Characteristics of Standard application software and application areas

Characteristics of Standard application software and application areas

1. standard application/generic software

   • word processor
     • letters and reports
     • allows the entry, editing and formatting of tex
     • business or personal documents
     • WYSIWYG
   • desktop publisher
     • allows combination of text and images
     • flyers, brochures, posters
     • emphasis on the graphical element
   • spreadsheets
     • create mathematical and financial models
     • automatic recalculation
     • perform complex functions
   • database
     • enable the user to handle data
     • sorting and searching
   • web authoring
     • creation of web pages
     • some technical ability is needed where it isn't on other standard applications
     • most aimed at general users
     • produce the exact wanted outcome
     • WYSIWYG
   • presentation
     • produce presentations for show or print
     • can run with or without user intervention

2. Characteristics and use of systems

   • personnel systems
     • store information on people/employees
     • information stored is confidential
     • enable updates and sort/searching the system
     • be able to link to other systems
   • Stock control
     • know when items are in stock and how much is ordered
     • list of items and suppliers
     • have manual overide
   • invoicing
     • shows products and prices
     • generate the invoices
     • flag outstanding payments
   • booking systems
     • requires and event person and time
     • allow user to select times and events ect
     • allows tailoring to users needs
   • timetabling
     • enter data to find a match
     • many options that can be changed to effect the outcome
     • monitor the status of travel in progress
   • route finding
     • plot a route between two points that a user enters
     • specify locations
     • find different types of route
   • training systems
     • impart knowlwedge and skills about a secific task
     • self paced by the user
     • provide questions and answers at the users level
     • feedback

3. purpose of characteristics of application systems

   • wizards
     • allows user to perfomr complex actions
     • outcome is generic
     • help inexperienced users
   • style sheets
     • similar to templates that set text styles to be used
     • conform to pre determined style
     • someone must develop the style first
     • can be restrictive and not meet the nedds of the user
   • templates
     • determine the baisic structure and set out of the document
     • templates are selected automatically and changed by the user
     • change colours and text styles also
   • macros
     • set of stored commands that can be replayed
     • used to repeat regular tasks
     • run by pressing the assigned key
     • help inexperienced users
     • can go wrong

4. design considerations for tailored entry screens

   • considerations for forms
     • consistency, if there is several pages of forms then the user can know they are the same form and are related
     • relevance, should not ask for redundant data
     • supportiveness, balance of how much info is given to the user
     • visual and audio cues, feedback to confirm user action is correct or not
     • intuitiveness, design so the user can remember what they have done if they have used the system before
   • customising applications
     • buttons, used to run macros or take users to another page
     • forms, assist in data entry
   • design considerations
     • consistent layout/ house style
     • font stylr and size
     • colours
     • error messages
     • flow of information
     • validation
     • on screen help

5. house style

   • recognition by clients and customers
   • predefines, colours/ font style and size
   • consistency between all company documents
   • master documents
   • master slides
   • templates
   • style sheets
   • styles