WACE Applied IT key terms

The process of planning, organising and controlling the people, time, money and tools used to complete a task within agreed limits. It covers scope, scheduling, resourcing and monitoring progress until delivery.

A horizontal bar chart that shows project tasks along a timeline. Each bar represents a task's start, duration and finish, so overlapping work and dependencies can be seen at a glance.

A significant checkpoint in a project with no duration of its own, marking the completion of a stage or the approval of a deliverable. Milestones help managers track progress against the schedule.

A tangible output that a project must produce and hand over, such as a working prototype, a report or a tested website. Deliverables are usually defined in the project plan and tied to milestones.

The uncontrolled expansion of a project's requirements after work has begun, often through small unrequested additions. It stretches budgets and deadlines, so changes should be formally approved and documented.

The longest sequence of dependent tasks through a project, which determines the shortest possible completion time. Any delay on the critical path delays the whole project, so those tasks need close monitoring.

A structured sequence of stages used to develop a solution, typically investigation, design, production, evaluation and iteration. Each stage produces documentation that guides the next and allows the work to be reviewed.

A document stating what a system must do and how well it must do it, separating functional needs from performance and constraint requirements. It forms the agreed basis for design, testing and acceptance.

An early working model of a product or interface built to test ideas with users before full development. Feedback from prototypes reduces risk by revealing problems while changes are still cheap.

An approach that builds a system in repeated cycles, each producing a refined version based on testing and feedback. It suits uncertain requirements because the design evolves rather than being fixed at the start.

A simplified layout sketch showing where headings, text, images and controls sit on a screen, without colour or detailed styling. Wireframes let designers agree on structure and navigation early.

Observing representative users attempting realistic tasks with a product to identify confusion, errors and inefficiencies. Findings inform design changes and provide evidence that the interface meets user needs.

Final testing in which the client or end users check that a delivered system meets the agreed requirements in realistic conditions. Success usually triggers formal sign-off and handover.

The central processing unit that fetches, decodes and executes program instructions, performing arithmetic, logic and control operations. Its clock speed, core count and cache size strongly influence overall system performance.

Random access memory is fast, volatile working storage holding programs and data currently in use. Because it loses its contents when power is removed, work must be saved to secondary storage.

A small, very fast memory between the CPU and RAM that keeps frequently used instructions and data close to the processor. Larger caches reduce waiting time and improve performance.

A technique that uses part of secondary storage as an extension of RAM when physical memory is full. It prevents crashes but is much slower, so heavy use causes noticeable performance loss.

Secondary storage using flash memory chips with no moving parts, giving fast access, quiet operation and resistance to shock. It costs more per gigabyte than a magnetic hard disk of similar capacity.

Any device connected to a computer to provide input, output or extra storage, such as a scanner, printer or external drive. Peripherals may connect by USB, Bluetooth or a network.

Software that lets the operating system communicate with a particular piece of hardware by translating general commands into signals the device understands. Outdated or missing drivers cause devices to fail.

System software that manages hardware, files, memory and processes, and provides a platform on which applications run. It also handles user accounts, security permissions and device drivers.

A rule controlling which users may read, write or execute a particular file or folder. Correctly set permissions protect confidentiality and integrity by limiting access to authorised people.

A collection of data organised into tables of rows and columns, linked by shared key fields. Relationships between tables reduce duplication and let complex queries combine information.

A field or combination of fields that uniquely identifies each record in a table and cannot be duplicated or left empty. It anchors relationships with other tables.

A field in one table that refers to the primary key of another table, creating a link between them. Foreign keys enforce referential integrity so records cannot point to missing data.

The process of structuring database tables to remove repeated data and avoid update, insert and delete anomalies. Each fact is stored once and linked by keys rather than copied across records.

Automatic checking that entered data is reasonable before it is accepted, using rules such as type, range, length or format checks. It catches obvious errors but cannot confirm the data is true.

Checking that data has been entered or transferred exactly as intended, for example by double entry or visual comparison with the source document. It differs from validation, which tests acceptability.

The accuracy, consistency and completeness of stored data throughout its life. It is maintained through validation, access controls, backups and careful design of database structures.

A copy of data kept separately so it can be restored after loss, corruption or attack. Effective strategies use regular schedules, multiple locations and periodic testing of restoration.

Converting readable data into cipher text using a key so that only authorised parties can decrypt and read it. It protects data in transit and at rest, but is useless if keys are poorly managed.

The set of rules deciding who may use which resources and what they may do with them, often based on roles or lists. It limits damage from both accidents and malicious insiders.

Logging in with two or more independent proofs of identity, such as a password plus a one-time code from a phone. It blocks many account takeovers even when a password is stolen.

A deception in which attackers send messages pretending to be trustworthy to trick people into revealing credentials or clicking malicious links. Staff training and link inspection reduce the risk.

Malicious software that encrypts a victim's files and demands payment for the decryption key. Reliable offline backups and prompt patching are the main defences against data loss.

The maximum rate at which data can be transferred across a connection, usually measured in megabits per second. Higher bandwidth allows more simultaneous users and faster large transfers.

The delay between sending a request and receiving a response across a network, measured in milliseconds. High latency makes video calls and online games feel unresponsive even when bandwidth is ample.

An agreed set of rules governing how devices format, address and exchange data on a network, such as TCP/IP or HTTP. Common protocols let hardware and software from different vendors interoperate.

A device that forwards data packets between networks, choosing paths and often providing wireless access and address sharing in homes. It directs traffic using addressing information in each packet.

Hardware or software that filters network traffic against rules, blocking unauthorised connections while permitting approved ones. It forms a boundary defence but does not stop attacks that arrive by email.

Software that stores numbers and text in a grid of cells and recalculates formulas automatically when values change. It supports modelling, charting and what-if analysis for business decisions.

A cell reference such as $B$4 that stays fixed when a formula is copied to other cells. It is essential when many formulas must all refer to one constant value or lookup table.

A word-processing feature that combines one template document with a data source to produce many personalised copies, such as letters or labels. It saves time and reduces transcription errors.

Reducing file size by encoding data more efficiently, either losslessly so it restores exactly or lossily by discarding detail. Smaller files use less storage and transfer faster over networks.

The gap between people who have affordable access to devices, connectivity and skills and those who do not. It affects education, employment and access to government and health services.

The accepted conventions of polite and considerate behaviour in online communication, such as clear subject lines and avoiding public shaming. Breaches can damage reputations and workplace relationships.

Repeated intentional harm delivered through digital channels, including messages, images and exclusion from online groups. It can reach victims constantly and spread quickly to large audiences.

Discarded electronic equipment, often containing toxic metals and plastics, which poses environmental risks if dumped. Responsible recycling recovers valuable materials and reduces harm to communities.

Using technology to carry out tasks with little or no human intervention, from factory robots to software that processes forms. It raises productivity but can displace workers whose roles are routine.

Computer systems that perform tasks associated with human intelligence, such as recognising images, translating text or recommending content. Their outputs depend on training data and can inherit bias.

A network of everyday physical devices fitted with sensors and connectivity that collect and exchange data, from smart meters to health monitors. It enables remote monitoring but widens the attack surface.