Unit 1.2: Acitivty 1- Tool Man

How could John use ICT to change and hopefully improve his working style?

            He could use any of the following technology:

PDA (Personal Digital Assistant)-He could use a PDA to change his working style as he could hold a copy of files or folders also for a calendar and contacts for when he is out and about on business. One of the problems of him using a PDA is that the technology changes very regularly, he would also been at risk of it being stolen when he is out and about.

GPS- He could use a GPS to locate the houses of the customers he needs to see, to be able to find his way away in the quickest times meaning losing as less fuel as he can plan ahead and can never really get lost also means he does not need to carry around a “A to Z” map of the country. The disadvantage is that if there is no registered address it will take forever to find the correct one, also if there are a lot of houses under the same address then it will take him time to locate which one he actually needs to go to.

Laptop- This would be of a benefit to him as it means that he can present any information to his customers, he can use the internet to locate other information, if its needed and there is always a way to record any contacts or questions to find the answers to, he can have a copy of files and folders and be able to send out emails to his boss if there is a major problem. The disadvantage is that he would need to be able to put it on charge while at a visit which is not really appropriate, it also means he can store his music on his laptop and play through windows media player, but if he leaves it then it could run the risk of getting stolen or receive a virus as he would be joining many different wireless networks but due to the amount of travel it means that it could get damaged or broken when going to different customers.

Software- by having software on his laptop he would allow him to store his documents, like in a bundle pack of Microsoft which would mean he could use word, PowerPoint, excel and many more, the trouble with some software is that he might need training for particular parts which would enable him to use the software while out, he could also have troubles if the software just crashes and he does not know how to fix it, this would waste selling time and the customers time.

Mobile Phone – Mobile’s are becoming increasingly popular, they are easy to use, small and can store massive amounts of information. For John to have a decent mobile phone it would benefit him and his work it means that he can call ahead to the customers to ensure they are in and are still happy for him to visit, he can update his boss after a visit: telling him what he has sold or if there were any problems, he can save or edit any of the customers details i.e. if they change home number. He may also be able to access the internet, so he could send emails and look up a location. The downside is that mobiles have a short battery life if it dies when he is out on a job and then needs it he would have no way to charge it or to contact a next customer, also if the phone stops working as there is a problem with it again there is no way to contact anyone to let them know.

Internet-the internet would be very helpful for John, it would mean he would be able to search the web when he needs to, he can send emails to customers or to his boss, he can double check any information he is unsure on and he would also be able to show a picture of any of the product on the website. The downside of the internet is that he would need a continual connection where ever he is at that particular time, not all households have an internet connection or would be happy enough to give across the personal code for it.