of enterprise management should be

considered: Project Management and Customer Relationship Management.
A Project Management (PM) system manages the planning, organisation and completion
of a project with defined outcomes, making sure it is well-executed, delivered on time,
and within budget. A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is the combination of
practices, strategies and technologies that companies use to manage and analyse
customer interactions and data throughout the customer lifecycle, with the goal of
ICTTEN516 Produce technical solutions from business specifications 10 | P a g e

improving customer service relationships and assisting in customer retention and driving
sales.
When developing a business solution, project planning requires strategic thinking,

attention to detail and the ability to implement with clear communications so that projects
get completed successfully. Some key differences are:
Project Management Customer Management
 Works internally.  Works externally.

 Manages team expectations.  Manages customer expectations.
 Creates strong relationships with  Builds strong relationships with
team members. customers.
 Has a critical understanding of the  Develops a deep grasp of the
company’s resources and company’s abilities to answer
capabilities. questions and facilitate solutions.
 Uses in-depth knowledge of past  Knows the customer's business,
projects to estimate the scope of new industry, and competition to develop
projects. smart solutions.
Technical solutions are designed by first considering business requirements. There are
several methods to gather business requirements. Some of the most popular techniques
are
 Brainstorming: Brainstorming enables a group to approach a problem with

divergent opinions and ideas and filtering out the least appropriate. It can cast a
broad net, considering a wide variety of possibilities. The key to brainstorming is to
consider everything at first, but then to be ruthless in eliminating improbable
solutions.
 Focus Group: A focus group may include customers, business managers and other
stakeholders who discuss the business requirements needed. It can highlight
critical features of a product or service from a user’s point of view. This may force
some changes to the idea which may or not be beneficial for the enterprise.

 Interview: Interviewing project managers can give solution developers ideas of how
to achieve business outcomes, and meeting with users of a current service or
product can also provide valuable insights.
 Interface Analysis: An Interface for any software product will either be human or
machine. Integration with external devices and systems is another potential
interface. Based on this a user-centric design approach can be quite effective to
ensure usable software is produced. Analysing the interface touchpoints of another
external system is essential to ensure that requirements which are not instantly
visible to the users are not overlooked
 Prototyping: Prototyping improves the quality of requirements and specifications
provided to customers. Needed changes detected later in development cost
exponentially more to implement. With prototyping, you can determine early what
the end user wants with faster and less expensive software.
After gaining information about business requirements and specifications, a Business

Requirements Document (BRD) should be created. This document outlines the details of a
business solution. It requires close focus on business perspectives and also emphasises the
expectations and needs of the customer.
Objectives of BRD:
 To obtain agreement among stakeholders.

 To describe in detail the needs of the customer and the business that the solution
intends to meet.
 To communicate to a technology service provider the business and customer
needs, and what how the proposed solution will satisfy those needs.
To create a comprehensive BRD, consider this structure:
 Executive Summary.
 Project Objectives.
 Project Scope.
 Needs Statement.
 Financial Statement.
 Functional Requirements.
 Non-Functional Requirements.
 Assumptions.
 Benefits and Costs.
 Environmental Factors.
Now review ‘Resource 1 - Sample Business Requirements

Document’, located in the Additional Resources folder.
Often technical solutions are provided to an organisation by external consultants and, in

these circumstances, it’s common practice for the consultants to obtain organisational
data through an assigned point of contact (POC) appointed by the organisation.
Consultants should be aware that the data they are gathering may be commercially
confidential or contain personal private information. For this reason, consultants may find
some resistance to disclosing this type of data.

Research and identify the client’s business model
Determining a client's business model requires an understanding of business models.
A business model is an abstract structure that supports the feasibility of a service or

product which explains the company operations, profit generation, and achievement of its
goals.
One business model definition is:
‘a plan for the successful operation of a business, identifying sources of revenue, the
intended customer base, products, and details of financing’ .
A business model includes everything related to designing and manufacturing a product

and everything related to selling the product from approaching the right audience and
delivering the product. And the most important part, how the customer will pay, and how
the company will earn money.

Different types of businesses adopt different kinds of models. Some of the basic types of
business models are:
1. Manufacturer: A manufacturer develops finished products using raw materials and

may sell it directly or through the middleman to the customer. For instance,
Volkswagen, Samsung electronics, or Honda, etc.
2. Retailer: A retailer takes goods from a wholesaler or a distributor and sells directly
to the customers. Such as Walmart, Costco, etc.
3. Distributor: A distributor buys products from the manufacturers and sells them to
retailers or customers. For example, Harvey Norman, JB HiFi.
4. E-commerce: Online trading through an online store or as a middleman is called
an online marketplace or e-commerce. Companies like Amazon, Alibaba and eBay.
5. Franchise: A business relationship between a franchisor and a franchisee where the
franchisor licences a franchisee to open a business agency in return for monetary
consideration. Well-known franchise companies are KFC, McDonald's, and Subway.
6. Freemium: Businesses which provide free initial service and offers more advanced
services at a premium, such as Dropbox, Mailchimp, Spotify.
Now review: “Resource 2 – Business model examples”, located in the

Additional Resources folder.
If you are going to provide a technical business solution, it is essential to know what a
business model is designed to achieve. A business model can be a company's plan for
making a profit. It can identify the products or services the business intends to sell, the
target market(s) it has identified, and the expenses it anticipates.
A business model is often a high-level plan for profitably operating a particular business in
a specific marketplace.
A primary component of the business model is the value proposition. This is a description
of the goods or services that a company offers and why they are desirable to customers
or clients, ideally stated in a way that differentiates the product or service from its
competitors.

A thorough understanding of a client’s business model will allow a solution provider to
understand customer demands and how they might be tackled using technology. It may
also enable a solution provider to determine security risks related to the business
requirements and how these might be addressed.
For example, a Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) entity often deals with products
that are sold quickly and at a relatively low cost. Examples include non-durable household
goods such as packaged foods, beverages, toiletries, over-the-counter drugs, and other
consumables. They may have products that have a limited shelf life. So, the business
model has a supply chain focus to avoid product expiry. So, the business model solution
might include tracking the time to from shipment to shelf and provide data that can
support supply chain optimisation decisions.
To create an efficient business model-based solution, there are several methods that can
be adopted. Key business areas that may require an ICT solution are:
Market Analysis: Marketers need to carry out research and analysis to determine customer
demands, market segmentation, and opportunities in the market.
Financial Analysis: An economic analysis enables strategists to determine how a company

is going to invest, sell, and earn profits from their products or services. It can contribute to
the financial goals of a company in terms of sales and profit.

Determine technical specifications for the business
A technical specification document defines the requirements for a project, product, or
system. A specification is the information on technical design, development, and
procedures related to the requirements it outlines. This document provides information to
developers and other stakeholders on business requirements, internal standards, and best
practices. The term requirements specification is often used to refer to a document that
details requirements for a system, including functional, interface, and design
requirements.
The title given to a technical specification or requirements document, and the information
included, will vary depending on the industry and project. These documents are essential
guides for defining a product or system and ensuring mutual understanding among
stakeholders.
A technical requirement document, also known as a product requirement document,

defines the functionality, features, and purpose of a product that is going to be built. It is
often the first phase of planning for product managers and serves a vital role in
communicating with stakeholders and ensuring successful outcomes. Companies may
have different technical requirements templates based on the technology and
methodology they use, the needs of internal and external stakeholders, and other factors.
However, there are some key items that are often included in requirements
documentation:
Revision Log: A record of document updates that designates who is responsible for the
updates, in order to track changes.
Executive Summary: An overview of the project or product with background information,

the business case for pursuing the project, a description of the target audience, and high-
level goals. You may also include the scope of the project in this section, detailing what is
in-scope and out-of-scope for the current stage of documentation.
Assumptions, Risks, and Dependencies: Factors affecting the project and requirements.
These items may include constraints that present limitations to a project, a description or
diagram of the context and larger system in which a product exists or is being created,
and specific assumptions such as what technology, equipment, or expertise may be
available.

Requirements: Functional requirements should have sufficient detail so that designers can
work to meet all requirements and testers can confirm that they all have been satisfied.
You may include a numbered and prioritized list of requirements for tracking and
reference. There may also be a separate section for non-functional requirements.
References: Create a list of supporting documents and links to relevant artefacts.
Glossary: A glossary can help stakeholders decipher technical and non-technical

terminology used in a requirements document.
Now review: “Resource 3 – IT Technical Specification template”, located

in the Additional Resources folder.
Determining the technical requirements and specifications is one of the most significant
steps of the business solution process. Sometimes this process is called solutions
development.
A simple requirements management process produces a clear set of baseline user

requirements. A more sophisticated value management approach produces a baseline
that includes ideas for alternative functionality that would be acceptable to users. Either
way the baseline requirements do not explain how to meet the requirements.
Solutions development explores options for how to meet requirements and then
implements the best solution. In broad terms, solutions development comprises the steps:
Evaluation and selection examine all the ideas and assesses how well they will perform
against stated criteria such as reduced capital cost, speed of delivery or level of risk.
Some options may call for innovation.

Strategies to exploit innovation include:
 prototyping – exploring the innovation offline, for example by ‘technology

demonstrator ‘projects or ‘rapid applications development’;
 the use of modelling, simulation and synthetic environments;
 phased implementation of new technology.
The emerging solution is subject to periodic reviews and ultimately results in the issue of a
specification that can be used to build a detailed business case. In some cases, the
detailed specification will only cover the early stages of development, with later stages
being refined as work proceeds. The development of value-improving proposals can
occur at any stage of delivering a project or program.
A key idea from systems engineering is the progressive testing of the emerging products
against the expectations laid down in the specification and requirements. ‘Verification’ is
the term used to ensure that the solution is being built right; ‘validation’ is the term used
to ensure that the right product is being built.
Validation is against requirements; verification is against specifications.

Clarify and confirm the business problem and key stakeholders’ requirements
with stakeholders
Before any enterprise business solution can be developed, it is crucial to have a detailed
discussion with the client about the business challenges faced by the organisation and the
areas that a solution might address. The 3 W's model may be used to facilitate this
discussion:
What: What questions, such as “What problem is the company facing?” can provide clear
ideas about the operational activities of the organisation.
Who: Who questions, such as "Who buys our products/services?" or "Who are our
customers?", provide insights into distribution and marketing potentials.
Why: Why questions like “Why are we providing this service?” or “Why is our service or
product not succeeding?” are open-ended questions that can lead to deep insights into
how a business is operated.
Each organisation is different, so solutions may have to be adapted to cater for

operational differences. For example, a cloud-based automated collections system that
improves collection efficiency may need to be adapted for different organisations. For
example, credit card companies collect monthly payments from their customers and
income tax offices collect monthly PAYG tax payments from citizens. However, the
technical solution to this similar collection activity may require very different ICT elements.
Another important step in business problem identification and solution development is

determining the scope of the project.

Project Scope is the part of the project planning that involves determining and
documenting a list of specific project goals, deliverables, features, functions, tasks,
deadlines, and ultimately costs. In other words, it is what needs to be achieved, and the
work that must be done, to deliver a successful project. The documentation of project
scope is called a scope statement, statement of work, or terms of reference. This
document establishes responsibilities for each team member, explains the boundaries of
the work, and explains how the work will be verified and approved. Project Scope plays an
essential role in keeping project teams focused during a project.
Defining Project Scope:
Involving key stakeholders is an essential step in defining the project scope. A successful
project needs the important stakeholders to be part of building the project scope.
Otherwise, conflicts between the stakeholders and project management may arise.
Define Product Requirements: Determining and defining product requirements, otherwise

known as product scope, involves establishing the key features that a product must have
to meet market considerations. For example, what are the features and functions required
for a website, application, or software solution being developed?
Define Process Requirements: Process requirements describe how people interact with a
product and how a product interacts with other (often existing) business processes. This
involves understanding how data moves and how business transactions flow from one
point to another. For example, consider website invoicing. How do such transactions link
back to invoicing and accounting and at what point, if any, can staff view and alter the
status of orders?
Identify the limitations: A most critical step during the project scope definition is to identify
the limitations of a product or process. When it comes to software development, you
need to clearly determine the features that will not be present.
Once all the requirements are locked in, they are used to drive the details of a technical
solution. It is important that any technical requirements established should be able to be
understood by those who are to implement the solution.
For example, consider an expanding company that needs to strengthen its wireless
network to reach locations away from head office. The wireless network will include

routers and hubs and provides access to the internet and the company’s network for
employees. The business problem identified may consist of limited wireless coverage and
perhaps slow network response.
Now, having established the facts, solutions to optimise or expand the network coverage
and improve the network speed can be considered. This may involve developing a BRD,
technical specifications, a project scope and a financial business case.
When the proposed solution is accepted, a project team may be formed, and the
implementation begun.

Activity 1 – Trainer to demonstrate examples of
different business models
Activity 1 - Notes
Now complete Self-paced Activity 1

Evaluate the impact of the technical requirements
Review and assess business problems, opportunities, and objectives
Identifying and reflecting upon business problems, goals, and opportunities are significant
aspects of being able to successfully complete an ICT technical solution project. ICT
engineers need to become familiar with key business terminology, which may include:
Business difficulties are current or long-term issues or challenges faced by a business

organisation. These difficulties can restrict an organisation from achieving its goals and
executing its strategies and may even threaten its long-term survival.
Examples of business difficulties
Financial issues such as tight credit conditions or inability to refinance debts as was
experienced following the GFC (Global Financial Crisis) can severely limit the ability of a
company to operate.
Reputational problems also cause severe damage to an enterprise. Poor customer service
can attract immediate social media attention. Samsung has also experienced reputational
damage due to exploding phones. Volkswagen faced similar issues due to have cheated
on emissions testing.
Social Values are an important ingredient of any culture or society. Failure of an

organisation to align with the changing values of a community can cause several issues. A
well-known example is the pharmaceutical product Tylenol. In 1982, for reasons not
known, a malevolent person or persons, replaced Tylenol Extra-Strength capsules with
cyanide-laced capsules, resealed the packages, and deposited them on the shelves of
several pharmacies and food stores in the Chicago area. Tylenol’s management team
immediately pulled all Tylenol product from every outlet in the US market. The
management team prioritised social values higher than financial loss. By doing so they
won applause from many areas of society and their reputation was greatly improved.
There are many other examples of potential business difficulties such as branding,
positioning, regulations, consumer demand, supply chains, competition, etc.

Business Opportunities are potential market gaps or niches that could be addressed to
establish a business base or expand an existing business. For example, digital marketing
has become a new opportunity for many businesses to expand to wider markets.
Business Objectives are the results an enterprise wants to achieve. It usually includes a
time frame and a list of resources to achieve these goals. The objectives of a business
organisation should be measurable, suitable, and feasible. For example, business
objectives of a car manufacturing company might be
 Increase market share by 10 percent in the next 12 Months.

 Lower operations cost by 10 percent in the next 6 months by making the
manufacturing process more efficient.
Business goals and objectives are used to drive action plans for a company. Usually, an
ICT project is part of the action plan required to support specific goal achievement.
Example of business goals, objectives, and action plans can be:
Of particular concern to ICT students are the ways that ICT may play a part in business
solutions. For example, an action plan requiring an in-depth analysis can be facilitated by

a reliable database, so Database Design and Development can be part of an ICT solution
for this goal. Similarly, training may be supported by video conference solutions, as part
of Information Technology Networking.
The most compelling analysis for identifying business opportunities, problems and
objectives is to conduct a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis.
Now review ‘Resource 4 - an essential guide to SWOT Analysis’,

located in the Additional Resources folder.
ICT students also need to be familiar with business domains, functions and organisations
to better contribute to business solutions
Business Domain refers to the area of core business, for example, healthcare, finance or
aviation. The business domain suggests what types of product, services, customers a
business may have and what kind of markets the business operates in.
Take the example of Vodafone providing services to its users. The business domain of
Vodafone is telecommunications. Also, there are sub-sections of company Vodafone that
take care of sales, customer support, engineering etc. to provide a complete solution for
its customers.
Business Functions are processes or operations that ensure the proper functioning of an
organisation. Business Functions are further categorised:
 Core Functions are business functions that are critical, and closely related, to a
business's strategy. Usually, the core business functions make up the primary
activity of the enterprise, but they may also include other (secondary) activities if
the enterprise considers these as part of its core functions. Core functions of
Vodaphone are telecommunications engineering, marketing & sales, finance, etc.
 Support Functions are key enablers to an organisation's success, but they are an
overhead and their activities need to be aligned to support the efficient and
effective delivery of organisational goals. Vodaphone’s support functions may be
call centres, network maintenance, product supply.

An ICT solution may be required to address the challenges of one or more of these core
or support functions. For example, Vodaphone may need to channel their customer
support feedback to their engineering team for product or service improvements.
Similarly, Vodaphone may implement an Enterprise Resource Plan (ERP) software

application to link all of the company’s functions in a single system.

Determine technical requirements in respect of input and output, interface,
process flow or quality requirements
After conducting an in-depth analysis of business opportunities, objectives, and problems,
the next step is to determine the technical specifications. These technical requirements are
not generic but precise and specific ideas of how a solution will work.
Input / Output Requirements:
The input requirements are the technical inputs that a system specification requires. In
other words, the specified data is the system input requirement.
The output requirements of a system consist of the specified data required to meet
identified needs. This process is carried out by providing a specific data to the system
(Input), the system performs operations on the data (Process) and shows the desired
output wanted by the enterprise or the customer (Output). Take the example of a web
design project in which users can add up their meals and know how much calories they
ate. The inputs are required by the customers in the form of the number and type of food
items consumed. A list of items can be presented to user to select along with the quantity
taken. The system then calculates the number of calories and show the output to the user
in numerical format.
To get the right information about the input/output requirements:
 Determine the stages involved in identifying technical requirements for

input/output
 Identify the interaction process with other functions
 Classify the trigger(s) that begins the interaction
 Pinpoint the input/output requirement for the process execution
 Identify the relevant protocols for data exchange
Interface Requirements are quite significant in the process of business solution

development. Identifying interfaces is an important step during the project requirements
development.
Interfaces are necessary because they determine the interaction of the outside world with
a system and also the interactions of a system with other systems.

The identification, definition, and development of interface requirements, interfaces need
to be a prime concern of the project system engineer, lead software engineer, business
analyst, or anyone else involved in the development requirements. For example, if a
company is planning to design a website; the interface requirements must be identified
like how customers will react to a specific layout? Which colours should be used? (the
graphical user interface). The Interface is defined as a “boundary across which two or
more parts interact." Some of the other definitions suggest interfacing as that " design
feature of a piece of equipment that affects or is affected by a design feature of another
system."
The Process of Writing Interface Requirements involves three steps:
Identify the Interfaces: Firstly, identify and analyse the system of interest (SOI) and the
context in which it relates and interacts with its parent system. It is part of (external
interfaces) and an analysis of the parts that make up your SOI and how they interact with
each other (Internal Interfaces).
Define the Interfaces: Once an interface has been identified, it needs to be defined. To
define an interface, you need to determine the characteristics of each system at the
interface, the media involved in the interaction, and the features of the thing crossing the
interface. The media could be electrical through a wire, physical contact, fluid or gas flow
through plumbing, an RF signal through the air or space, optical fibre, data via a universal
communication bus or the internet. The characteristics of the system at the interface could
be an electrical, electronic, or fluid/gas connector or a mechanical interface where the two
systems are bolted together.
Write the Interface Requirements: The documentation of the interface requirements might
take the form:
 “[System 1] shall [interact] with [System 2] [as defined in or having the

characteristics shown in] [the document that defines the interface].”
 “[System 2] shall [interact] with [System 1] [as defined in or having the
characteristics shown in] [the document that defines the interface].”

Now refer to ‘Resource 5 – Example Interface Requirements Specification’, located in the
Additional Resources folder
Analyse hardware, software and network requirements

Now that you have identified the input/output and interface requirements, the next step is
to analyse hardware, software, and network requirements that can support the business
solution.
Analysing the hardware, software, and network requirements has crucial significance in
the business solution process. These are the critical requirements for building a technical
solution.
Let us understand this analysis with the help of an example. Suppose a retail store is
opening a new branch as per its expansion strategy. What are the possible requirements
related to the technical solutions? There would be requirements for a computer network,
local area network (LAN), connectivity to internet, relevant software installations to enable
systems to connect with the network and perform routine operations, hardware
requirements such as routers, switches, cables etc. Some different categories of solution
requirements are:
Software Requirements: Every organisation is different and needs a unique set of software
requirements. The software can be broadly categorised as system software and
application software.
System Software is related to the realm of software which is necessary to run computers
i.e. the Operating System (OS). OS manages the physical resources of the computer and
provides an interface between computers and users. Drivers are also considered to be a
part of system software that helps in connecting different external devices to the network
by installing them.
Application Software are used to perform various tasks and enhance the productivity of a
system. These applications can be databases, document handlers, or development
platforms. Examples of Application Software are Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Visual Studio,
and Adobe Photoshop, etc. However, on an enterprise level, different kinds of software

are required, such as database handlers, database management systems, and
management information systems, etc.
Hardware Requirements: To execute the functions of software properly, every software

requires some hardware specifications. Each software comes in with a minimum
requirement and recommended requirement set. Most operating systems and
applications recommend a list of hardware compatibility.
Network Requirements:
To make a network function properly, three requirements must be met; connections,

communications, and services.
Connections: Connections require the hardware (physical components) to hook up a

computer to the network. Two elements are essential to be considered in connections:
 The Network Medium: This is usually formed through cables or fibre optics
connecting computers physically to each other.
 The Network Interface: The hardware that attaches a computer to the network
medium and acts as an interpreter between the computer and the network.
Connecting a computer to a system requires an add-in board known as a network
interface card (NIC).
Communications: Communications are a set of rules about how computers are going to
connect or talk with each other. Usually, computers use different software, and a common
language is used, which prompts shared communications.
Services: Services are the shared set of devices computers share. For example, computers
can share cameras or printers. Unless computers are capable of sharing resources, they
remain isolated.

The ICT engineer needs to understand the overall inter-connect between these solutions
in an organisation. Let’s again take the example of super store site. An ICT engineer will
be the one handling design of network, placement of different equipment, cable and
wireless network routings. Therefore, he/she should understand priority network entities
to make project successful.
As an ICT practitioner, you should also know that compatibility issues can arise due to
hardware incompatibility or software incompatibility. Hardware incompatibility might
require you to change hardware, whereas software incompatibility may be addressed
through OS troubleshooting or technical support of the vendor. Let us take a look into
these challenges in detail
Hardware compatibility: Hardware compatibility can refer to the compatibility of computer

hardware components with a particular CPU architecture, bus, motherboard or operating
system. Hardware that was designed for one operating system may not work for another,
if device or kernel drivers are unavailable.
Software compatibility: Software compatibility is a characteristic of software components

or systems which can operate satisfactorily together on the same computer, or on

different computers linked by a computer network. It is possible that some software
components or systems may be compatible in one environment and incompatible in
another that can cause the malfunctioning of particular computer program. Device driver
issues can also be categorised as software compatibility issues.
Troubleshooting Process: Compatibility issues may occur at any stage of the solution
implementation and may require you to track back all the installed devices and software
to identify the root cause and fix it. Root cause is the main reason of the occurrence of
problem. For example, if a sound device is not working in a computer, the
troubleshooting steps include
 Check the sound card is properly placed

 Check there is no problem with sound card i.e. it’s not faulty
 Check all relevant cables connected
 Check the device drivers are properly installed
 Check that drivers are installed compatible to the operating system
 Contact technical support for further assistance
Let’s assume that first four checks are passed, and sound was not working due to drivers
not compatible with operating system. The root cause is mismatch of driver, but you have
to perform all steps because it’s not the always the case.
For software issues, the technical support software and hardware vendors typically
provide support to resolve the issues occurring in their product environment.
Microsoft operating system Windows tools are described below for reference.
• Visit Windows Compatibility Centre: The compatibility centre will determine

which devices and software are not compatible with OS or locate links with
drivers and update to make it compatible with the system.

• Run the Program in Compatibility mode: When you run a program in
compatibility mode, Windows V emulates the selected operating system when
you run that program.
• Contact the Program Vendor or Hardware Manufacturer: Typically, a software
manufacturer applies the update on the software to enable it on the current
OS or applies some configuration changes to resolve the compatibility issues.

Build business platform based on software solutions
A platform is a business model that creates value by
facilitating exchanges between two or more
interdependent groups, usually consumers and
producers.
In order to make these exchanges happen, platforms

harness and create large, scalable networks of users and
resources that can be accessed on demand. Platforms
create communities and markets with network effects
that allow users to interact and transact.
Like Facebook, Uber, or Alibaba, these businesses don’t directly create and control
inventory via a supply chain the way linear businesses do. Platform businesses don’t, to
use a common phrase, own the means of production— instead, they create the means of
connection.
Successful platforms facilitate exchanges by reducing transaction costs and/or by enabling

externalised innovation. With the advent of connected technology, these ecosystems
enable platforms to scale in ways that traditional businesses cannot.
It’s important to remember that a platform is a business model, not just a piece of
technology. A lot of people make the mistake of confusing a platform with a mobile app
or a website, but a platform isn’t just software. It’s a business model that creates value by
bringing together consumers and producers.
The most common misuse of the term “platform” is when it’s used to describe an
integrated suite of software products. This is especially common among cloud-based
Software as a Service (SaaS) companies, which often claim they have a complete
“platform” for X. In such cases, the word “platform” really is just being used as a marketing
term.
Platform design isn’t just about creating the underlying technology. It’s about
understanding and creating the whole business and how it will create value for and build
a network.

In the twenty-first century, the supply chain is no longer the central aggregator of
business value. What a company owns matters less than the resources it can connect and
connect to.
In the old model, scale was a result of investing in and growing a business’s internal
resources. But in a networked world, scale comes from cultivating an external network
built on top of a business. This is the essence of how platform business models work.
In the 20th century, we saw platform business models in the shopping mall and auction
house. Like their predecessors, these businesses have mostly used brick-and-mortar
locations to facilitate exchanges. But thanks to connected technology, platforms can now
facilitate the exchange of value produced by decentralised networks of individuals. The
result is that today’s platform businesses are able facilitate exchanges at an
unprecedented scale.
The three most successful platforms to date are Google, Apple, and Facebook. But they
are only the tip of the iceberg. The number of platforms at the top of the economy is
growing fast. In 2016, four of the top five members of Forbes’s list of most valuable
brands were platform companies, as were eleven of the top twenty. And as of early 2017,
the top five companies by market capitalisation are all platforms.
The growth of platform businesses isn’t isolated to the United States; platform companies
such as Alibaba, Tencent, Baidu, and Rakuten have taken over China and much of Asia.
The economies of many of these countries were growing rapidly at the same time that
Internet access became widespread. And because these countries didn’t have the existing
commercial infrastructure that developed economies did, their industries have been
moulded around the Internet and platforms.
Alibaba, for example, has controlled as much as 80% of the Chinese ecommerce market
while Baidu has more than 70% of Chinese search. Tencent, now the most valuable
company in Asia, has nearly 850 million users on its WeChat messaging platform and is by
many estimates the largest gaming company in the world. And Didi Kuadi, China’s answer
to Uber, dominates the taxi market.

Platform Business
A platform ultimately enables this value creation by facilitating transactions. While a linear
business creates value by manufacturing products or services, platforms create value by
building connections and “manufacturing” transactions.
The core transaction is the platform’s “factory”- the way it manufactures value for its users.
It is the process that turns potential connections into transactions. Getting the core
transaction right is the most important part of platform design, as the platform business
will need its users to repeat this process over and over to generate and exchange value.
However, although a platform enables the core transaction, it doesn’t directly control its
users’ behaviours. The challenge is a unique one: how to get potentially millions of people
to behave the way you want them to.

First you must attract users to join, then you aid them by matching them together,
providing the technology to facilitate the transaction and establishing the rules that
govern the network in order to build trust and maintain quality. These are the four core
functions of a platform:
 Audience building
 Matchmaking
 Providing core tools and services
 Setting rules and standards
If a platform handles these four functions well enough, it will be able to facilitate its core
transaction (and, hopefully, a lot of it).
Types of Platforms
While all platforms share the same underlying business model, not all platforms are the
same. Through our work and research, we’ve delineated the 9 different types of platform
businesses, which are listed below. They are organized by the type of value that’s
exchanged in the platform’s core transaction.

The core value being exchanged is (by platform business type):
 Services marketplace: a service

 Product marketplace: a physical product
 Payment platform: payment (P2P or B2C)
 Investment platform: investment (money in exchange for a financial instrument, be
it equity or a loan, etc.)
 Social networks: a network in which the core transaction is a double opt-in
(friending) model of interaction
 Communication platform: direct social communication (e.g., messaging)
 Development platforms
 Closed development platform: software built across access to data (usually via an
API)
 Controlled development platform: software built in a controlled, integrated
development environment
 Open development platform: open-source and free software
 Content platforms
 Social: a content platform in which the core transaction focuses on the discovery of
and interaction with other people
 Media: a content platform in which the core transaction focuses on discovery of
and interaction with media
 Social gaming platform: a gaming interaction involving multiple users, either
competing or cooperating
Matching a platform’s design to its type is essential to its success. Platforms that don’t get
this right tend to get left behind by the competition. Platform type affects everything from
the design of the core transaction to how you handle the four functions, making it one of
the most fundamental distinctions that any platform business must understand.
Figuring out which platform type a business fits into should always be one of the first
steps in designing a platform.
Each of different platform types requires a unique approach to platform design.
Although all platforms are focused on connecting consumers and producers, which
category your platform falls under fundamentally alters the core value you will try to
deliver. This choice translates into very different core transaction paradigms and dictates
how you design your platform.
The core transaction is just one example of why a platform’s type matters for platform
design. Your platform’s type also influences how you design and deliver on its four core
functions.
For example, each core transaction paradigm requires radically different matchmaking
strategies or rules and standards. Which category your platform falls under also influences
your audience-building strategy. Exchange platforms, such as Uber and Alibaba, need to
focus on building liquid marketplaces that have sufficient overlap of supply and demand.
Maker platforms, such as Android and YouTube, are more focused on organically building
“stars” who, because of their high matching intention, can act as powerful nodes in these
networks.
Many maker platforms want existing celebrities to join and bring their fans with them;
however, when the platform can create its own celebrities due to the network effects
within its network, you know it’s reached critical mass. YouTube’s PewDiePie, Instagram’s
Dan Bilzerian, and Vine’s Nash Grier are all examples of normal producers who rose to
fame by building huge organic followings on their respective platforms.
As you can see, understanding a platform’s type has a big impact on how you design its
core transaction and four functions. That’s why figuring out which platform type a
business fits into should always be one of the first steps in designing a platform.
Now refer to ‘Resource 6 – Product to platforms, located in the Additional

Resources folder

Investigate processes to be changed by the business solution
Once you have devised a business solution for the enterprise, you should analyse the
processes that will be affected and changed by this solution.
For explaining the processes changes, you should consider three states:
Current: You have to analyse the current performance and the procedures and processes
currently running.
Transition: The transition states explains how the new process will be implemented in the
organisation. It will include the costs, training, and any new devices to be introduced.
Future: Finally, you have to analyse how the installation or application of the new
technical devices or software will change the business. You can also assess performance
by conducting sample tests on the latest product, process, or service.
A scheme which to help analyse the process change might be:
Step 1 (Gap Analysis): Identification of the process change holds key significance. You
need to work closely with the functional stakeholders to design the future process. You
also need to determine actions plans to support moving to future processes.
Step 2 (Stakeholder Management): Now you have to identify the key stakeholders and
staff affected. Understand their concerns and issues and handle them accordingly.
Step 3 (Communications): Identify the change audience and key messages and methods
of communications used by the enterprise. Analyse the communications by sending and
receiving the feedback then invest feedback into stakeholder engagement.

Step 4 (Training): Incorporate future business process into training and develop role-
based training materials. Deliver these training materials to the end user audience based
on gap/impact analysis.
Examples of Business Processes changed by Technological Solutions:
1. Communication technologies have changed businesses around the globe. For

example, business meetings required the physical presence of the members
but new technologies like video conferencing, webinars, and hangouts have
revolutionised in this area. Companies can now arrange virtual meetings at any
time with staff from diverse and international locations.
2. Another example is the change in cash payment and deposit methods. A
company wants to increase the number of payment methods for their
transactions, they can use mobile apps, digital banking, and internet banking
for this purpose. However, it requires planning and training to change any
process in an organisation.
An important process change in technical solution implementation concerns network

security. Network security protects a system from external threats that can harm the
computer networks of an organisation. Though security is important for the networks, it

may get annoying for users as more steps are added to current security processes. Some
of the key aspects of network security are:
Network security protocols: The fundamentals of network protocols give you a better
understanding how a network is structured and how communications are being
transmitted. Network security also has protocols in place to maximise the benefits sought
from protocol implementation. Network security protocols maintain the security and
integrity of the data during transfer or movement of data over a network connection.
These protocols are designed to secure the network data from any unauthorised user,
application, or device.
Network security protocols generally implement cryptography and encryption techniques

to secure the data so that it can only be decrypted with a special algorithm, logical key,
mathematical formula and/or a combination of all of them. Some of the popular network
security protocols include Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP), Secure Hypertext Transfer
Protocol (HTTPS) and Secure Socket Layer (SSL).
The first layer of network security is enforced through a username/password mechanism,

which only allows access to authenticated users with customised privileges. When a user is
authenticated and granted specific system access, the configured firewall enforces
network policies, that is, accessible user services.
However, firewalls do not always detect and stop viruses or harmful malware, which may
lead to data loss. An anti-virus software is implemented to prevent the virus and/or
harmful malware from entering the network.
As an ICT engineer, you should know that every security step involves some change in
user experience. For example, the addition of username password requires the users to
input user information on every access to the system. This could be annoying for users.
Any proposed process changes should be well documented so that they can be included
in user information and passed to relevant persons utilising the network.

Network Security Standards:
The Network Security Standard provides measures to prevent, detect, and correct network
compromises. These are the agreed-upon ways of performing something. But in the case
of networks, standards might imply syntax, semantics, methods of communication, or
error recovery methods. Some standards are broadly followed, such as ISO and ANSII.
Data Encryption: The translation of data in an encrypted form such as a code, or text is
data encryption. This data can be converted into the original form using a decryption key
or password.
Data encryption is a security method where information is encoded and can only be
accessed or decrypted by a user with the correct encryption key. Encrypted data, also
known as ciphertext, appears scrambled or unreadable to a person or entity accessing
without permission. Data Encryption is used to deter malicious or negligent parties from
accessing sensitive data. An important line of defence in a cybersecurity architecture,
encryption makes using intercepted data as difficult as possible. It can be applied to all
kinds of data protection needs ranging from classified government data to personal credit
card transactions.
The information about network security measures should be shared with company
employees. This would also help to prevent attacks. The information such as do not share
passwords, avoid opening unknown emails with attachments, keep firewalls enabled helps
to educate employees about data security. Please note that data security can be one
module of overall technical solution or a standalone solution as per customer needs as
well.

Produce an evaluation document on the impact of the technical
requirements on the business
After the analysis of the business requirements and specifications along with technological
specifications, you need to create a report that evaluates the impact of these technical
requirements on the business. This write-up should comprehensively discuss all the
aspects of technological requirements and their impact on the business regarding
efficiency, productivity, and manageability of business systems. It should also brief about
the role of technological solutions in business and how these solutions are changing the
shape of businesses around the globe.
The evaluation document should include:
 The issues faced by the business, the current requirements of the business. and
the goals and requirements of stakeholders of the business.
 An explanation about the technical requirements of the business along with the
role they currently perform in the business.
 An explanation the role these technical elements will play in making the business
grow or become more productive.
 An explanation about how proposed technology will change business processes
and outcomes.
 Projected costs and time efficiency of different technologies proposed for the
business.
 The risks and possible threats attached to any proposed technology.
The structure of the evaluation document might be:
Executive Summary: The executive summary contains the details of the essential content
of the document. It previews the main points of the report and enables readers to build a
mental framework for organising and understanding the detailed information in the
evaluation. Consider writing the executive summary after writing the whole document as
this provides the core of report to a reader.
Introduction: The introduction contains brief information about the previewing of the
current system and the requirements of the system. For example:
The current system is _______.

Recommendations and Conclusions: This section sums up the proposed solutions and
provides a guideline of the framework to be followed.
1. The need to provide a holistic view of ________.

2. Further requirements address the need to keep up with _______.
3. Integration with __________.
Evaluation Objectives: The underlying objectives which need to be fulfilled for the
successful completion of the project
Products List: What products need to be included in the network. This may include
hardware and software.
Evaluation Criteria: How evaluation would be performed for the measurement of project
success
Summary of findings: In the summary of results, consider adding the following

components:
 Usability of proposed products
 The functionality of proposed products
 Interfaces
 Data Structures
 Platform
 Networks
 Security
Now review” Resource 7 – Example Final Technical Report’,

located in the Additional Resources folder

Activity 2 – Trainer to explain example technical
report
Activity 2 - Notes

Produce technical business solutions
Develop technical solutions in response to problems and business
requirements
The development of a technical solution is the most critical step during the project. You
have to use best of your knowledge and skills as an ICT professional to produce an
efficient and productive solution for the enterprise which is both cost effective and also
resolves the business problem in most efficient way.
When making technical proposals, it is important to remember that it the technical

solution requires major changes, for example to a network, it may not be possible to
revert back at later stage, if the planned solution doesn’t work.
Solving complex business problems may involve more than one technical solution.
Therefore, it’s necessary to carefully plan the solution. Consider these few critical steps
when developing a business solution:
Identifying problems by BRD Analysis
 You may have been provided with business requirements by the enterprise, but
that may not mean that they have properly identified the problems that they are
currently facing. You need to approach requirements with a critical mindset.
 Thoroughly evaluate the performance of current technologies used by the
organisation with respect to their business requirements.
 Identify system errors and inefficiencies of current solutions used by the
organisation.
 List the problems that are recognised during the BRD evaluation
 Propose the most cost-effective and technological efficient solution to each
identified problem currently faced by the organisation
 Choose the most suitable technological solution, while bearing in mind possible
limitations of that technology.
 Re-evaluate proposed solution(s) by testing in various cases and sample situations.

Developing an appropriate Technical Solution:
After the analysis of the BRD, you will need to build a unique, efficient, and productive
solution for the problems identified.
In this age of technology, there are numerous ways of developing solutions to business
issues, but some technologies might not be as productive as others.
Here are some technological solutions being used in contemporary business

organisations to solve their business problems.
1. Software as a Service (SaaS): It is a method of software transport that provides the

access and use of an application remotely via Internet browsers. The hardware
required to run these applications is housed and maintained by the SaaS vendors.
Prior to SaaS, companies used to buy and maintain the hardware on-premise to
support the enterprise-level applications. Moreover, the company needed to hire
IT professionals to tackle the software and hardware issues as well as to update the
software. But nowadays vendors house the hardware and store the data of clients
and provide updates as well. The clients just need to either install the application
on their computers or use it online. Furthermore, the SaaS usually provides with
the monthly or yearly subscription option that includes the cloud storage, project
management, and automatic social media updates. This service is beneficial as
enterprises can unsubscribe before the payment of next period subscription. The
software management and updates are a part of this subscription. However, data
security is an issue in acquiring this service as the data security is maintained and
protected by the vendor.
Examples of SaaS based platforms leading the business world are Salesforce,
Microsoft, Adobe Creative Cloud, and Amazon Web Services. These companies
provide services to their customers by using software applications.
2. Cloud-Based Platforms: Cloud-computing gives the users access to data wherever

they have an internet connection. The enterprise owners can have access to their
data wherever they are using their smartphone, tablet, or any other device. Cloud
Computing provides storage, backup, and hosting as services to the clients. Rather

than having hardware to store data for the business, they can use cloud services to
store and access their data anytime anywhere on any device. The data for all the
devices connected to cloud is automatically synced. Cloud services can range from
storage to accounting, functional programs, and distant desktop hosting.
Examples of cloud-based business platforms are Amazon E2C, Google App
Engine, and Apple iCloud. There are several other companies that use cloud
computing in their business such as Netflix video-sharing services.
3. Radiofrequency (RF) networks: Radio frequency networks or RF networks works by

identification of electromagnetic oscillation from frequencies ranging from 300
GHz to 9kHZ. Radio frequency networks are used by organisations to improve the
communications within the organisation and better networking communication
also.
Uses in Business: Through RF networks Wi-fi alliances can be formed by using RF
networks to improve the networks within an organisation.
4. Optical Networks: Many organisations are using private optical fibre networks. In
this type of network, the enterprise owns packet-optical transport equipment,
connected to leased dark fibre. Leased services can companion the private optical
network where either fibre is not available or too expensive, or where there are
lower bandwidth needs. These private optical networks offer the enterprise a
combination of agility, control, and economy. Today, the enterprises seek a lot of
efficiency and speed in their operations. Gone are the days when the organisations
used to order phones or data services and held back for weeks. Some of the
reasons why enterprises choose private optical fibre networks are:
 Scalability and Productivity: As scalability and productivity is easily
manageable in private optical networks, most of the organisations prefer
these networks. These enterprises expect extensive ranges in capacity or
application and thus, opt for optical networks.
 Service Responsiveness: High service responsiveness is required when
recurring changes are made to location or satellites operations. As the
network’s sole occupant can easily raise priorities, reaction to such changes
becomes faster.
 Risk Tolerance: There is some probability of risk attached with the private
optical networks. With the choice of building and designing a networking
using system integrator carries risk.
 Capital Culture: The way of spending funds also matters when it comes to
the matter of spending on capital costs instead of operational costs. Small
organisations may prefer monthly expense over investing cash to save
operational funds.
5. VoIP Technology: This technology is used mostly for communication and it is

abbreviated as Voice over IP number or virtual phone number. It is assigned to
user’s actual phone number and it routes the calls to this number without
assigning to any specific phone line. Hence, you can use any mobile phone or
telephone device anywhere in the world. Today, many businesses are adopting this
technology as it makes communication more cost-effective.
6. Optical network: An optical network is a type of data communication network built

with optical fibre technology. It utilises optical fibre cables as the primary
communication medium for converting data and passing data as light pulses
between sender and receiver nodes. An optical network is also known as an optical
fibre network, fibre optic network or photonic network. An optical network is less
prone to external inference and attenuation and can achieve substantially higher
bandwidth speeds than copper networks.
7. Radio frequency identification: Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) is the use of

radio waves to read and capture information stored on a tag attached to an
object. A tag can be read from up to several feet away and does not need to be
within direct line-of-sight of the reader to be tracked. A RFID system is made up of
two parts: a tag or label and a reader. RFID tags or labels are embedded with a
transmitter and a receiver. The RFID component on the tags have two parts: a
microchip that stores and processes information, and an antenna to receive and
transmit a signal. The tag contains the specific serial number for one specific
object. To read the information encoded on a tag, a two-way radio transmitter-
receiver called an interrogator or reader emits a signal to the tag using an
antenna. The tag responds with the information written in its memory bank. The
interrogator will then transmit the read results to an RFID computer program.

Companies using RFID includes Amazon, BJC Healthcare, and Inditex. These
companies use RFID to improve supply chain management.
8. Internet protocol (IP) networks: An IP network is a communication network that
uses Internet Protocol (IP) to send and receive messages between one or more
computers. As one of the most commonly used global networks, an IP network is
implemented in Internet networks, local area networks (LAN) and enterprise
networks. An IP network requires that all hosts or network nodes be configured
with the TCP/IP suite. The Internet is the largest and best-known IP network.
Each host is assigned a unique logical IP address, which distinguishes it from other
nodes and helps initiate data communication with other hosts. IP network
communication occurs when a host sends a data packet to another host by
addressing its IP address. Similarly, the recipient identifies the sender by its IP
address.
Moreover, an IP network requires that all connected devices - such as servers,
switches, routers and other devices - be configured with the TCP/IP suite and have
a valid IP address to perform any network communication.
9. Cellular Network: A cellular network is a radio network distributed over land

through cells where each cell includes a fixed location transceiver known as base
station. These cells together provide radio coverage over larger geographical
areas. User equipment (UE), such as mobile phones, is therefore able to
communicate even if the equipment is moving through cells during transmission.
Cellular networks give subscribers advanced features over alternative solutions,
including increased capacity, small battery power usage, a larger geographical
coverage area and reduced interference from other signals. Popular cellular
technologies include the Global System for Mobile Communication, general packet
radio service, 3GSM and code division multiple access.
A cellular network may be divided into two parts
 Core Networks are often termed as ‘backbone networks’ in the business
organisations. Business organisations use core networks technology to
direct telephone calls over the public switched telephone network.
Moreover, the core networks provide aggregation; which propagates within
the distribution networks followed by the edged networks. It also provides
Authentication; which determines whether the user is allowed to complete
the task using any service from the telecom network. Furthermore, it also
determines the future span of a call depending upon the processing of call
signalling.

 Access Networks: These types of networks are usually connected from an
end system to an immediate router on a course from an end system to a
distant end system. Access networks play an important role in providing
physical (wired) internet connection to the computers or other devices in
business as well as wireless connection to cellular devices and laptops etc.
The commonly used sources of access networks are Ethernet, Fibre to the
Home (FTTH), or Wireless LANs, and 3G, or LTE.

Determine costs involved to implement the technical business solution
Once you have determined which network solution you intend to deploy, it is time to
estimate the cost of the solution.
Determining the monthly costs of Technical or IT solutions is slightly more complicated

than purchasing a monthly subscription. Technical service offerings are designed to meet
business needs as various enterprises have different business requirements. However, the
four items mostly considered by IT services providers are:
 Number of Servers
 Number of Devices (Laptops, Desktops, Smartphones, or Tablets)
 Number of key software apps to be used and their licence cost
 Amount of Data Need to be Stored
To determine the cost, IT service providers estimate the number of support hours
required for each item. A company that has more devices is likely to incur more support
hours than a company with fewer devices.
Let us suppose that one IT system calculator estimates the cost of one device or server to
be 25 hours per year. If the IT services provider charges $100 per hour. Therefore, small
businesses can estimate the minimum cost of device support per year using the following
formula.
(Number of Devices + Number of Servers) * 25 support hours per year * $100/hr
Costs may be higher than this estimate because it depends on how much the IT solutions
provider charges per service hour. However, it is likely that device support will be the bulk
of the recurring costs. As the cost of storage data securely shrinks, the amount of data to
be stored affects the price less.
Backing up data also costs, but this is essential to keep the data safe in case something
drastic happens. Backing up 500 GB may cost only $100 per year. However, storing more
data will cost more money. Storing and backing up 10,000 GB may be more like $2,500
per year. However, this number is still often much less than the device support as you
may choose only to back up the company’s critical data.

As a general rule, small businesses can estimate the yearly cost of cloud storage using the
following formula.
(Amount of Data to be Stored in GB) / $5
Most companies that choose to use outsourced IT system services spend between $1,000
and $9,000 per month. The number of employees and the need for servers are the main
drivers of these recurring costs. In comparison, an in-house IT person will cost about
$5,000 per month. However, this employee may also receive company benefits and is
likely be limited to 40 hours per week. For many companies, it is cheaper and easier to
outsource recurring IT costs.
One Time IT Systems Cost: Although recurring costs are more likely to impact the budget
than one-time costs, small businesses should account for one-time expenses. Completing
the initial setup of the software programs that a company needs can be a large expense.
At the very least, small businesses should budget for setting up email accounts, a software
program to create and share documents and accounting software, like Quicken.
Sometimes setup can be completed by the small business owner.
However, outsourcing can be a better use of resources. Installation and setup can be time
intensive. Estimates for outsourcing these costs should include at least 25 customer
support hours at a cost of $100 per hour for a total of $2,500 minimum. However, small
businesses should contact an IT solutions provider for a quote for their specific software
setup needs.
Software costs also add up in the solution cost of the company. To identify the software
costs, you should first choose the critical software required for the company. Critical
software list can be divided into two categories:
 An Operating System (OS) is usually a large and powerful program that controls
and manages the hardware and other software on the computer. All the
computers and computer-like devices require operating systems. These devices
include laptop, desktop, smart watch and smartphone etc. Some examples of
Operating Systems (OS) are Microsoft Windows: Microsoft Windows is a renowned
Operating System which is run by a desktop or laptop computers. It has several
functions and features such as Windows Search; you can explore any file by its
name and date. Windows Updates; Windows include an automatic update feature
with the intended purpose of keeping its system update and secure.
Linux: Linux is famous operating system which is run on smartphones and other
devices. Some features of Linux include Portability; it means that software can work
on different types of hardware in the same way. Multi-User; multiple users can
access system resources (ram/memory/applications) at the same time.
 Desktop Application: The application which runs stand-alone in a desktop or

laptop computers. It is contrary to the web applications that require a web browser
to run. Examples of Desktop Applications are:
o Word Processors: Word processing software is used to manipulate a text
document, such as a resume or a report. You typically enter text by typing,
and the software provides tools for copying, deleting and various types of
formatting. Examples are Microsoft Word, notepad,
o Spreadsheet: Spreadsheet software is a software application capable of
organising, storing and analysing data in tabular form. The application can
provide digital simulation of paper accounting worksheets. Examples
include Microsoft Excel, google sheets
o Web Browser: A web browser is a software application for accessing
information on the World Wide Web. Examples include internet explorer,
google chrome etc.
o Presentation program: A presentation program is a software package used
to display information in the form of a slide show. It has three major
functions: an editor that allows text to be inserted and formatted, a method
for inserting and manipulating graphic images, and a slide-show system to
display the content. Examples are Microsoft PowerPoint and Prezi
o Graphics software: Graphics software refers to a program or collection of
programs that enable a person to manipulate images or models visually on
a computer. Examples are Vectr, Adobe Photoshop and Microsoft Visio

Investigate a range of supplier products to determine which one best meets
technical requirements
It can be a difficult task to choose appropriate suppliers. You have to choose those
vendors who are providing the services related to your technical specifications and
requirements. Moreover, you have to choose those vendors who are supplying most of
the services you are looking for so that you can gain maximum services from a single
vendor. You can follow some simple steps in order to choose the right vendors or
suppliers for a business:
Discovering Suppliers: There are several methods to find appropriate suppliers for the
business, there are some of these mentioned here that might help you:
 An online search can be very helpful in finding suppliers who might be advertising
themselves.
 Visiting Exhibitions is another helpful method for finding suppliers.
 Market Research can also prove handy in finding the right suppliers for the
business.
Price: Price is the key factor while choosing the suppliers, but the price always does not
guarantee the quality of the product. Therefore, always consider the quality of the
product you are acquiring from the suppliers.
Stability: Look for experienced suppliers who have been in business for a long time.
Stability is important, especially if you are entering into a long-term contract with a
supplier or they are the only supplier of a particular item you need for your business.
Exercise due diligence; check the supplier's credit history to see if they are financially
stable. It is worth finding out what businesses have used a supplier’s services and asking
them for a reference.
Reliability: Reliability is another key factor while looking for suppliers. Reliable suppliers
provide the right goods or services at the right time. Usually, large suppliers are preferred
as they have large stocks, enough resources, and systems in place so that they can still
deliver if anything goes wrong. However, you can develop relations with small suppliers –
especially if you are the prime customer.

Location: Think about location when choosing suppliers. Dealing with distant suppliers
might mean longer delivery times and extra freight costs. If you need something quickly, a
local supplier might be a better option. But be sure to investigate freight policies of
distant suppliers. Bulk orders, for instance, might get you free shipping or you might be
able to combine different orders to reduce costs.
Vendor due Diligence: Vendor due diligence involves a detailed assessment and the
preparation of an independent report on a company which is issued to interested parties
and can be legally relied upon by the ultimate purchaser.
Such reports provide:
 Early identification and detailed analysis of key risks and issues for potential
purchasers. This gives them the opportunity to ensure they can be mitigated or
placed in the appropriate context prior to commencement of the acquisition due
diligence process by potential purchasers; and
 Increased confidence for potential buyers through the presentation of a detailed
financial due diligence report that reduces the cost and time associated for
potential purchasers to due diligence.

Produce a report on the technical solutions addressing the business
specifications and recommendations against business requirements
Once you have shortlisted the vendor and the product list, it is time to compile the final
technical report for the client. You should produce and review the technical solution
report in the light of the following guidelines:
Addressing the Problems: Your document must consider and analyse the identified
business problems that the enterprise was facing. It should also outline the known errors
or gaps in the previous system or the processes.
Business Specifications and Requirements: The agreed business requirements as specified

in the document should be formally sign-off by the client.
Technical Solution: The report should include a technical solution for each identified
business requirement to be addressed. The technical solution needs to be supported by
technical device requirements, diagrams and technical layouts. It should also include the
software requirements and how the software will be acquired and deployed.
Benefits of the Solution: The report must spell out the changes that will be brought about
by the proposed solution(s), explain how the changes will be implemented and identify
the benefits for adopting the solution.
You should apply design concepts to the solution you are proposing. Some of the design
concepts widely implemented in industry are:
Service Design: With service being an integral part of modern world business, service
design models are widely used as business solutions. Supported by the solutions such as
SaaS, service design is becoming popular in the IT world. The classic example is
salesforce.com which is providing sales services to the clients all around the world. Service
design is the activity of planning and organising people, infrastructure, communication
and material components of a service in order to improve its quality and the interaction
between the service provider and its customers.
In service design, you need to explore how the current systems of the organisation may
be upgraded to support new introduced services introduced.

Communications Design: Solutions such as VOIP are changing the communication
horizon for many companies. Plans to introduce new communication methods require
communication designs to be implemented.
Marketing Design: A firm looking to grow its business may look to revamp its marketing
strategies through new technical solutions. JCDecaux Australia’s Lipton Iced Tea Misting
Station is one such experiential marketing campaign that required an innovative technical
implementation. Above-the-line (ATL) marketing solution designs aim to address different
areas of advertising. In traditional marketing, high-reach media is used. These mass media
channels are television, radio, print media, and Internet.
Below-the-line (BTL) communication is targeted and focused on a specific group of

consumers. It is using more direct advertising approaches. BTL advertising includes
leaflets, brochures promotions, sampling, experiential campaigns, sponsorship, direct
mailing, guerrilla projects, etc.
Digital is affecting the boundaries between ATL and BTL, connecting both approaches
into a “through the line” (TTL) integrated approach.
Management Design: Management techniques

also need to adapt to the modern world, so
there are technical products aimed at improving
management capabilities. One example is JIRA
which is providing project management solutions
to software development organisations. Jira
software is built for every member of an agile
software team to plan, track, and release
software applications.
Remember that every technical solution has its pros and cons. No solution is perfect. Even
the best solution for today’s problem may become obsolete quite quickly. As an ICT
designer, your job is to look into these trade-offs and provide an optimum solution to
address business problems.
An optimal solution is a feasible solution where the objective function reaches its
maximum (or minimum) value – for example, the most profit or the least cost.

Activity 3 – Trainer to demonstrate software
product like Jira
Activity 3 - Notes

Document and validate agreed solutions
Forward technical requirements and solution overview to appropriate person
for feedback
One of the most important steps involved in finalising and validating a technical solution is
by receiving feedback. The appropriate person or team is often the client management
team or the assigned client project manager. This feedback can help you to improve or
review any of the important things that you may have missed or got wrong in the
developed solution. Positive feedback from an appropriate person will add credibility to
the solution. Obtaining feedback may require several steps:
Compile Requirements: Obtain the technical requirements from project documents and
compile these to create a complete document. This document will contain all of the
agreed technical requirements; and the benefits, costs and threats related to the technical
solution. It will also contain the changes to be brought about by the solution which is
being proposed.
Review of the Solution: Before sending it for acceptance and sign-off, it is often wise to
have an independent person assess the solution. Ask a colleague to review the proposal
and offer unbiased advice.
Involving the Stakeholders: If possible, also involve important stakeholders. Their early
feedback on different technical solutions may avoid conflict later on. You might decide to
do this by conducting an online survey of different stakeholders.
Appropriate Person: The ultimate sign-off for a technical solution may be the CEO or the
CFO. But common sense suggests that you should always obtain the approval of the
senior ICT officer before requesting final approval.
Prototype: If appropriate, you can also try to create a prototype of the product or service
and get it tested by a third-party or by the project manager.

Analyse feedback and incorporate change as required
There is a three-stage process to be followed after receiving feedback from an
appropriate person. This method is called 3R learning.
React: Be careful not to react emotionally to negative feedback from the client or the
project manager or any other appropriate person. Negative feedback can be hard to
accept but can be very valuable as a lesson learned. Rather than react, concentrate on
feedback and make sure you clearly understand what the feedback providers are telling
you.
Reflect: During this stage, you need to reflect upon the feedback provided. You need to
ask yourself questions like; "What would they have preferred me to do?" or "What could I
have done better?"
Respond: If the feedback clearly was not appropriate, it is appropriate for you to respond
in a professional but firm manner. Finding out what really happened and being able to
clarify what happened in a heated situation is an important skill to learn.
Often feedback is obtained during project meetings. Unfortunately, in the heat of the
moment, many of us react with defensiveness and anger, verbally attacking the person
giving feedback. But the truth is, we need to get over it. We know there’s value in
constructive criticism.
But constructive criticism can work both ways. You can receive it, but also sometimes you
want to give it. Sharing and receiving feedback is part and parcel of improvement. If you
have ideas on how someone can improve, don’t hold your ideas back, rather, share your
criticism constructively.
Of course, to be sensitive to others’ feelings and offer feedback when you feel the other
person is ready to take it. Otherwise, you may come across as imposing your views on
others, especially if you repeatedly tell others what to do without them asking for your
opinion.
Another aspect of criticism is to learn to separate personal feedback and technical

feedback. A technical solution would greatly benefit from the input of experienced ICT
people. It may not be labelled feedback, but its value is the same.

Document changes and distribute to the appropriate person
Solution revisions made by appropriate personnel or the project team should be
incorporated into the final technical document. Usually, this is done by assigning a version
number to the document. Version numbers change with each iteration until the final
document is signed-off and adopted.
Consider the following key points
 Apply the necessary changes to the report after the 3R process.

 Seek suggestions from appropriate people about the proposed solution.
 Re-evaluate the proposal document and send it again for the feedback.
 After the approval of by the appropriate person, distribute the document to the
circulation list.
Version control is a system that records changes to a file or set of files over time so that
you can recall specific versions later.
If you are a technical solutions designer and want to keep every version of a proposal
(which you would most certainly want to), a Version Control System (VCS) is a very wise
thing to use. It allows you to revert selected files back to a previous state, revert the entire
project back to a previous state, compare changes over time, see who last modified
something that might be causing a problem, who introduced an issue and when, and
more. Using a VCS also generally means that if you lose files, you can easily recover.
Many people’s version-control method of choice is to copy files into another directory
(perhaps a time-stamped directory, if they’re clever). This approach is very common
because it is so simple, but it is also incredibly error prone. It is easy to forget which
directory you’re in and accidentally write to the wrong file or copy over files you don’t
mean to.
To deal with this issue, programmers long ago developed local VCSs that had a simple
database that kept all the changes to files under revision control.

Distributed Version Control Systems (DVCS)
In a DVCS (such as Git, Mercurial, Bazaar or Darcs), users don’t just check out the latest
snapshot of the files; rather, they fully mirror the repository, including its full history.
Thus, if any server dies, and these systems were collaborating via that server, any of the
client repositories can be copied back up to the server to restore it. Every clone is really a
full backup of all the data.
Anyone involved in developing ICT solutions, particularly for multi-location clients, needs
to obtain and use a document version control system with iterative capabilities.

Obtain sign-off on the final business solution
The final step of providing a business solution is obtaining a sign-off from the client and
the stakeholders.
Sign-off is an indication that stakeholders agree with and approve the requirements and
solutions that have been elicited and documented.
Communication between you and your client is the most important part of your project. It
began with your client explaining the business problem to you. You then created a
business requirement which explained you understanding of the scope, standards,
expected outcomes, intended audience, and explanation of the technical solution you
intend to use. You then completed an initial design to solidify your technical solution
validity. This is only for the planning stage.
The only question is that while you have identified how you understand the project to be,
does it coincide with your client's vision? The only way to find out is to ask your client. This
requires you to meet with your client, share all of your documents and then receive your
client's OK to move ahead with your work.
The pivotal document in this verification cycle is the Client Sign-Off. This is the document
that your client signs to validate that they have read your materials and are in complete
agreement with what you are doing. The trick is to create a document that is
comprehensive enough to ensure that if your client ever changes mind about what you
are doing, the responsibility will rest on them rather than on you. This also means that
your client will be responsible for paying for the additional resources that are necessary if
there is any change of plans.

Activity 4 – Trainer to demonstrate technical
solution documentation
Activity 4 - Notes


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Information Technology

ICTTEN516 Produce technical solutions from

ICTTEN516 Produce technical solutions from business specifications 2|Page

ICTTEN516 Produce technical solutions from business specifications 3|Page

No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of

Telecommunications – Telecommunications Networks Engineering

ICTTEN516 Produce technical solutions from business specifications 4|Page

ICTTEN516 Produce technical solutions from business specifications 5|Page

ICTTEN516 Produce technical solutions from business specifications 6|Page

Code and title Code and title Comments Equivalence status

current version previous version

Evidence of ability to:

 adapt technologies for required technical solutions

 explain the client business domain, business function and organisation

 client functional requirements

ICTTEN516 Produce technical solutions from business specifications 8|Page

The starting point for an efficient technical solution is to develop a complete

According to IIBA (International Institute of Business Analysis), a Requirement is:

“A condition or capability needed by a stakeholder to solve a problem or achieve an

“A condition or capability that must be met or possessed by a solution or solution

These requirements can be divided into:

 Business Requirements: These are the essential declarations of the objectives,

ICTTEN516 Produce technical solutions from business specifications 9|Page

Functional Requirements: These define the required capabilities of a system to be able to

Non-Functional Requirements: These are the requirements that go beyond system

Transition Requirements: These are must-have solution capabilities to facilitate any

The next important concept is Business Specifications. Sometimes business specifications

Business specifications generally include designs, processes, methods, interfaces, practices,

When preparing technical solutions two aspects of enterprise management should be

ICTTEN516 Produce technical solutions from business specifications 10 | P a g e

When developing a business solution, project planning requires strategic thinking,

Project Management Customer Management

 Works internally.  Works externally.

 Brainstorming: Brainstorming enables a group to approach a problem with

ICTTEN516 Produce technical solutions from business specifications 11 | P a g e

After gaining information about business requirements and specifications, a Business

 To obtain agreement among stakeholders.

To create a comprehensive BRD, consider this structure:

Now review ‘Resource 1 - Sample Business Requirements

Often technical solutions are provided to an organisation by external consultants and, in

ICTTEN516 Produce technical solutions from business specifications 13 | P a g e

A business model is an abstract structure that supports the feasibility of a service or

One business model definition is:

A business model includes everything related to designing and manufacturing a product

ICTTEN516 Produce technical solutions from business specifications 14 | P a g e

1. Manufacturer: A manufacturer develops finished products using raw materials and

Now review: “Resource 2 – Business model examples”, located in the

ICTTEN516 Produce technical solutions from business specifications 15 | P a g e

Financial Analysis: An economic analysis enables strategists to determine how a company

ICTTEN516 Produce technical solutions from business specifications 16 | P a g e

A technical requirement document, also known as a product requirement document,

Executive Summary: An overview of the project or product with background information,

ICTTEN516 Produce technical solutions from business specifications 17 | P a g e

References: Create a list of supporting documents and links to relevant artefacts.

Glossary: A glossary can help stakeholders decipher technical and non-technical

Now review: “Resource 3 – IT Technical Specification template”, located

A simple requirements management process produces a clear set of baseline user

Some options may call for innovation.

ICTTEN516 Produce technical solutions from business specifications 18 | P a g e

 prototyping – exploring the innovation offline, for example by ‘technology

Validation is against requirements; verification is against specifications.

ICTTEN516 Produce technical solutions from business specifications 19 | P a g e

Each organisation is different, so solutions may have to be adapted to cater for

Another important step in business problem identification and solution development is