5.4.1 Understand the internal factors that trigger change in organisations 

• Internal factors:
  • organisational restructuring
  • expansion
  • downsizing
  • new strategic objectives – diversification – rebranding – additional features or services.

• Unforeseen or previously unpreventable factors:
  • crises (natural disasters, terrorism, cyber-attacks)
  • system failures/data corruption

5.4.2 Understand the external factors that trigger change in organisations:

• political:
  • change in government
  • conflict
  • shift in government priorities
• economic:
  • provision of new services
  • recession
  • inflation
  • interest rates 
  • consumer trends
  • new competitors
  • entering new markets
• social:
  • changes in demographics
  • market/social trends
  • adopting remote working
  • cultural expectations
• technological:
  • emergence of new technologies
  • retirement of obsolete technologies
  • system failure
  • zero-day vulnerabilities 
• legal:
  • new legislation
  • changes to legislation
• environmental:
  • sustainability issues
  • pandemics
  • natural disasters.

5.4.3 Understand how organisations can respond to change:

• new or amended policies
• new or amended business processes:
  • change in staffing number
  • change in delivery schedules
  • change in opening hours
• new or amended products or services:
  • completely new products or services
  • next generation products or services
  • minor updates to existing products or services 
• new or improved digital systems:
  • back end systems
  • customer facing systems
• improved training 
• restructuring:
  • change in management structure
  • re drawing of boundaries.

5.4.4 Understand the processes, benefits and drawbacks of the change

• management process:
• identifying type of change:
  • new system
  • amendment to existing system
• role of Change Advisory Board (CAB):
  • prioritise change requests
  • review change requests
  • stages of approval
  • monitor change process: – collate and analyse change data – check change is implemented – take action to accelerate change
  • provide feedback
• identifying the changes to be made:
  • using SMARTER objectives (specific, measurable, 
• achievable, realistic, time-bound, evaluated, reviewed)
• identifying impact of change:
  • measure/forecast positive and negative impact
  • analysis of positive and negative impact
• allocation of resources:
  • budget
  • time
  • staffing
  • hardware and software
• identify and communicate potential risks and desired impact(s) 
• to stakeholders:
  • gain acceptance
  • ensure compliance
• configuration of the new system or process:
  • integration with legacy systems
  • maintaining service during change
• importance of fully testing new systems:
  • reproducibility of results
  • test environment including hardware and software

• method of implementing change:
  • parallel 
  • phased 
  • direct 
  • pilot 
• documenting the change process:
  • ensuring requirement traceability, including responsibility 
  • and accountability
  • maintaining up-to-date information
  • recording of all decisions
  • retaining change documentation
  • user training manuals
• importance of rollback planning:
  • back-up methodology
  • back-up location
  • recovery plan
• identify training needs:
  • new training requirements
  • refresher course
• identify methods of monitoring progress:
  • post progress review
• version control.

5.4.5 Understand the factors that determine the feasibility of a digital project:

• benefits and drawbacks:
  • financial savings 
  • cost of implementing change
  • impact on processes, including productivity gains, improved communication and security
  • provision of new products
  • impact on company reputation
• risks:
  • resistance to change from workforce
  • misuse of new systems
  • inadequate support for new system
  • inadequate knowledge of new system
  • disruption caused by implementation of new systems
• constraints:
  • budget
  • time 
  • human resources and technological resources.

5.5.1 Understand roles, responsibilities and required skills when supporting digital infrastructure:

• responsibilities:
  • install, test and maintain components
  • schedule system updates and communicate changes to end users
  • maintain optimum system availability
  • perform recovery and restoration 
  • optimise hardware, software and network performance
  • apply security measures
  • troubleshoot problems
  • escalate issues
  • work to relevant legislation
  • design and document system changes
• roles:
  • technician/service desk roles
  • line support (first to fourth level)
  • network installation
  • server support
• skills:
  • problem solving
  • analytical thinking
  • use digital tools
  • communicate effectively
  • prioritise tasks
  • teamwork
  • importance of upskilling.

5.5.2 Understand roles, responsibilities and required skills when installing

• network cabling:
• responsibilities:
  • install, terminate, test and certify cable (copper and fibre)
  • maintain cabling
  • identify, locate and repair faults
  • install cabinets, fixtures and racks
  • install physical protection measures for cabling
  • carry out risk assessments
  • work to relevant legislation
  • design and document and use cable route maps,   testing and acceptance documentation
  • update asset registers
  • update maintenance logs
  • ensure system availability and performance
• roles:
  • cabling installer
  • network surveyor
  • network analyst
  • network installation engineer
• skills:
  • manual handling
  • working at height
  • ability to interpret and follow plans
  • adaptability
  • prioritise tasks
  • team working
  • importance of upskilling.

5.5.3 Understand roles, responsibilities and required skills when providing digital support:

• responsibilities:
  • provide digital hardware support
  • provide software support
  • installation of software
  • manage user accounts including storage quota and file permissions 
  • communicate support updates and system changes to end user
  • train end users
  • maintain asset registers
  • use incident response software
  • escalate issues when needed
  • work to relevant legislation
  • update standard operating procedures
  • ensure system availability and performance 
• roles:
  • first line support
  • helpdesk/service desk
  • support technician (desktop support, applications support, hardware support)
• skills:
  • problem solving
  • analytical thinking
  • use logging systems, monitoring and diagnostic tools
  • communicate effectively
  • prioritise tasks
  • active listening
  • customer service skills
  • team working
  • importance of upskilling.

5.5.4 Understand responsibilities when providing digital communications:

• install, test and maintain integrated digital communication systems
• manage availability of integrated digital communication systems
• configure, monitor and optimise network performance for communication systems
• apply security measures to integrated communication systems  and networks
• design and document systems to organisational standards.

5.5.5 Know the routes into digital support and security:

• further education
• apprenticeships
• higher education
• professional courses
• professional recognition.

5.5.6 Understand communication techniques used in digital support and security:

• incident tickets
• system update notifications
• forums
• importance of clear, concise language based on audience needs:
  • target audience
  • audience size
  • level of knowledge
  • level of detail required
• techniques:
  • troubleshooting
  • active listening
  • reading of body language and body language factor
  • expressions
  • use of open questioning 
  • negotiation
  • conflict handling/de-escalation.

5.5.7 Understand the interaction needs of end-users:

• clients/end-users
  • verbal support (in-person/over the phone/digital conference)
  • written updates (email/support ticket system/IM)
  • training (individual/classroom and pre-created e-learning)
  • remote support
  • screen sharing
• managers:
  • direction, support and escalation routes (email/support ticket)
  • progress reports (written and verbal)
  • presentation on progress/proposals
• peers/colleagues:
  • sharing of best practice
  • dissemination of knowledge
  • training
  • collaborative working.