Requirements analysis and systems specifications
CITY & GUILDS LIMITED
Vocational
Requirements analysis involves identifying and documenting what a system must do to meet customer needs. Systems specifications translate these requirements into logical and physical designs, with procedures for implementation and maintenance.
11
Learning Outcomes
19
Assessment Guidance
19
Key Skills
11
Key Terms
25
Assessment Criteria
Assessment criteria
City & Guilds Level 2 Certificate in ICT Systems Support
City & Guilds Level 2 Diploma in ICT Systems and Principles for IT Professionals
City & Guilds Level 2 Diploma in ICT Systems Support
City & Guilds Level 3 Certificate in ICT Systems and Principles
City & Guilds Level 3 Diploma in ICT Systems and Principles for IT Professionals
City & Guilds Level 4 Diploma For ICT Professionals (Systems and Principles)
Topic Overview
The City & Guilds Level 2 Certificate in ICT Systems Support provides foundational knowledge and skills for supporting IT systems in a professional environment. This qualification covers essential topics such as computer hardware, software installation, networking fundamentals, and troubleshooting techniques. It is designed for individuals looking to start a career in IT support or progress to more advanced studies.
Students will learn to identify and resolve common hardware and software issues, set up and maintain operating systems, and understand basic networking concepts like IP addressing and network topologies. The course also emphasizes customer service skills, as effective communication is crucial when assisting end-users. By the end of the qualification, learners should be able to perform routine maintenance tasks, diagnose faults, and implement solutions in a safe and efficient manner.
This qualification fits into the wider ICT field as a stepping stone to roles such as IT support technician, helpdesk analyst, or network support engineer. It also prepares students for further study, such as the Level 3 Diploma in ICT Systems and Principles, or vendor-specific certifications like CompTIA A+. The practical, hands-on nature of the course ensures that students gain real-world skills that are immediately applicable in the workplace.
Key Concepts
Core ideas you must understand for this topic
- →Hardware components: Understand the function of key internal components (CPU, RAM, hard drive, motherboard) and peripherals (monitor, keyboard, mouse, printer).
- →Operating systems: Install, configure, and maintain Windows and Linux OS, including file management, user accounts, and system updates.
- →Networking basics: Know the OSI model, TCP/IP protocols, IP addressing (IPv4), subnetting, and common network devices (router, switch, hub).
- →Troubleshooting methodology: Apply a systematic approach to diagnose and resolve hardware, software, and network issues (e.g., identify problem, test theory, implement solution).
- →Health and safety: Follow safe working practices when handling equipment, including electrostatic discharge (ESD) precautions and proper cable management.
Learning Objectives
What you need to know and understand
- Plan for the identification of customer requirements, Establish customer requirements, Produce logical and physical design specifications, Identify implementation and maintenance procedures
- Plan for the identification of customer requirements, Establish customer requirements, Produce logical and physical design specifications, Identify implementation and maintenance procedures
- Plan for the identification of customer requirements, Establish customer requirements, Produce logical and physical design specifications, Identify implementation and maintenance procedures
- Plan for the identification of customer requirements, Establish customer requirements, Produce logical and physical design specifications, Identify implementation and maintenance procedures
- Plan for the identification of customer requirements, Establish customer requirements, Produce logical and physical design specifications, Identify implementation and maintenance procedures
- Plan a structured approach to identify customer requirements
- Apply various techniques to establish customer requirements
- Construct logical and physical design specifications
- Develop implementation and maintenance procedures
- Evaluate the effectiveness of requirements gathering methods
- Justify the choice of design specifications for a given scenario
Assessment Criteria
Key criteria assessors look for in your portfolio
- Correctly identify and document customer requirements.
- Produce logical and physical design specifications.
- Outline appropriate implementation and maintenance procedures.
- Use appropriate methods to gather requirements.
- Plan the identification of customer requirements effectively.
- Establish clear and measurable customer requirements.
- Produce logical design specifications (e.g., data flow diagrams).
- Produce physical design specifications (e.g., database schemas).
- Identify appropriate implementation and maintenance procedures.
- Correctly identifies customer requirements through appropriate methods.
- Produces logical design specifications that model system functions.
- Produces physical design specifications detailing hardware and software.
- Outlines implementation and maintenance procedures clearly.
- Award credit for demonstrating a structured approach to gathering requirements, including methods like stakeholder interviews, questionnaires, or observations.
- Requires clear distinction between logical specifications (what the system does) and physical specifications (how it is built, including hardware, software, and network components).
- Credit for outlining implementation procedures such as data migration, testing, user training, and a maintenance plan that includes regular updates, support, and scalability considerations.
- Plan effectively for customer requirement identification.
- Elicit and document customer requirements accurately.
- Produce logical and physical design specifications that align with requirements.
- Identify appropriate implementation and maintenance procedures.
- Award credit for demonstrating a clear plan that includes stakeholder identification, methods, and timelines.
- Award credit for using a range of appropriate techniques (e.g., interviews, questionnaires, observation) to gather requirements.
- Award credit for producing logical and physical designs that accurately reflect the requirements and are technically feasible.
- Award credit for outlining implementation steps, including testing, training, and data migration.
- Award credit for describing maintenance procedures, including bug fixes, updates, and user support.
Assessment Guidance
Guidance for achieving higher grades
- 💡Use diagrams to illustrate system designs clearly.
- 💡Ensure requirements are specific and measurable.
- 💡Link implementation procedures to the design specifications.
- 💡Use structured techniques like interviews and questionnaires.
- 💡Create clear documentation for each stage.
- 💡Consider scalability and security in designs.
- 💡Use diagrams like DFDs or ERDs to illustrate logical design.
- 💡Ensure requirements are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound).
- 💡Link maintenance procedures to potential system failures.
- 💡When documenting requirements, always align them directly to the business case to demonstrate relevance and priority.
- 💡Use diagrams and models (e.g., UML, flowcharts) to clearly represent logical design, as they are often rewarded in assessments.
- 💡For high marks, explicitly reference industry standards or frameworks (like ITIL for maintenance procedures) to show professional awareness.
- 💡Use diagrams to illustrate design specifications.
- 💡Ensure requirements are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound).
- 💡Link implementation procedures to the design specifications.
- 💡Use real-world examples to illustrate how requirements are gathered and translated into designs.
- 💡Ensure you can distinguish between logical and physical design and explain the relationship.
- 💡Practice creating design specifications from a given scenario.
- 💡Remember to include implementation and maintenance considerations in your design.
- 💡When answering questions about troubleshooting, always mention a logical step-by-step process. Start with the simplest checks (cables, power) before moving to complex diagnostics. This shows methodical thinking.
- 💡For networking questions, draw diagrams if possible. Label devices and IP addresses clearly. This helps visualise the scenario and can earn you marks for clarity.
- 💡Know the difference between hardware and software faults. For example, a blue screen error could be caused by faulty RAM (hardware) or a corrupt driver (software). Mention both possibilities and how to test each.
Common Mistakes
Common errors to avoid in your coursework
- Confusing logical and physical design specifications.
- Failing to involve stakeholders in requirements gathering.
- Overlooking maintenance procedures in the design.
- Gathering requirements without stakeholder validation.
- Confusing logical and physical designs.
- Omitting maintenance considerations.
- Confusing logical and physical design specifications.
- Failing to involve stakeholders in requirements gathering.
- Omitting maintenance procedures from the specification.
- Students often fail to differentiate between functional and non-functional requirements, leading to over-simplified specifications.
- Overlooking validation of requirements with stakeholders results in designs that do not meet actual user needs.
- Neglecting to consider scalability and future maintenance in the physical design specification can cause long-term operational issues.
- Confusing logical and physical design specifications.
- Failing to involve stakeholders adequately.
- Overlooking maintenance and support requirements.
- Confusing logical design (what the system does) with physical design (how it is implemented).
- Failing to involve all relevant stakeholders, leading to incomplete requirements.
- Overlooking non-functional requirements such as performance, security, and usability.
- Not considering maintenance and support during the design phase.
- Misconception: 'If a computer won't turn on, the power supply is always faulty.' Correction: Check the power cable, outlet, and power switch first. Also, a faulty motherboard or RAM can prevent booting.
- Misconception: 'All IP addresses are static.' Correction: Most networks use DHCP to assign dynamic IP addresses automatically. Static IPs are only used for specific devices like servers.
- Misconception: 'Antivirus software can remove all malware.' Correction: Some malware (e.g., rootkits) may require specialised tools or a full system reinstall. Antivirus is a preventive measure, not a cure-all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions students ask about this topic
Pass / Merit / Distinction Evidence Checklist
How your portfolio evidence is graded for CITY & GUILDS LIMITED Requirements analysis and systems specifications
Every vocational unit is marked against named criteria rather than an exam percentage. Your tutor's brief lists the exact codes for this unit — here is what each band is asking you to do.
Pass (P)
Demonstrate baseline knowledge, accurate terminology, and core practical application.
Merit (M)
Provide detailed analysis, structured explanations, and clear workplace reasoning.
Distinction (D)
Deliver thorough evaluation, original problem solving, and fully justified recommendations.
Before You Start
Prior knowledge that will help with this topic
- •Basic computer literacy: Ability to use a keyboard, mouse, and navigate the desktop environment.
- •Understanding of file management: Know how to create, save, and organise files and folders.
- •Elementary mathematics: Comfortable with binary numbers and basic arithmetic for IP addressing.
Coursework AI Review
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Key Terminology
Essential terms to know
- Plan for the identification of customer requirements, Establish customer requirements, Produce logical and physical design specifications, Identify implementation and maintenance procedures
- Plan for the identification of customer requirements, Establish customer requirements, Produce logical and physical design specifications, Identify implementation and maintenance procedures
- Plan for the identification of customer requirements, Establish customer requirements, Produce logical and physical design specifications, Identify implementation and maintenance procedures
- Plan for the identification of customer requirements, Establish customer requirements, Produce logical and physical design specifications, Identify implementation and maintenance procedures
- Plan for the identification of customer requirements, Establish customer requirements, Produce logical and physical design specifications, Identify implementation and maintenance procedures
- Requirements elicitation techniques
- Logical and physical design specification
- Implementation planning
- Maintenance and support procedures
- Stakeholder communication
- Quality assurance in requirements
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