Integrated Professional Skills in the Digital Age

This article discusses project collaboration tools like Slack and Zoom that have helped businesses survive the pandemic, cloud storage and computing, and privacy issues in online business with possible measures. It covers advantages and disadvantages of cloud storage and computing, and privacy issues like credit card fraud, malware, bad bots, and uncertainty in online transactions.

CFPBUS006 INTEGRATED
PROFESSIONAL SKILLS IN THE
DIGITAL AGE

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
1- Identifying any two project collaboration tools and discussing how they have contributed
ventures to survive current pandemic..........................................................................................3
2- Explaining cloud storage and cloud computing......................................................................5
3- Identifying the privacy issues in online business with certain possible measures..................8
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION
In the digital era, professional skills play vital role in term of making a person capable to
utilize the best and most advanced technologies for purpose of sharing essential information and
interact with others. Critical thinking, problem solving, technological and information
competencies are included in category of professional competence that are needed for a digital
age, and contribute to grow personal as well as professional career of individuals. Each skill
helps to gain the benefit of using digital or advance technologies accessible in bulk. The current
assignment will be based on three topics. It will define utilization of two project collaboration
tools that helped businesses to survive current pandemic reducing physical contact among
participants. The report will justify advantages, drawbacks, suitability and applications of cloud
computing & storage. Lastly, it will clarify privacy and security challenges as well as possible
measures could be taken in the context of each challenge.
MAIN BODY
1- Identifying any two project collaboration tools and discussing how they have contributed
ventures to survive current pandemic
Effective collaboration plays crucial role to make a company, venture or person productive
and allow to perform in effective manner. At workplace, it is quite essential for individual person
to collaborate with each other and coordinate in appropriate way, because it enables them to
share essential information which may contribute to obtain desire outcome. Whether it is external
or external factors, each factor put direct impact on collaborative action of employees who are
working in varied organizations. Pandemic is one of those external forces that put negative
impact on effective collaboration in ventures, in term of driving individual’s attention toward
maintaining social distancing, which bring barriers related to conduct collaboration. In the world
of business, there are different forms of tools, techniques and systems accessible that has been
utilized by several firms for purpose of surviving during pandemic and appropriately maintaining
social distance at workplace that is quite essential for them to do so.
Slack –
Individual employee works in the world of business to achieve specific aim and
objective. During pandemic, they may utilize the particular project collaborative tool, which
enable them to reduce physical contact or interaction, that is significant. Slack is the best
example of project collaborative tool because it contributes businesses to interact with external &

internal stakeholders in effective and systematic manner whether they are customers, or suppliers
(Slack collaboration tools that will improve your team’s collaboration, 2019). This tool may
help companies like large and small to simplify collaboration in term of providing a single
connection for excellent communication, files and reports sharing. It can be said that whatever
group work individual candidate do, their firms may do it in slack. It may give them chance to
share important documents, reports and files with each other, when it is needed in other
departments. It is one of the best and most powerful add on technology or smart app that
contributes to continue the flow of workplace collaboration (Zhang and et.al., 2019). Utilization
of this tool in return provide varied benefits to organizations in term of managing projects
successfully along with collaboration and coordination with other team members who are
accountable to reach desire outcome and fulfil the expectations of project manager.
Usually Slack is considered as team collaboration tool which encompasses several key
features such as file sharing with better privacy, that allow individuals or participants to avoid
physical contact with each other for any reason. It is one of the best ways for project members to
operate in a virtual atmospheres and permit stakeholders to get instant reply or response
regarding any query related to work or project (Stray and Moe, 2020). It can be said that with
slack as project collaboration tool firms take pleasure of managing significant projects
systematically, because this technology integrates with many task management applications that
bring benefit in form of aims achievements. It is quite helpful in term of catering a central hub
for all the chatters or participants that goes appropriately with each project. Individual candidate
by using current chosen tool obtain advantage from better communication in written format and
obtain expected outcomes according to time schedule or plan (Azarova, Hazoglou and Aronoff-
Spencer, 2020). It may give them opportunity to save and interact people based on name of
projects.
Zoom-
During pandemic, organizations and ventures has taken pleasure of reducing physical
contact among participants and driving their collaborative activities in effective manner, which is
essential and beneficial for them to do that (10 Benefits of Zoom for Small Businesses, According
to This CTO, 2020). They had taken approach to utilize the most effective project collaboration
tool and that is Zoom, because it may give them power to collaborate with important
stakeholders via video conferences for which physical contact is not required. It is one of the top

trending and using technologies or tools that has been utilized in the corporate world
successfully. It is those popular video and web conferencing technologies that drive the attention
of project team members to coordinate with each other in term of conducting face to face
interaction via video conference that make their understanding better and allow to provide
strategic directions on the basis of specific project aim achievements. With slack integration,
individuals may use zoom to create a new meeting and join a conference to make an important
discussion based project activities and goals as well as team member’s roles, directly from slack
sources or private conversations which is possible with this tool. At the time of COVID-19, this
tool helps a lot as it may make person capable to monitor and analyse the performance of others
via video chat, and permit to take reviews as well as opinions from other without breaking rule of
social distancing that may contribute to protect participants from this harmful infection (Azuar,
2021). It is cost prohibitive for everyone to have a conference via video license, that allow them
to share accounts. They may maintain seamless transition of files and reports or important
documents. It does not need physical contact and touch, which is significant in the recent time.
Zoom is the best during this situation in varied terms for example it may create a seamless
experience that being with switching Zoom tab. It is quite easy to utilize and manage with
number of candidates who are able to interact and tend to collaborate with others.
2- Explaining cloud storage and cloud computing
IT infrastructure is referring as the vital player that are help business in achieving the goal of the
organisation, according to present era there are all the business are just depend on the digital
technology because it has the capability of doing business and operating faster efficiently and not
affect the customer experiences (Fu and Zhang, 2018). The main purpose of the IT infrastructure
management is related to providing the structure and control all the functions that are responsible
for diverse technical operations which is included software, hardware and networking of both the
virtual and physical environment and the main aim is to maintaining the business productivity.
Cloud storage is the system which is very essential for storing the data on the internet with
computer, laptop etc. There is some example which are belongs to this storage such as Dropbox,
iCloud, Google drive etc. All these are enables for uploading the data with the help of different
servers. When the data is stored on the cloud there is possible to access all the data with different
device anywhere and anytime on the basis of its login id. In addition to this, cloud computing is
referring to working on the complete specified projects (Zhe, Qinghong and Yuhan, 2017). This

is also link with cloud storage which are using for moving data at the storage before using cloud
computing. When the data is moved the process is changed into useful material and anyone can
use it further. There is some example related to this, SAAS (Cloud computing software and
services) where the data is used as input in the software and can be transformed independently
without computer.
There are so many benefits of it in the digital world. This helps for ensuring about the business
target, collaboration, efficiency, innovation and transparency and also helps for reducing the
barrier of communication that can be help for giving the access which are including with
contractors and customers. On others hand, there are different factors for cloud computing and
storage because cloud computing is requiring high processing power as compared to cloud
storage also are need more space (Alsmadi and Prybutok, 2018). Cloud computing is mainly
targeted to the business and beside this, storage is utilized personal and professional reasons.
This is also called for storing the data and its medium while it gives the ability of remoting for
transferring the data. The example of remote work is related to application remotely and the
coding of data.
Advantages- The cloud computing helps in proper functioning of tools through performing
functions of management effectively. In order to this its benefits are derived by various factors
that occurred in business. That are;
Improvise collaboration- The cloud computing and storage helps in improvisation of
collaboration that provides an allowance to team of peoples. To get information and related data
for organization in order to proper functioning of business effectively. As it provides information
from cloud via sharing storage of computing system.
Better accessibility- Cloud allows to people for accessing information and collecting data by
using of internet services that helps in raising business productivity (Sookhak, Yu and Zomaya,
2017). This helps in deriving accessibility of data storage that boost organization efficiency in
respective manner.
Mobility- It helps in allowing cloud computing by accessing cloud services and
information by mobile. The cloud computing helps in deriving proper information related to data
by getting through mobile services.
Unlimited storage capacity- The cloud provides large amount of storage capacity that
helps in gathering many information such as images, documents, audio etc. As this helps in

saving and storing all data effectively by smooth functioning of data services. By this data get
stored and being preserved as storage capacity allows in huge amount.
Disadvantages- The cloud computing has drawback that impact function of business as well as
people by occurring of disadvantage. This are defined below;
Internet connectivity- The cloud computing or storage derives consequences as it uses
internet connection due to which access lots of data. It required good data connection in order to
that due to lack of internet connection occurs negative impact. As don’t access data without
internet connection this leads towards drawback for business due to influence their productivity
(Zhang, Yang and Chen, 2018).
Limited control- It has major drawback as it derives limited control of managing cloud
users and infrastructure that impact on function of business. The cloud users have lesser control
for operation and production of business as derives negative impact on cloud infrastructure. As
due to limited control on execution of function influence productivity as well as effect
organization in negative manner.
Security- The another drawback is it collects important and other useful information from
cloud storage that impact as negative influence on business as well as people lives. Due to this
develops lack of security as it may harm organization information by collecting from cloud
storage that effect business productivity and efficiency.
There are some of company’s factors which are helps in suitability because in the
organisation it is used for storing all the information related to the employees when the company
hire other resources for this process it, is charge more that is why cloud is worked ell for
organisation. There is very low possibility of threatening the data. There are various kinds of
securities are involving in this. It is the function which is suitable for large number of services
offered by the company for smooth functioning and the services delivery. The main strength of
cloud storage and computing is related to reducing the cost which included infrastructure and
maintenance. There is no need of upfront capital investment for multiple users and the IT barriers
of innovation. On other hand there is some weakness which are there is loss of physical control
and for no guarantee of the success. Some opportunities are it helps entrepreneur for adopting
high end apps that are help for functioning richer.

3- Identifying the privacy issues in online business with certain possible measures
Privacy issues are most common problems that the online business suffers while selling good
to the large number of customers. Also, it has been seen that privacy measure’s need to be
strictly taken by various firm so that no personal information is disclosed to any third party or the
outsiders (Jadon and Mishra, 2019). Further, it is seen that consumers in time of COVID are very
aware when buying certain goods from the online websites as they are reluctant to share personal
data and bank details if chances of privacy being invaded is high. Moreover, various privacy and
security issues include stealing of any customer data by the hackers for theft or any misuse that
could adversely affect the visitor of the website. Also, through using this method, hackers are
easily able to send fake messages and emails presenting as truth worthy businesses and attempt
to get more users through clicking on various malware links through which personal card
information could be gathered. Some other types of issues include:
 Credit card fraud: Online websites that are most popular have thousands of transactions
in day and detecting such type of fraud is very difficult task for the business as well as it
is major loss on the part of the customer if corrective actions are not taken on time.
 Malware: It is also designed by the hackers so that information could be gained, damage
could be caused to any computer network as they could allow the hackers to take control
of computer and its networks, gain complete information to all the data that is stored in
the systems and much more (Manikandakumar and Ramanujam, 2018).
 Bad bots: these are basically automated programmes that are designed to carry out some
specific tasks. Good bots are harmless and further help the search engine in providing
the best results for all the searches done however it is the bad bots that all the firms need
to worry about as they also major reason for threats such as credit card fraud, account
acquisitions and price scrapping etc.
 Uncertainty in online transactions: It is also known that online buyers also faces the
problems of complexity in completing various online transactions at the time of check
out, dispute resolution, payment etc. Thus, during these points consumers are likely to get
trap in the hands of the fraudsters (Amarasekara, Mathrani and Scogings, 2019). Though
now the businesses have clearly improved the transparency levels but in spite of such
measures there is risk of attack on the privacy of the visitors.

For all the above security issues it is seen that business has taken certain measure’s so that safety
of the customers could be ensured. Some of these measures are:
Using of multi-layer security:
In this method the companies have installed various security layers so that threat
and bad incoming traffic could be easily analysed and overcome (Canillas and et.al.,
2018). Also, the best example of this is two factor authentications where user after login
into any web page would receive a computer generated message on the registered phone
number. Thus this would ensure that there is no fraudulent activity happening to the user.
SSL certificates:
Most of the business now is getting secure server layer (SSL) so that sensitive data could
be protected. Further, this ensures that information inputted by the user is reached to the
intended person only and not any other party (Ecommerce Security: Importance, Issues &
Protection Measures, 2020). Also, is SSL is absent than any device between sender and the
server have the right to gather all the information regarding the passwords, usernames, credit
debit card details and much more.
Firewalls:
Through using this type of software online business would be able to ensure that all the
traffic that passes through the website are only the real users and not the fake one. Thus Astra
firewall helps in protecting from bad bots, spammers and protection against various types of
attacks.
Anti-malware software:
This software helps the firms in detecting and blocking all sought of data that is useless
or contains some sort of virus that could damage the systems and data stores in it. Thus it ensures
that all systems are working in proper and right manner and chances of malfunctioning are very
less.
Use of HTTPS:
It is also now become mandatory for all the ecommerce websites to use https across their
website so that unauthorized access could not be permitted and sensitive information is send in
the encrypted format through a security layer. Thus it helps in maintaining the user integrity,
confidentiality and identity and also develops trust among all its customers for sharing any kind
of personal information on the website.

CONCLUSION
From above analysis, it has been concluded that effective collaborative tools utilization at
workplace has contributed to maintain social distancing, especially during pandemic situation
which had put negative impact on whole world. It has protected or prevented individual’s life
from being infected of COVID-19 virus that is a deadly disease. Furthermore, by summing up
above discussion it has been summarized that organizations have gained competitive advantages,
increased profitability, performance and productivity. They have taken pleasure in these terms by
effectively and systematically using cloud storage & computing systems. It has enabled them to
perform productively and profitably. Implication of could base systems has make them capable
to take pleasure of saving huge amount on varied folds. It has been identified that during
pandemic, by using the best data privacy systems, companies had overcome the major challenge
related to data and form of privacy. It has boosts stakeholder’s morale and fulfil their
expectations.

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