Integrated Professional Skills in the Digital Age

This document discusses the importance of communication and collaboration tools in the digital age and how they have helped businesses survive the current pandemic. It also explores the advantages and disadvantages of cloud storage and computing. The document focuses on Atech Support Ltd, an IT-based company in the UK, and their use of tools like Asana and Office 365. It provides insights into the features and benefits of these tools and how they have improved productivity and communication within the organization. Additionally, it discusses the advantages of cloud storage, such as easy accessibility and data security, as well as the drawbacks, such as dependence on internet connectivity and potential security risks. Overall, the document highlights the significance of integrated professional skills in the digital age and their impact on business success.

Integrated Professional
Skills in the Digital Age

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Project of information and communication technology summarises that it is a term which
stresses out responsibility of communication together with integration to computers. It have key
responsibility in knowledge because of changeable potentials for making relationships among
people. Atech Support Ltd which is a IT based establishment having location at High Wycombe
in UK since 2006. In this project, discussion about communication and collaboration tools that
are Asana and Office 365 are discussed. It also includes aspects about products sold in online
and offline manner.

Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.............................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................1
Identification as well as discussion on distinct Communication and Collaboration tools along
with the ways they helped various businesses to surviving within current pandemic.................1
Cloud storage and Computing.....................................................................................................5
Comparing and Contrasting the positive and negative aspect of services and products being
sold online and offline.................................................................................................................8
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Information and Communication Technology could be delineated to extensional word for
information technology which looks towards roles related to unified communications as well as
integration of telecommunications (Asongu and Odhiambo, 2019). In modern times, ICT has
become more significant for companies during pandemic situation of Covid-19. Components of
ICT are digital transactions, internet access, cloud computing, digital data and so on. It improves
communication, encourages strategic thinking, protects organisational information, cuts costs
and cultural barriers. To understand concept of Information and communication technology,
selected organisation is Atech Support Ltd which is a IT based company having location at High
Wycombe in UK since 2006. Its key clients are Bravo Investment House, Octopus Investments,
BirdLife International, Firmdale Hotels and Lawn Tennis Association.
The report discusses about various communication and collaboration tools. It also
includes the way in which the tools have helped many organisations to attain survival in existing
pandemic. Further, it includes use of strong social media tools that are Cloud storage as well as
computing. At last, positive and negative aspects related to services along with goods being sold
offline addition to online are includes in it.
MAIN BODY
Identification as well as discussion on distinct Communication and Collaboration tools along
with the ways they helped various businesses to surviving within current pandemic
Communication and collaboration tools:
Communication along with communication tools are catchall terms that are used to
denote various types of software together with online services which permit group of people to
perform teamwork on common projects, despite of their physical location. At same time,
collaboration tools support group of individuals in attaining common objective. By using
collaboration tools, wide number of projects and tasks are managed with effective
communication and sharing files efficiently (Ottenbreit-Leftwich, Kopcha and Ertmer, 2018).
Within Atech Support Ltd, communication and collaboration tools are seen as digital solution
which support teams to exchange ideas, collaborate as well as carry out practices more
productively. Some of tools which are adopted by information technology team of Atech Support
Ltd are as identified and discussed;
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Asana: It is a collaboration tool that is designed for assisting teams to organise, track
addition to manage their working effectively. The tool is an intuitive application which is easy to
use together with full of modern technologies to track project, manage workflow along with
efficiency. Its key features are dependence date shifting, integrations, admin controls, custom
templates, approvals, work request forms and many more. Major purpose of the tool is to
improvise efficiency in working through widely reducing number of meetings along with emails
which members of group require to engage with for communication (Kay, 2019). By using
communication tool that is Asana, Atech Support Ltd offers several plan to its team. It assists
distinct types of team in planning, organising resources, tracking work and streamlining
procedures so to reach desired audiences, building better products, improving efficiency and
fostering sales. The tool provides flexibility to manage variant of workflows among people with
innovative features with the hope of improving productivity. In Asana, there are some
regulations that permits users in streamlining routine activities together with establishing
workflows quickly.
Asana have potential to devise a comprehensive list of activities, setting deadlines and
share details related to actions for entire project. With this collaboration tool, Atech Support Ltd
help its clients to replace slew of emails, sticky notes addition to spreadsheets with far more of
encompassing solutions that are required at one location. It fosters flexibility of carrying out
tasks in more effective ways and keeping check on daily practices by monitoring overall
objectives so to analyse progress of whole project (Chiou, Su and Huang, 2017). It maps out all
phases and organise details of work at one place just to ensures that project hits success. Its work
graph data model also give teams all things that are required for remaining in sync, meeting
deadlines along with reaching to objectives.
Office 365: It is a tool which assist in collaboration and communication in secure
manner. It fosters new connections through unifying digital content creation, management with
techniques, etc to discover and share ideas or information with others. It is technology
heavyweight that is worthy of respect. Moreover, it is a cloud-based solution that is used to
collaborate with unmatched range of features (Aghaei and Rezagholizadeh, 2017). By adoption
of the tool, it becomes easy for information technology department of Atech Support Ltd to
provide traditional word processing, slide show potentials, slideshows and editing some
documents in real time. Office 365 comprises of Microsoft teams, Outlook, Word, OneDrive for
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Business, Publisher, PowerPoint, Excel, Skype, OneNote and many more applications to guide
organisations for more to go in competitive world.
Office 365 permits all clients of company to store their folders and files in cloud which
could be accessed on any type of device from one point through internet connection (Taylor,
2019). Managers of Atech Support Ltd considers Office 365 as a totally secure environment for
its clients as it places robust security measures such as two factor authentication that confirms
that only authorised people can access confidential data and detect threats promptly.
Comparison among tools:
Two social media tools:
Comparison basis Facebook LinkedIn
Pricing Facebook is a tool that adopts
competitors pricing strategy as
to set prices for displaying
advertising services.
LinkedIn is a social media tool that
have pretty monopoly in
professional networking that
enables to set higher prices due to
no competition (Heeks, 2017).
Features Key features of Facebook for
businesses such as Atech
Support Ltd:
 Reaching billions of
potential customers.
 Lowering marketing
expenses.
 Targeting audiences via
demographics, interest
and location.
 Building brand loyalty.
Major features of LinkedIn for
organisation, for example, Atech
Support Ltd are underneath:
 Post informative as well as
engaging content.
 Optimises organisation
page with keywords.
 Enlist employee interaction.
 Asks for feedbacks, reviews
and recommendation.
User Interface It is a vast social media tool that
creates possibilities for adrifting
interfaces or interaction with
users among the layers.
Through LinkedIn, more
illustrations are addon that stylised
pictures of group of people and
workspaces which are seen around
the site.
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Security features Spying on competitor with
insights, exporting Facebook
insight page for Business
Analytics, targeting perfect
audience and installing pixels for
retargeting are certain salient
features of Facebook.
Hiding organisational connections,
managing endorsements, creating
showcase pages, saving searches
and merging inactive accounts are
certain salient features of LinkedIn.
Two Emails:
Comparison basis Outlook Gmail
Pricing Cost oriented pricing is offred
by Gmail so to trap entities
which develop products and
services along with
continually add features on
offerings.
Freemium policy is offered by
Gmail to its users along with
provides services at certain
prices.
Features Key features of Outlook are
advanced font options, color
themes, document sharing,
focused inbox and
professional formatting
(Carlino, 2018).
Major features of Gmail
includes scheduling emails,
dragging emails among tabs,
setting expiry time and
enabling preview pane.
User Interface With Outlook, Atech Support
Ltd users emphasis on most
essential emails in which all
communication from distinct
type of accounts are marked
important are and forwarded
for immediate attention.
User interface of Gmail makes
it unique amongst other
webmail systems as sit guides
in managing emails in
conversation view which is
similar to Internet Forum.
Security features Its salient features are
effortless collaboration,
Key salient features of the
social media tool comprises of
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integrated productivity,
promotes Skype conversation
with clients and highlight
plans.
smart composing along with
mart replying, automatic email
categorisation and using event
details.
How they have helped businesses to survive the current pandemic
Communication ad collaborative tools have helped businesses of Atech Support Ltd in
great manner in order to survive effectively in existing pandemic. The coronavirus pandemic
situation has forced members of entities to go remote. When more employee size of business
went remote then it created complexities related to misunderstanding and miscommunication
(Ateya, Muthanna and Koucheryavy, 2018). Adoption of tools have helped the entity to foster
communication and build understanding among employees even if they went remote so to
survive effectively. For instance, managers of Atech Support Ltd used Office 365 so to
streamline remote communication with the help of its feature that is high quality virtual meeting
rooms to complete projects for attaining success in pandemic situation. At same time, though
adopting Asana, managerial heads of Atech Support Ltd have managed all projects together with
milestones in seamless way through providing a dashboard which permits in carrying out
working of whole project with more control addition to visibility. These tools have foster growth
of network of the entity with clients, resolves huge problems, easily carrying out organisational
practices across geographic locations, better tracking along with reporting about projects and
organising workplace documents in proper manner to gain survival in pandemic circumstance.
Cloud storage and Computing
The term cloud storage refers to a specific model that is concerned with data storage in
computer systems where a user can save his or her data in digital form within its logical pools.
Companies those who are associated with a business of providing cloud storage services make
the data accessible and available to the users whenever they require (Altheide, 2020). In order to
get out of managing data or information physically or manually now-a-days companies takes
access to use cloud storage and safeguard their data on such portal. Such kind of service can be
availed through use of Cloud storage gateway, cloud desktop or even web based content
management systems.
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Another term is computing which shows an activity that comprises of managing,
processing as well as interacting various necessary information within an organisation through
enhancement of software as well as hardware that forms a part of modern technology in each
business. This involves an analysis and measurement comprising development and processes of
software and hardware algorithms covering aspects from mathematics, engineering, social and
technological. The major concepts in context to computing comprises of cyber security,
computer engineering, data and computer science, information system and technology as well as
software engineering.
Advantages of Cloud storage and computing
Cloud storage comprises of numerous advantages out of which some are mentioned
below:
 The clout storage provides an easy interface which is being used and accessed even by
common people without taking any class or expertise.one can easily upload his or her
document from any device that has an internet connection and can access on any of the
device.
 Cloud store is fully backed by a security as this is the most important concern of any
people or organisation in respect about privacy of their information and data. The data or
information is being secured through their data centres which means that if any of the
data or information is being lost then it can be easily retrieved through another centre of
data hence can provide a complete backup of such lost or destroyed data (Gao, Yang and
Ma, 2017).
 The working on cloud storage does not require any separate human resource or any other
supporting resource by the company as this is completely done with the technology
instead of manual management. Hence, does not require extra expenditure on training and
hiring personnel for data management.
The advantages of computing are mentioned under:
 Computing involves large power of processing which allows organisations to
maintain and communicate different information with faster speed and with high
accuracy.
 Computing assists companies in working with remote as well as transform their data
for instance doing coding for a application specifically remotely.
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 Computing has an advantage of being utilized in work of cyber security in national
interest through which security agencies finds and communicates their necessary
information.
Disadvantages of Cloud storage and computing
The drawbacks of cloud storage are under:
 The cloud storage is completely depended upon the accessibility and speed of internet
hence it becomes tough to access cloud storage when there is slow internet connectivity.
In absence of internet access to cloud storage is impossible (Wieckowski and White,
2017).
 Sometimes the cloud storage fails to maintain data and information security as there are
many methods through which data can be hacked hence presents a thought for its
security. It is possible that the secret data of company or of any individual can be leaked
which is crucial or secret to them.
 There are some cloud storage options that chargers high amount in order to access and
use their cloud storage service that may not be paid by organisations. In case any
company goes for cheaper storage service then they may not get all or major features.
The disadvantages of Cloud computing is mentioned below:
 The services of computing are being in full control of service provider hence the user
or the organisations carry less control along with less flexibility in their hands for
their data at the time of execution or functioning of their work with computing
services.
 There can be a failure which technology at sometimes or innovation in such services
demands companies to pay high for updating which lowers done their profit margin.
 The cloud computing is being connected with public services or is completely online
hence can breach the security issue which needs to be taken care before trusting
blindly upon the software.
Suitability and application of Cloud storage and Computing
The various application and suitability of cloud storage and computing areas under:
 Cloud computing provides its services in the field of arts such as designing eye catching
booklets, images or even cards.
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 In order to grow the business now-a-days many organisations have started using cloud
applications into their company to bed available for their customers round the clock.
 Cloud computing offers services regarding storing of company’s data, images, files or
even media items and access of such stored information with a complete backup so that
retrieve the data when needed.
 Other than business applications it also provides its suitability in education industry in a
form of information of students via online portal, commendable virtual classes and
various other educational services to teachers as well as students.
 Online games, video conferencing, etc. are some of the areas where cloud computing can
be applied and attracts large audience.
 It can also be applied in the field of management such as while managing different
resources, data, infrastructure or other management related work.
 This can on the other hand can also be utilised in the areas of social media platforms such
as on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and other social media sites in a form of
sharing images, videos, information or files.
Comparing and Contrasting the positive and negative aspect of services and products being sold
online and offline
The concept of online and offline selling of products or services comprises of business
trade through e-commerce or physical stores such as in market. Online selling does not requires
buyer and seller to meet physically in market whereas offline selling involves physical
interaction of both purchaser and seller (Nwabueze and Mileski, 2018). The comparison between
online and offline selling of products or services are made below:
Basis of Comparison Offline Selling Online Selling
Location In case of offline selling
there requires to be a specific
location of seller where
buyer can reach and purchase
item or avail services.
The location in case of online
shopping is an e-commerce
platform where neither a
seller requires any physical
presence not a buyer. Simply
a buyer can place its order
through access of online
shopping site and will get the
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delivery at their door.
Time for Delivery In offline selling the seller
immediately delivers the
purchased good or availed
service.
Online selling takes a time
for delivery usually 7-15
days after placing of order.
Tangibility While selling goods online
the customers can touch and
feel the quality or essence of
product (Carlino, 2018).
No option is available for
touching or feeling the
product in online selling.
Convincing A seller in offline business
can convince the customer to
buy more products or in large
quantity effectively.
The seller does not possess
any convincing option in
case of online selling.
Positive Aspect of Online and offline selling
The positive aspects of online selling are mentioned below:
 A seller can sell his offerings round the clock from anywhere without having tension of
visiting shop daily on time.
 Seller can make his sales at national level as well as at international level through online
selling of its items.
The positive aspects of offline selling are:
 The seller is able to make personal interaction with buyer through which he can
convince more to the customer to buy more.
 The buyer through offline purchase can touch and check the quality or viability of the
product where a seller can offer according to the needs of customer. That enhances
sellers image and retains customer for long term
Negative aspect of online and offline selling
The various negative aspects of online selling are as follows:
 Online shopping provides fewer profit margins to the sellers as they are required to bear
online display charge of their product or services.
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 There are various legal issues which a seller is required to fulfil at the time of online
selling hence sometimes demotivates many sellers to places their items online as this
more attention instead of product selling.
The negative aspect of offline selling is as follows:
A seller through offline selling can only attract nearby buyers to purchase the product from him
which later on limits the audience (Asongu and Odhiambo, 2019).
 This involves high cost in establishment of shop or business such as land, electricity
charges, labour charges and several others which is not required in online selling.
CONCLUSION
From the presented report, it have been concluded that ICT is a vast field which comprises
of all technologies which easily store, receive along with transmit signals in electronic manner. It
engrosses commodities which store, process, convert, duplicate, transmit and receive electronic
information. Key roles that are performed by information technology are sharing content,
considering safety, recording reason, seeking advice and updating accurately. Communication
and collaboration tools are delineated to techniques which enable interaction among group
members that are part of various phases of integrated products, systems and process
development. Cloud storage as well as computing are significant to replace requirement for
organisations to acquire together with maintain infrastructure to deliver online services across
globe.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Aghaei, M. and Rezagholizadeh, M., 2017. The impact of information and communication
technology (ICT) on economic growth in the OIC Countries. Economic and
Environmental Studies. 17(2 (42)). pp.257-278.
Altheide, D. L., 2020. Ecology of communication. Routledge.
Asongu, S. A. and Odhiambo, N. M., 2019. How enhancing information and communication
technology has affected inequality in Africa for sustainable development: An empirical
investigation. Sustainable Development. 27(4). pp.647-656.
Ateya, A. A., Muthanna, A. and Koucheryavy, A., 2018, February. 5G framework based on
multi-level edge computing with D2D enabled communication. In 2018 20th
international conference on advanced communication technology (ICACT) (pp. 507-
512). IEEE.
Carlino, R., 2018. Distance psychoanalysis: The theory and practice of using communication
technology in the clinic. Routledge.
Chiou, S. F., Su, H. C. and Huang, E. W., 2017. The application of information and
communication technology (ICT) in nursing education. Hu Li Za Zhi. 64(6). pp.5-11.
Gao, J., Yang, F. and Ma, X., 2017, June. Indoor positioning system based on visible light
communication with gray-coded identification. In 2017 13th International Wireless
Communications and Mobile Computing Conference (IWCMC) (pp. 899-903). IEEE.
Heeks, R., 2017. Information and communication technology for development (ICT4D).
Routledge.
Nwabueze, U. and Mileski, J., 2018. Achieving competitive advantage through effective
communication in a global environment. Journal of International Studies. 11(1).
Ottenbreit-Leftwich, A. T., Kopcha, T. J. and Ertmer, P. A., 2018. Information and
communication technology dispositional factors and relationship to information and
communication technology practices. Second handbook of information technology in
primary and secondary education, pp.309-333.
Taylor, P., 2019. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) adoption by small and
medium enterprises in developing countries: The effects of leader, organizational and
market environment factors. International Journal of Economics, Commerce and
Management United Kingdom. 7(5).
Wieckowski, A. T. and White, S. W., 2017. Application of technology to social communication
impairment in childhood and adolescence. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. 74.
pp.98-114.
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