Mcse Analyisis Essays - Telecommuting, Working Time, Computer

Mcse Analyisis Job Task MCSE Analysis: Report to Participants Michael Angelo Southern Illinois University June 1999 Overview and Summary In preparation for new MCSE examinations, between February 19th and March 16th of 1999 more than 2,800 computer professionals completed a survey via the web. The purpose of the survey was a job analysis--a description of the on-the-job activities necessary for positions that MCSEs fill. Both employment tests and certifications must be based on job analyses . Because of the rapidly evolving nature of the workplace, especially in the technology area, the job analysis did not follow traditional procedures that enumerate lists of specific behaviors. Rather, working with a group of subject matter experts , the job analysis was based on the Job Task Matrix shown in Figure 1. This matrix combined six job duties and eight technical areas. Survey respondents rated the importance, difficulty and frequency of each combination of job duty and technical area. Contextual information was also gathered on work environment and professional background. Some 2,829 computer professionals from 86 countries participated in this study. Fifty-four percent worked mostly in the United States. Two-thirds of respondents were MCSEs and half of these were MCSE +Is. Respondents reported spending an average of 93% of their time on the job duties included in the study. This finding confirms the comprehensiveness of the Job Task Matrix Respondents rated job tasks (individual cells in the Job Task Matrix) as Moderately to Very Important, as Moderately Difficult, and as done Monthly to Weekly. The high importance assigned to all job tasks further supports the comprehensiveness of the study. The technical areas of Security, Reliability & Availability and Network Infrastructure received the highest importance ratings. The areas of Resources, Hardware Devices & Drivers and Desktop Computing Environment were judged to be less difficult than the other technical areas. Interoperability was the technical area encountered least frequently. The job duty of Troubleshooting was the most important, and this duty along with Analysis and Design were the most difficult. Job duties in the areas of Management, Monitoring & Optimization and Troubleshooting were encountered most frequently. The emphasis assigned to specific job tasks in the certification process should parallel the ratings assigned by respondents to this survey. Methodology Job Task Matrix & Rating Scales The core of the job analysis was the Job Task Matrix that crossed six job duties with eight technical areas . Figure 1 presents the matrix and Table 1 defines the technical areas. Each cell of the matrix represents a specific task that subject-matter experts identified as part of the job of an MCSE. Examples of specific job tasks for first row of Figure 1 were: -Analyze the business requirements for the system architecture. -Design a system architecture solution that meets business requirements. -Deploy, install, and configure the components of the system architecture. -Manage the components of the system architecture on an ongoing basis. -Monitor and optimize the components of the system architecture. -Diagnose and resolve problems regarding the components of the system architecture. Using 5-point scales, survey respondents rated each cell in Figure 1: (a) on the importance of the job task [matrix cell] for successfully performing [their] job; (b) on the difficulty in becoming proficient at the job task; and (c) on the frequency of performing the tasks . Order of presentation of the technical areas was randomized for each respondent. The order of job duties was fixed. Job DutyTechnical Areas Analysis Design Deploy, Install & Configure Manage Monitor & Optimize Troubleshoot, Repair & Restore System Architecture Security Network Infrastructure Resources Desktop Computing Environment Hardware Devices & Drivers Reliability & Availability Interoperability Figure 1. MCSE Job Task Matrix Work Place, Product Support and Demographic Questions To understand the context of responses to the job analysis questions, the survey asked questions about respondents work environment, product support and professional background. Table 2 summarizes these questions. Table 1. Technical Area Definitions for Job Task Matrix Technical Area Labels Definition System Architecture Unified directory services such as Active Directory and Windows NT domains. Connectivity between and within systems, system components, and applications. Examples include Exchange Server connectors and SMS senders. Data replication such as directory replication and database replication. Security Controlling access to resources; Auditing access to resources; Authentication; Encryption. Network Infrastructure Network topology; Routing; IP addressing; Name resolution such as WINS and DNS; Virtual private networks; Remote access; Telephony solutions. Resources