Unit 205

Unit 205

1.1.  Describe what website content and layout will be needed for each page.

On my website I will have five separate pages; home, gallery, about us, where to find us and contact us. The pages will be consistent in their design, they will all have a white background, header and buttons, as this will give a professional appearance to the website.

Home page

The home page will have the header and buttons to navigate to the different pages. It will also have photos of jewellery and headdresses, which will be displayed in a slide show format so that the images are showcased in a professional way. The images will have white backgrounds so it appears as if they are floating on the page, giving a minimalistic appearance. 

At the bottom of the home page there will be the logos of social medias and have them all linked to the business' social media pages, so that customers looking on the website can easily visit them.

Gallery page

The gallery page will feature all the different photos that we have had done professionally, so it can help with the brides in choosing their hairstyles and what headdresses they may want. The images will all be high resolution and will be in a collage on the page. White boarders will separate the images giving a clean look to the page.

The gallery will have the same layout as the master page/home page, but the context will be different.

Lastly all the images will be ours to use as we own the copyright to all of them, and have the copyrights to the jewellery and headdresses, no images will be used off of google.

About us page

The about us page is an information page, it will include info on the business and who works there, it will include a picture and will be a nice feature of the website as it will give it a personal touch.

Where to find us page

This page again will be the same layout but with different information. It will include the address of the shop and phone numbers and emails so that customers can get in touch with us personally.

Contact us page

This is where the customer can fill out boxes and send a direct message to us, It will have a name, email, subject and message box that can be filled in and then sent to us. This is perfect for if people have inquiries that they want the answer to and if they want to place an order.

1.2. Plan and create web page templates to layout.

Below is my overall plan for the website, including just the basic ideas.

As shown above you can use the 'advanced styles' to create your personalized web pages, so you choose whether you want a boarder, shadows and colours. Then you can use the tool bar to insert your header and menu buttons.

1.3. Select and use website features and structures to help the user navigate round web pages within the site.

To create pages for your website, you click on the 'pages' option on the left hand side. Then you scroll down to the bottom and select 'add' then 'page'. This then creates a blank page which you can name and design. You can have an unlimited amount of pages.  

After you have made all your pages and named them, you can click on the buttons and customize them to your style and liking. As shown above you can change the appearance with the colours, style and fonts.

This menu will be on every page so that you can navigate around the website easily without having to go back loads of pages to the home page.

1.4. Create, select and use styles to keep the appearance of web pages consistent and make them easy to understand.

The overall appearance that I want to achieve is a minimalistic fresh looking website. I chose a white background, black text for my header and menu buttons, and all spaced out evenly so it looks symmetrical, you can do this with the guidelines that appear when you are moving an object, so you can get the text central and inline with everything already on the page.

All my text will be black and in the font Jura and Open sans, as this will give a consistent look to the website.

For the gallery I have the photos with white boarders so that it looks as if they are floating against the main white background, giving a professional appearance which is clean and simple.

1.5. Describe how copyright and other constraints may affect the website. 

Breaking any copyright or constraint rules wont be an issue for my website, this is because all the images I have used are my own or we have permission to use them from the photographers or other business'.

1.6. Describe what access issues may need to be taken into account.

A successful website is one which loads up quickly and has no problems with navigating around it or even finding it on the google search. By using smaller image files and only using the necessary amount of text, you can decrease the time in which it takes your website to load up. Why is this important? Because your customers want an efficient website which can do its job properly, if it takes ages to load up then interest will be lost and so will the customer.

My website loads up quickly as the images all appear soon after you have opened the website.

Navigating around the website is the same, all pages open quickly, so that people don't have to wait for the context to load.

1.7. Describe what file types to use for saving data.  

All the images are saved as .jpg because they are photos and this type of file is perfect for images online as they are quick to load up and save.

As for any of the text used on the website, they aren't saved on any files, as I inserted the text using the website designer, so it gets saved with the website.

1.8. Store and retrieve files effectively.

All the images used on the website are named and placed into the correct files so that they are easy to find for future use.

3.1. Select and use appropriate testing methods to check that all elements of the website is working as planned.

If you type in the html that belongs to my website into the search bar then it comes up straight away onto the website on google search engine.
http://heirloomseverafter.wixsite.com/heirloombrides
Below I tested to see if it worked efficiently.

Above I have checked that when you open up the gallery page that all the photos are in line and the correct size. So I downloaded a extra app on google chrome called page ruler, which gives you guidelines and the sizes.

Above I have included another way to check that my website is working properly, it is called nimbus and it allows you to record you using your website to check that everything is working smoothly.

3.2. Identify any quality problems with websites and how to respond to them.

Overall my website works efficiently, the time it takes to load up is fast, the template and text is all lined up and readable. However I will keep working on my website to keep it up to date, uploading more photos on the gallery page, making sure they are the right size and resolution.

3.3. Select and use an appropriate programme to upload and publish the website.

I used the wix website software to publish my website as it allows you to this very easily. This then makes your website live for anyone to see and use.

3.4. Respond appropriately to problems to multiple page websites.

When you have websites will more than one page, you have a higher chance of having technical difficulties, as there is more that could go wrong. Something you need to make sure that all the different pages templates are the same, so that some aren't more too the left or not central like the others as this can be off putting to customers.
But if there are problems then taking your time to double check over the different web pages is a good idea, as when you're checking you could come across a little fault like a spelling mistake.   

ERR-Workbook Questions

ERR-Workbook Questions


Q1. What three elements must an Apprenticeship Agreement contain? Write down three examples.

1. Hours of work

2. Holiday entitlement

3. Rate of pay

Q2. Give three examples of legally-binding contract terms.

1. How long the employment lasts, whether the contract gets renewed each year or if the contract shows that the employee has to work for a certain amount of months or even years.

2. How much notice the employee must give the employer for when they are wanting to leave the job.

3. How much holiday time you can have a year, or if you still will get paid when off.

Q3. There are three types of employment status - a 'worker', an 'employee' or 'self-employed'. What are the basic employment rights for each employment status.

Worker

1. Being paid the national minimum wage for their work

2. Being protected from unlawful discrimination

3. Also being protected from unlawful deduction of their wages, so working less than the minimum wage or what they have discussed with the employer that will be their hourly pay.

Employee

1. Getting maternity, paternity and adoption leave and also pay for the time they have off for it.

2. Notice for when their employment will be ending, so they have time to find other work.

3. Having the rights to request flexible hours and days.

Self-employee

1. Their health

2. Their safety while working, especially with dangerous equipment

3. Any other rights that are decided as they work for themselves, so their contract could differ from others, so for example their holiday time could be longer or shorter.

Q4. If you have a grievance, who would you report it to?

Name: Rachael Hand

Job title: Director

Q5. Name three things an organisation's grievance procedure should contain?

1. Who to send the letter to, so that it can be responded to properly

2. The rights for a meeting to take place to discuss the grievance and what can be done about it

3. How to appeal the employer's decision

Q6. What are four types of discrimination covered under racial discrimination?

1. Direct discrimination is when someone is being treated unfairly because of their actual race or what others think their race is.

2. Indirect discrimination is when politics, practices and procedures are a disadvantage towards people of different races

3. Harassment is when someone is harassed either physically, emotionally or through speech because of their race.

4. Victimisation is when someone is treated unfairly because of their race and have been singled out of doing something wrong in which they haven't actually done.

Q7. Give an example of indirect discrimination in terms of race.

An example for indirect discrimination is if a company requires all of their employees to wear a uniform and have a certain hairstyle, but this could indirectly discriminate an individual if they have a certain religion which requires they wear a headscarf or that they have a certain hairstyle which the company doesn't want their employees to have.

Q8. Give three examples of aspects of employment that are covered by sex and discrimination law.

1. That both sexes get paid equally and fairly unless there is a valid reason for not being paid the same as the opposite sex, so if the job was more qualified then this would be a valid reason for being paid more than someone else.

2. That everyone has the same training.

3. That everyone has the chance of a promotion or pay rise, gender shouldn't determine whether someone gets different opportunities in getting a promotion.

Q9. Give three examples of when sex discrimination might not apply.

1. When the job is in a school which is a single-sex school so the teachers and workers are the same sex, as it is a 'genuine occupational qualification' that is required.

2. Certain jobs in different welfare services.

3. Acting or modelling jobs that specifically want a certain gender for the role.

Q10. Under what circumstances can positive action be applied?

This is where the employer takes action into helping a certain individual or a group of people who are disadvantaged to getting employed because of a protected characteristic, so this could include giving training to them so that they have the same chances as everyone else for a job placement.

Q11. Name five aspects of employment relating to age that fall under the protection of the Equality Act  (2010).

1. Getting direct discrimination because other employees think they are either too old or too young for the job role or that the employer wants someone who is mature or young.

2. Getting perceptive discrimination because others  may think because the employee is young they are not experienced enough for the role they have, but this is just because of what they observe and not what they know.

3. Indirect discrimination, so they employer not wanting a certain age working for them.

4. Harassment because of the employees age, can apply for younger employees or older  employees.

5. Victimisation of someone just because of their age, being singled out and being complained about because of their age and it not being true and fair.

Q12. Give three examples of age discrimination which may occur during the recruitment process.

1. The employer may not accept someone because they think they are too 'young'.

2. They could also not employee someone because they are too 'old' for the job but could have all the right qualifications and training for the job but are being discriminated by age.

3. Unless the job requires to have a good health, age shouldn't matter because the employer wants someone with 'energy' or 'enthusiasm'.

Q13. Give three examples of disability discrimination.

1. Being directly discriminated because of a disability either physical or mental, so being treated unfairly because of it.

2. Asking unnecessary questions that are on a personal level, unless some questions are required to be answered for the persons safety in the work place.

3. Being indirectly discriminated so that the company doesn't allow them to do certain things just because they have a disability unless it would be unsafe for them.

Q14. What is 'working' time?

It is the regulations that apply to all employers, it is a result of the Working Time Directive and Working Time Regulations Act.

Q15. What are the maximum hours allowed at work for those aged between 16 and 17?

A day: 8 hours

A week: 40 hours

Q16. How many days paid holiday a year are employees entitled to if they are working:

A five day week: 28 paid days off including holidays and bank holiday days.

A three day week: 16 paid days off for holidays.

A two day week: 11 paid days for holidays.

You basically times the amount of days you work with the workers entitled minimum 5.6 weeks off per year of paid holidays.

Q17. What is the minimum amount of uninterrupted daily rest that an adult worker should have over the period of a fortnight?

They should have 20 mins a day that are uninterrupted and 48 hours a week if they are working full time, so for example they have the weekend off and work only the other 5 days a week.

Q18. How much notice do you need to give to your employer when applying for annual leave?

You should give your employer double the amount of time you want to have off. So if you want a week off, then you should give your employer two weeks notice.

Q19. How much annual leave are you entitled to?

The minimum is 5.6 weeks of annual paid holidays per year.

Q20. How much maternity leave are mothers entitled to and how is it paid?

Mothers are entitled to a years leave (52 weeks) for maternity and they are only paid for 39 weeks.

Q21. What condition applies for women to qualify to receive Statutory Maternity pay?

You must of been in the same job or been employed by the same company for at least 26 continuous weeks.

Q22. How much paternity leave are fathers entitled to?

They can have either one or two weeks off that are paid for because of paternity leave.

Q23. What is parental leave and how long is it for?

This is where parents take time off work to spend time either looking after their child because of medical reasons or to spend more time with and getting a balance between work and personal needs. Parents can have 18 weeks off for this, and this can be spread throughout the year how the parents want as long as they give notice for their leave.

Q24. What is the statutory level of sick pay?

It is £88.45 for up to 28 weeks.

Q25. In what circumstances would an employee not qualify for SSP?

If an apprentice has worked less than three months in the organisation then they are not entitled to SSP. Also if they have already taken the 28 weeks off, or have taken off the time in 'linked periods' so it is becoming a pattern to when they are wanting sick pay.

Q26. What are the arrangements for notification of sickness in your organisation?

If I am sick in short notice then I can ring Rachael and arrange something, as either Rachael could fill in my day off ill or Vanessa.
If I was going to be off for a long period because of an illness then I would have to self certify my illness for four days and then after that I must show a doctors note. I would have to give plenty of notice for this so that my days working would be sorted out.

Q27. How much sick pay are you entitled to in your organisation?  

I would get paid the Statutory sick pay which is £88.45 a week for up to 28 weeks.

Q28. Answer any three questions from the checklist on page 31.

1. Is sensitive personal data kept separate from other personal data?

Yes, because sensitive personal data could included things like mental health, trade union activities, details of criminal offences and many other details about someone, such information shouldn't be kept on laptops or portable storage devices as it could easily be accessed unless encrypted, so this sensitive data is kept in filing cabinets which are locked.

3. If I'm asked to pass on personal information, would the people about whom I hold information expect me do this?

No, personal information shouldn't be passed on to others unless you have someone's permission to do so and only if they are fully aware of it, so if I was going to pass on personal information then they would be aware of me doing this and would then expect me to do it after I have asked them.

5. Is access to personal information limited to those with a strict need to know?

Yes, only those in the company who need the information know.

Q29. How do you exercise your right to access your personal records?

You can ask who knows what and ask for your records and expect a copy of your personal information within 40 days. You have the right to know what your employer knows about you and how they are using that information.  

Q30. Name five powers that the Health and Safety Executive have?

1. Enter and inspect places of business.

2. Take samples which could include measurements and photographs of the work area.

3. Have the power to enforce a certain area of piece of equipment be left undisturbed.

4. Be able to destroy or take any dangerous items in the work area.

5. Ask or have interviews of any employees or employers about the health and safety about the health and safety in the business.

Q31. Name three characteristics that may need to be accounted for within health and safety policy?

1. Accidents

2. Intentional injuries to yourself or others

3. Any medical emergencies

Q32. Name two responsibilities that employees have under health and safety legislation?

1. That they must be responsible and take care to avoid harm to themselves and others, so using the equipment in the correct way so that careful measures are taken.

2. To observe all the general health and safety regulations and any codes of practice.

Q33. Give one example of health and safety regulation and explain how it applies to your workplace.

Providing drinking water, toilet facilities and washing facilities. In my workplace there is a private toilet which can only be used by employees and employers and not the public, also their is a drinking tap in the kitchen area. Furthermore in the same building there is a café which you can buy drinks and food from.

Q34. Who is responsible for health and safety at my workplace?

Rachael Hand is responsible for the health and safety at my workplace.

Q35. Who is the health and safety representative in your work place?

Name: Rachael Hand

Job title: Director of the business    

Q36. Where would you find information within your organisation about the following topics?

Personnel issues

I could go to Rachael or Sara who I could get the support I needed, either in person, on the phone or through an email.

Training opportunities

This would be through Chesterfield college, which would let me know about additional training course that were available for me or any other course that would be good for me to take in addition to my current course. You can also look on the Chesterfield college website for different opportunities.  

Additional learning support

For support I could go to either Rachael who is the director of the company or email or ring Sara Nevison who is my tutor for the apprenticeship, who I could go to about anything, whether it was work related or something personal that was bothering me.

Q37. Which external sources are available to you for information and advice relating employment issues?

Health and safety at work

To find information about your health and safety rights in the workplace, you can have a look on the Acas website which covers a lot of topics that are related to any employment issues that people might face while working. Below is the page where you can read all about your health in your workplace.

Equal opportunities

The same website also covers any questions or worries about having the same rights as anyone else in the workplace.

Data protection

Access to work

Overall you can pretty much find any topic on this website and it is available for anyone to access.

Q38. What are the main changes that have taken place in your area of business over the last few years?

1. Heirlooms ever after is an ever changing business as it is in the bridal industry which is changing none stop. Firstly, the business manufactures its own products and so the designs over the years have changed with what the latest trends are. This then means that the business is always looking for inspiration and ideas to help improve current products and in designing new products.

2. The social media pages have grown as a result to technology growing and more people using it. So the business website has been re-done to look more modern and we have almost all of the social media platforms now to connect with customers and other businesses.

3. From being just an online shop, the business opened a shop in Bakewell so that customers could come and see the products for themselves and opening business to the locals of the area.

Q39. An example of  how the changes in Q38 have affected roles in your organisation.

Overall the roles of each employee hasn't changed too much. Vanessa still is in charge of designing and manufacturing products that are bespoke for brides, but she also works some days in the shop and is doing more in the retail area. Rachael is still the director and is in charge of managing the business' online work, maintaining the website and social medias. But now is also helping myself with my apprenticeship and is teaching me things she knows about how social media works for the business and doing work on the website.

Q40. Draw a chart of your organisation, including your colleagues' job roles and to whom they are responsible. Make sure to include yourself.

Q41. Who would you discuss your training and development options with?

Name: Rachael Hand and Vanessa Rosevear

Job title: Director and Designer

Q42. List three opportunities for training and development provided by your employer.  

While working I am always developing my skills in many areas, such as customer service, sending off packages, taking online payments, over the phone payments on the card machine and practicing my skills in social media and web design.  

Q43. Name three occupations that fall within the pan-sector.

1. Web designer

2. Social media manager

3. Secretary

Q44. List three examples of changes to your personal circumstances that would need to be reported to your employer, and to whom you would report these changes to.

Change: An illness that means I need to have time off or cannot work as many hours that I am required to work each week.

Report to: Rachael Hand

Change:

Report to:

Change:

Report to:

Q45. Name four things that trade unions can do for their members.

1. Get compensation for their members.

2. Help with equal pay rights for their members.

3. Help to improve the conditions that their members work in.

4. Help employers to become the best they can, resulting in the employees happiness in the work place.

Q46. Name the main trade union for your occupation/industry.

Doesn't apply to our company as it is too small.

Q47. Name the Standard Setting Organisation in your sector and briefly explain what it does.

N/A

Q48. Name any other bodies relevant to your area of business.

N/A

Unit 202

Unit 202 Imaging Software

Task 202.1.1 Describe what images are needed

Image 1. YouTube and Google plus profile pictures
I decided to resize the logo for Heirlooms Ever After, because it is a bitmap image I used ipiccy to edit it, I changed the width and height of the original image as you can see below to 250x250 so it would be the perfect size for a YouTube profile picture and google plus profile picture. Making it the required size makes it easier to upload to be your profile picture and it saves memory on your computer as it isn't necessarily too big of a file for the purpose needed.

Image 2. Header for Twitter
I decided to re-create the banner for Heirlooms, still using the colour purple and logo but making it simpler and cleaner by making the background white instead of a purple design as the background. Using ipiccy I made a custom template so it was 1500x500, meaning it is already the perfect size for the Twitter header.

Image 3. Photo for Instagram
An Instagram post is 1080x1080mm so using ipiccy to edit the photograph as it is a bitmap image, I scaled the photo so it fitted in the template I created and changed the hues and saturation on the photo just so it looked more aesthetically pleasing, which is important on Instagram because it is all about the photo and how nice it looks. The photograph has a high resolution making it a good quality photo so even though when zoomed in a lot it still pixelates, it is still a very clear photograph.

Image 4. YouTube thumbnail
On YouTube it is normally the videos thumbnail that attracts people to watch the video, so making sure the thumbnail is eye-catching is vital. This can be done in many ways but I wanted mine to look professional and not in your face but still eye-catching. I chose three images with high resolution to catch peoples eyes. I made sure the template was the correct size at 1280x760 making it easy to upload onto YouTube and also not wasting space on my computers memory.

Image 5. Design for a-board display
For an a-board you need the quality of the image to be good as it is going to be printed out. So this is a vector graphic which when you zoom in there aren't little squares, as they are objects instead which when scaled up don't go blurry. I used inkscape to make this as it is perfect for creating and editing vector images.

Image 6. Design for flyer
Vector images are ideal for when you want to print something off, as they will not loose the high resolution that is required for a print out. I used Inkscape to make the flyer and used vector shapes to make the boarder for the logo. The size is set to A5 (148x210mm) so it won't need resizing when printed off. I kept it very clean and simple and only included the necessary details on the flyer. But as you can see compared to raster images, when you zoom in on vector images it doesn't pixelate.

Task 202. 1.2 Obtain, input and prepare images to meet needs

When making the Etsy online shop for Heirlooms, I took all the photos myself, edited all the photos and uploaded them all. This meant I had to make sure I had all the correct settings and sizes so that the images would be the best fit and quality for their purpose.
So the image is 3000x4000 making it a large image with high quality, Etsy can take this size image and it didn't need resizing or adjusting, but this did make the size of the file 5.9MB. The image is 72dpi as it isn't an image that is going to be printed off and the colour mode is RGB again as this is an image online that isn't being printed off.
To edit this image I used ipiccy as it is a RASTER image, so I added shadows and light to make the picture more refined.

Task 202. 1.3 Describe what copyright and other constraints apply to the use of images

When using images you must always check whether they are legal to use in your business and even for you personal use sometimes. A way you can get around it is taking your own photographs because then you are the legal copyright owner of what you have created. But if you want images off of google then you can use the tool on finding images with the usage rights that allow to use them.

The meanings of:

Copy right is having control over your piece of work and deciding how others can use your work, if at all, and having control over selling of your work.

Data protection is what controls how everyone's personal information is used and your rights on knowing how your personal data is being used on the internet.

Intellectual property is someone's ideas, creations and work that are property of their copyright or trademark that others cannot copy the idea of the piece of work.

Creative commons is an organisation that encourages/helps increase the range of images available legally for people to use.

Overall when using others work always make sure you have their permission, and if it is legal to use their images make sure to acknowledge their work in mentioning their name or business, as this gives credit to them which they deserve, as you want to avoid plagiarism and saying the work is your own when it is not.

Task 202. 1.5 Describe the context in which the images will be used

The wedding photos in which are seen above would be used for online purposes as they are RASTER images (photographs) which have a set amount of pixels in the width of the photo, so the pixels stretch when scaled up, overall making the image blurry. So you could put these images on your website but they wouldn't be good for printing out.
Overall the purpose of the wedding dress photos is to show people what the dress looks like and if you used a camera with high resolution then you could print off the photos and put them into a glossy brochure.

Task 202. 1.6 Describe what file format to use for saving images to suit different presentation methods

.JPG images
It stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group
This file format is commonly used for high resolution photographs, complex images and online use. As it is a RASTER type of image, when scaled up it will loose its quality, also making it not good for printing out.

.PNG images
It stands for Portable Network Graphics
Used for transferring images online and like a jpg file it is not ideal for printing as it will loose the quality when scaled up larger than it is originally. It is another file that you could use instead of a gif file.

.GIF images
It stands for Graphics Interchange Format
It is a similar file format to png but has a lower quality image. It is used primarily for online use, as it allows animation on images which can have a transparent background too. Also it compresses the file so that it can be easily used online and support the moving image without taking up too much storage. It reduces the number of colours in your image to 256, this is a way it reduces the files size.

.PSD images
It stands for Adobe Photoshop
Photoshop is used for editing your photographs and also web design, as it has so many tools and techniques that you can use. When importing and exporting an image from Photoshop, you can only open up the file if you have Photoshop downloaded onto your desktop, narrowing down who you can share these images with.

.EPS images
It stands for Encapsulated Postscript File
Used to save vector images, for example logos for a business and other vector illustrations made by using shapes and not pixels, making it re-sizable to any size without loosing its quality. Furthermore this makes it that these files are perfect for printing off your image, even if the image is large it will still have great quality. Supports transparent background, perfect for using on websites, so it gives a clean look without borders as the pictures appear to be floating.

.PDF images
It stands for Portable Document Format
Used to import and export documents, while keeping the images quality as it is a vector file. It can be used to send digital copies of hard-copy images by email for example.

.AI images
It stands for Adobe Illustrator
This is a file that saves layered images and graphic designs. An example of this file format being used is for an original piece of work that a graphic designer would make for a businesses logo. Overall supporting vector images that are in the formats of EPS or PDF.

Task 202. 1.7 Store and retrieve files effectively, in line with local guidelines and conventions where available

After you have created an image or document it is always important that when saving you name the file a name that is relevant to the work, so that you can find the file again more easily. You can also organise your files into folders which allow you to place similar files all together.
Importing and exporting data can be easily done by just copy and pasting. You can also after saving your work, attach the file onto an email.
Version control is where you have a file that already exists, and you edit the document or image and when saving it, the computer adds a number or character to the existing file name so that you can tell the difference from the original file and the altered file.

Task 202. 2.1 Identify what technical factors affecting images need to be taken into account and how to do so

When creating a image, it is a good idea to set the canvas to the size that is required for the images purpose, so for example if you are making a image that will be used for Facebook cover photo, you would set the canvas to 851x315mm so that when uploading to Facebook it would except the image and you wouldn't have to crop any of the image out for it to fit.
Colour mode is another factor to take into consideration, if the image is going to be used for online purposes then the colour mode should be set to RGB, as this is what computers work with. However if you are creating a image that is going to be printed off then you should set the colour mode to CMYK as this is what printers use.
When saving your image the file size can be made smaller by having the canvas at the required size that is needed for its purpose, then this way you are not wasting unnecessary data by creating the image larger than what is needed. Also some file formats compress the files so that they are smaller for use online.
The difference between the resolution on screen and print is that screen resolution is 72dpi and print is 300dpi making it quite a difference as for print the resolution needs to be higher as the quality needs to be higher as it is a vector image.

Task 202. 2.2 Select and use suitable techniques to create images

There are so many different types of images that you can create using different tools. You can make simple shapes and text or you can create intricate images that are realistic.

Using Inkscape I used the star and circle tool to make simple shapes, and then filled them in with colour. I also used a paint brush that was in the same style as a calligraphy pen. And finally I used a text box to type in some text and changed the font and size to make it more aesthetically pleasing. All these techniques are very simple and can be achieved on most photo editing and painting software.


When editing a photo there are so many tools and techniques that you can use to make the image your desired look. Below is an example of editing a photograph on ipiccy. I changed the exposure which involved adding highlights and shadows and the colour contrast to make the image stand out more in certain areas, such as the face was made lighter and the edges of the photo darker, creating depth.

Task 202. 2.3 Use guidelines and dimensioning tools appropriately to enhance precision

When editing or creating images, various tools can help you achieve exactly what you want in a image. Here I am showing how to group images, use guidelines and changing other factors.

Above I have made two simple vector images, and I have decided to group them so that they become one image. You can do this by selecting both images and then right clicking and then simply selecting the group option as highlighted in the screen shot. You can also ungroup the images if you wanted by doing the same.
Changing colour and text options are easy to do by clicking on the shape and changing the colour and with the text you can click on the text and then all the options become available at the top of the screen.

If you want to rotate the image then you double click on the shapes and then two points will appear as you can see in the screenshot, you then use your mouse to rotate the image into whatever position you want.
If you wanted to flip the image then you can do this easily by clicking on the shape and then the options appear on the top right of the screen and you can choose the option flip, you can also rotate the picture this way too.
When resizing an image, you simply click on the image and then when the dotted lines appear with little boxes at the corners, you can use these to drag the shape into a smaller shape or a larger shape.

Above is examples of using filters on the shapes to create different effects making them a desired look. You can achieve this by clicking on the filters tab at the top and choosing which filter you want to add to your selected image.
Also shown above is how to use the layers, I have two layers on this simple example, but I wanted the smaller star to be on top of the larger star, so I clicked the smaller star, chose the layers tab and clicked 'move selection to layer above'.

Task 202. 2.4 Select and use appropriate tools and techniques to manipulate and edit for images

So when saving my image, I chose that I wanted to change the file format into a pdf so that I could email it to other people easily.

Before I saved the file, I made sure everything was correct like the dpi which was at 72dpi perfect for online use. And double checking that it was to be a pdf file.

Unit 301

Unit 301

Task A.

1.  Describe the type, vision, two aims, two objectives and two goals of the business. 

Jane Masters is running her own hotel, she has built it up to be a warm place, that her customers can be comfortable at, with restaurant and other facilities such as conference rooms etc.
Jane would love to have more 1:1 business meetings take place in her hotel, possibly local businesses or people away on business that would benefit from the facility more.
She wants to increase the room occupancy from 20% to 50% in the next 24 months, get more locals using the resturant to increase the amount of people coming in, achieve national recognition for the hotel.

2. Describe two brand statements and two value statements of the business.

The hotel is known for being warm and welcome in the area which is something the brand can be proud of as it brings customers from recommendations. The employees value the customers, and believe that they are always right and that no request or anything is too big of a demand.

3.a.  Identify four audience groups of the business.

Locals, business people, catering for people having weddings and those just wanting a break from everyday life.

3.b. Describe how the audience groups identified in question 3 a) are made aware of the brand and values. 

Jane uses local papers to advertise which is good as she showing her support in the community, she also provides leaflets in the tourist office. Jane has registered her hotel with review websites which will allow her audience to see what the ratings are and how satisfied past customers have been with the service. It is mentioned that most of her customers come from people recommending the hotel which shows that people are happy with the brand and the values that the employees have towards their customers.

4. Identify how influencers can be made aware of the brand and values. 

Influences for the business would be restaurant critics, reviews and newspaper articles. They would be able to view the reviews online and see the feedback from various customers over time, this would give them a good idea to the kind of business it is and the values that they have for their customers. Also they could actually go and stay in the hotel themselves and have the experience for themselves and then see the values first hand.

5. Explain, with examples, three ways the business could use Social Media as part of their marketing plan.

Social media would help Jane's business a lot. Firstly when it came to the restaurant in the hotel a facebook page could be made which could advertise opening times, deals that are happening, like sunday lunch with a free drink, this would attract customers quickly as it would be available to a lot of people all at once. Secondly, she could start a hashtag on facebook, twitter or instagram which would encourage customers to share their experience at the hotel and link the hotel to their photos while on holiday, this would be a nice personal touch to the business so you can see how past and present customers found the hotel and their time there. Lastly, Jane could start a blog which would be available for anyone to read about the hotel, the staff the rooms and the surrounding area, all with the aim of attracting new customers and thanking old who will hopefully come back again. In the blog she could include links, photos and details about the hotel and restaurant.

6.a. Suggest the main four Social Media tools/channels that can be used in the business.

Facebook, twitter, instagram and local adverts (newspaper) would all be good social media platforms for the business to use.

6.b. Evaluate the four Social Media tools/channels chosen in question 6 a).

Facebook, twitter and instagram would all allow customers and different audiences to get information, news and feedback quickly. Whereas the local newspaper would be good for the locals and older ones who aren't used to technology. Any social is good and can be an advantage when used correctly, so if updated and used carefully then all the above social media choices would help the business grow its customers from all over and not just in the local area.

7. Briefly describe what success will look like when using each of the chosen Social Media tools/channels in question 6 a) for a business.

An increase in customers would be clear if the social media was working, as more people would be reached from all over the country. People would be leaving positive comments and feedback on the businesses social media pages and telling others about it. The social media accounts would be getting more followers and overall seeing a increase in interest to the hotel.

8. Describe three methods the business can use to measure success of the Social Media tools/ channels.

Jane could use the following three methods:
Website analytics
Human analytics
And finally analytical tools which would be available on social networks and video channels to measure the success of the social media platforms.

9. Explain, with three reasons, why the business should have a Social Media Policy and Guidelines. 

Social media can be viewed by hundreds of people, and so it is important that the staff of the business understand the importance of the impact social media can have on the business's reputation. So they shouldn't post personal posts, it should be primarily for the business as people could get the wrong idea that they aren't serious about bringing customers to the hotel.
The same tone should be used throughout to keep consistency and keep it professional.
Staff should also be aware of confidentiality and bare this in mind when using the social media platforms.

10. Explain, with one reason, why the business should have a Reputation Management Policy. 

Making sure the business has a good reputation is vital so if something occurs on social media which might damage the reputation all the staff should know how to handle this. Because once something is put on the internet it is there and acting quickly a mistake could be made and make the situation worse. So a policy could be that only the manager are able to access the accounts when something happens until the problem has been resolved.

Task B. Produce a report, based on your monitoring of the chosen competitor’s use of Social Media.  This should include:
 

I have chosen to monitor Heirlooms Ever After social medias

A brief explanation with four reasons why it is important to monitor the competitor’s use of Social Media

To get a good idea as to what works and what doesn't on social media, gathering information about the  type of pictures, hashtags and adverts that get the most positive response.
To see what other companies are doing on social media so you can be competitive and keep up to date with the latest trends on social media.
Important so you can monitor the activity and see how people respond to various posts, what is popular and what works and what doesn't.

One observation about the competitor’s website

The layout of the website is very clean and simple, making it easy to navigate around it, this has been accomplished by organising the products into different categories which is seen below. It is important that customers can navigate around the website easily as it makes their experience better.

Review of their use of social icons on their website

Down at the bottom of the page all of the business' social media platforms are shown with the various icons, showing customers where you can engage with the business and find more out. All have links so you can click on the icon and it will take you to heirlooms ever after social media pages.

Review of their use of each social tool used review of conversations for each tool


Overall each social media tool is used efficiently by the company, adverts are used to get people interested while on different websites, news articles and blogs are used to get people reading up on the latest information. Facebook is used to its advantage in reaching a wide target audience, and including photos and links back to the main website so people know where to find the products. Here is an example of a blog.

Three suggested improvements to their use of Social Media

Use more hashtags on all social medias, Facebook, twitter and Instagram, so a larger audience is reached, and more links are made.
Trying to get more followers, by sharing more posts, liking more posts, and getting their name out more on the internet.
Update Instagram a bit more, as Instagram is very popular with the younger generations and also get more involved in their Pinterest account, as many young brides look on there for inspiration for their upcoming wedding.

Task C.

1. Give four marketing tools available for a business.
Social networks, websites, newsletters and television all reach different target markets.

2. Explain three benefits to a business of encouraging amplification.

Social media amplification is when a business shares positive feedback, reviews, likes, comments etc. So firstly people see that you have a good positive business as people are talking about it in a positive way, this increases customers, earning the business more money. The business' reputation is also improved or maintained through amplification within the businesses social media sites, as people only want a product or a service that has a good reputation and name for itself, so by encouraging amplification more people become aware of the businesses good name.

3. Explain three possible consequences to a business of encouraging amplification.

A chance that something might go wrong as you increase the activity on social media in trying to increase the sharing of positive feedback, errors could be made and this could have an effect on the reputation of the business, this could happen through a wrong spelling mistake, web address link or hashtag, sometimes things appear positive but can lead to things that are damaging for a businesses reputation.

4. Explain three benefits to a business of encouraging engagement.

Engaging with the customer is very important, it makes them feel they are a valued individual within their experience of using your business for a service or buying a product. So being prepared to reply to customers in a more personal way and not just standard text,  makes the customer feel appreciated for choosing the business, increases the customer happiness.
Engagement doesn't just happen on a businesses website, twitter page etc. So for a business to be aware of where their name has been mentioned can show them where another target audience may be, creating more potential customers in widening the businesses activities online.
Identifying what's the most popular social media platforms that your customers use can mean you can focus your efforts on engaging on them more so than the less popular social media sites, as less people would see your efforts.

5. Explain two possible consequences to a business of encouraging engagement.

Increasing your engagement on social media can mean more comments and more people seeing the comments, so if you get some negative ones, more people will see this as a result of you encouraging positive comments.
Because of this it can become time consuming, firstly replying to the comments but also checking that negative ones are dealt with in a proper manner, meaning you need to be aware of what is happening regularly online, meaning more of your time needed.

6. Give five factors that should be considered when identifying a Social Media Plan for a business.

What you specifically want to do and achieve with this plan.
Making the plan achievable to that you are not setting yourself up to fail at the beginning.
That the plan is going to be time consuming, and that effort will be needed to see rewarding results.
What resources you will need in order to achieve the goal.
Creating a schedule for different jobs, such as engagement with the customers and audiences, so that you are more organised with your time and efforts.

7. For three of the factors identified in question 6 above, explain how they should be considered when identifying a Social Media Plan for a business.

Firstly, the business should consider what goals it wants to achieve through its social media platforms, whether they want to have more advertisements, be online more or just simply bring more customers in, deciding the goals will mean that the plan can be concise and you know what you are wanting to focus on. This can be achieved by referring to SMART with each goal or idea.
Secondly, in line with SMART the plan should attainable, you don't want to give yourself a plan that isn't possible in the near future, setting smaller plans that lead to an overall plan can make it much more realistic and overall attainable for the business.
Lastly, as your social media platforms progress, you will need to spend more time, money and effort into them. So be prepared that you may require help from others to maintain your social media accounts, websites and blogs, being realistic with your time is important as to not make mistakes or neglect customer engagement.

8a. Describe four different tools/ channels used for Social Media. 

Facebook-allows you to share anything with your audience, pictures, comments and videos. Ideal for promoting businesses as it reaches millions of people and is easy to use.

Pop-ups-are a great way in getting peoples attention while they are browsing on websites, directing them to your social media pages and websites.

Pinterest-the perfect social media channel for bridal businesses, as most brides use this to gather images for inspiration.

YouTube-allowing to share videos to the world about anything and everything.

8b. Describe one feature and one benefit for each tool/channel described in 8 a).

Facebook-great for advertising as you can showcase your products through pictures and links, showing people exactly what you are advertising and linking it back to your own website.

Pop-ups-they can be created to be very eye catching, which grabs the audiences attention buy showcasing the business in a bright and bold way. This can then have a link to your websites and social media pages as people can click on them, resulting in more customers.

Pinterest-you can create on your page different boards which feature your images that other users can 'pin' onto their own boards, but each picture can have a link to the website which they can be found on, so you can link your website to your images, this is a huge benefit as people are then taken to your website after following the link.

YouTube-creating videos for other to see, whether it is a vlog, a tutorial or any other type of video, is an interesting way to engage with your audience which is appealing.

8c. Identify two potential types of audience for each tool/channel described in 8 a).

Facebook-a more mature audience can be reached through Facebook as most people have it and know how to use it as it has been around for a while, and it is used by older ones to keep in touch with relatives and friends so they use it regularly. Overall anyone who uses Facebook, young or old so it reaches a few different audiences.

Pop-ups-Young audiences can be reached through this as they are browsing on the internet but also older ones who are looking online and wouldn't normally go onto your website might if they see it advertised at the side of the web page they are browsing.

Pinterest-Commonly used by young girls for finding inspiration in fashion, interior and fitness, is the perfect audience for bridal businesses. But also older brides use it as an easy way to find pictures online that link to the website giving the details of the product.

YouTube-again used by young and old reaching different target audiences.

8d. Explain two potential issues for each tool/channel described in 8 a).

Facebook-negative comments could occur on your posts which potentially can ruin the businesses reputation if it is not addressed correctly. Hacking could also be an issue as hacking software is available now and people could sabotage the business.

Pop-ups-some people find this tool annoying as it gets in the way of the web page they are browsing this could do the opposite of attracting customers and turn them away from your advertisements overall damaging the business' reputation as people see it as an annoyance. They take a while to load up especially on mobile which can again cause frustration as people are wanting to browse the internet and not be having to wait to do so because of your advertisement.

Pinterest-people could use your images for non personal use and use your hard work for themselves. Most of the users for Pinterest are female and under 45 so it doesn't reach a huge range of people which is not what a business wants as it aims to attract as  many people as possible.

YouTube-you could get negative feedback which is visible to everyone who comes across your channel, this could have an effect on your reputation. YouTube has restrictions on what can be uploaded so this could become an issue for a business which is advertising their product as they must have copy right on everything and YouTube approval.

9. Explain, with three reasons, why a business should measure the outcomes of the use of Social Media tools/ channels.

A business should measure the outcomes of their social media channels as it shows what is working and what isn't. This is vital firstly because the business wants to see good results and so focusing on what is working and what isn't can allow them to be specific in what they improve on. Secondly it saves time as if something isn't working and you carry on doing it then it is wasting time and money for the business. Lastly, it is good because you know where you are heading with you Social media plan, and how much progress you have made, which has a positive effect on you as you feel you are getting somewhere and know if you are on track or not.

10a. Define SMARTER targets.

Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Relevant
Timely
Evaluate
Re-evaluate

10b. For each of the above, explain why it is important to set SMARTER targets with reference to different Social Media tools/channels.

Specific-being specific in what you talk about on social media is vital as people don't want to have to read through loads of text to get to the main point. They want it quick and easy for them to view your products and not waste the customers time. So setting this target is important as it keeps the business on track and so it doesn't ramble on in any posts. So for Facebook making sure your posts all link back to your business is important as you don't want to cause spam on peoples news feed.

Measurable-you want to be able to measure the success of the social media platforms as this can show you where improvements are needed, keeping on schedule is vital in making social media successful. This can be done on all social media platforms easily by just looking at how many followers you have, the more the followers mean people like what you are posting and are interested in more.

Attainable-you don't want to set yourself unachievable goals, such as reaching a million followers in a week. Start of small and work your way up in social media and don't expect to see results straight away.

Relevant-what you talk about on your business' social media platforms should be professional and not about the weather unless appropriate to the subject.

Timely-you want to make sure all your posts and images are uploaded at a good time, a time when the most people will see it. Your posts shouldn't be at 2am and should be at high peak times and be prompt in what is being said.

Evaluate-Evaluating your progress is vital in order for the business' social media platforms to grow and become even more successful, if not then you could be on the wrong path and wasting time and money. Looking back at what has worked and how to improve has an overall positive effect.

Re-evaluate-Evaluating is important but to keep looking back not only just once is even more important, what might of worked once might not work any more. Social media is constantly changing which means your strategies to gain customers must also change to keep up with it all.

11. Describe four components of a Social Media Policy and Guidelines for a business. 

Employee conduct, personal information shouldn't be shared on the business' social media pages and employees must be clear on what is socially appropriate, so for example no racist comments or posts should be linked to the business.
What should happen if negative comments, reviews or posts are shared. Each employee should know exactly how to address such situations and where and who to go to if they are unsure on how to reply to negativity as the response will effect the business' reputation.
Monitoring is important part as this allows you to respond on social media in a timely and appropriate manner and keeping a close check on what is happening online.
Enforcing consequences if any violations are made, as this allows the guidelines to be followed by the employees but also the audience.

12. Briefly explain why it is important to have a reputation management policy.

A business' reputation is huge, it can determine whether you gain customers or loose customers. Maintaining a positive reputation is the most important thing as once that reputation is lost it is extremely hard to get back, if not impossible. Because things that are done on the internet are there forever and people are always looking for a business' mistake to make a story out of it, especially as the business grows.

13. Describe one benefit of managing perception changes in a business’s reputation.

By listening to your customers and their comments you can encourage the positive comments and reviews and focus on these, but this can only be done in keeping a close check on what is happening online. How people see your business is vital for keeping customers happy and encouraging others to use your business. Further more if someone comments negatively it is important you are aware as soon as so you can personally address them and help out with anything, this can overall change their perception and others.

14. Describe four ways of managing perception changes in a business’ reputation.

Addressing the negative comments as quickly as possible, this will save more people seeing the negative comments and also pleasing the person in asking them why they are unhappy and what can be done to change their opinion.
Trying to reduce any opportunity of receiving negative feedback, so making sure you are not offending anyone and their beliefs.
When managing perception changes you want to make sure you don't come across aggressively as this can make the situation even worse, and cause more negative feedback. Make sure you manage it in a calm manner and make double check everything before you make it public on the internet.
If you read a negative comment about your business it isn't uncommon, not everyone is forced to like what you are selling and advertising, so manage the negativity than can have something done about it but don't worry too much if it is only something small.

15. Explain two consequences of using Social Media on the budget of each of the following types of businesses: 
Sole trader

Because a sole trader is normally only ran by one person this means their budget and time available won't be much meaning that limited time on social media which can effect the engagement between customers and also the tools used may not be of a high quality because of the budget being used.
                 
Local volunteer group

Relies on volunteers so this means they may not have experience with social media up keeping and have the correct training to do so. The lack of experience and training can effect the business' social media upkeep overall.
     
Corporate enterprise

Tend to have a larger budget and larger business all together, so using a small budget on such a big company could have its downfalls, as the social media websites will need protection against being hacked and getting a virus. The tools being used may also cost more money to upkeep to use so cutting down the budget can cause them to get faults which cause problems for the social media platforms if they are not working efficiently.

16. Describe what success could look like when using different social media tools/ channels for each of the following type of businesses:
Sole trader

More awareness about the business as it becomes more well known in the social media community, creating more customers and interested people who could potentially be customers in the future. This would then also increase the engagement as more people will be interacting with you online and giving you reviews, comments and likes all making you more successful online and creating a more active social media page.
                        
Local volunteer group

The type of business relies on volunteers so more and more engagement would increase the amount of volunteers, increasing the business' work and get it to become more well known.
                  
Corporate enterprise.

A lot more engagement would be happening in using different social media tools/channels, which would then increase maybe perception change on the business' reputation as more positive comments and engagement would be occurring because as it being a corporate enterprise more people could focus on speeding up the replies to customers overall having a positive impact.

About Heirlooms Ever After Intro to the course

Task 1a.
Heirlooms ever after Ltd began in April 2012 by sisters Vanessa Rosevear and Rachael Hand.

The company started with just the online shop and Notonthehighstreet.com, but as the business grew, they have had stands at the National Wedding Show at the NEC, British Bridal Exhibition at Harrogate, London Bridal Show, White gallery London, Chatsworth Wedding Show and Osmaston Wedding Show.  It was at the exclusive, Designer White Gallery London exhibition that a collaboration was formed between Designer, Dajana Basic London and Heirlooms designed and created the 'Delicate Headpiece Collection' exclusively for Dajana's latest bridal gown collection.

'Delicate Headpiece Collection'

 After successful shows Heirlooms opened their shop in September 2015 in Bakewell as the business was growing fast. Both tourists and locals love coming into the family run shop, to buy handbags to necklaces, hats to head dresses.

Vanessa designs and makes bridal headpieces, using fresh water pearls, wax flowers, swarovski crystals and other fine materials. Each piece is unique and brides can have a bespoke headpiece made for their special day. A best seller is the wax headdresses which are made up of handmade wax flowers, inspired by queen victoria's wedding headdress, which was made out of orange blossom and then preserved in wax.

Rachael maintains the website, social media, orders and sales and much more behind the scenes work that makes the business function.  Rachael made the Heirlooms website from scratch without taking any professional courses, and just self taught herself over the years and continues to access online training and E-Commerce Derbyshire training courses that are organised through Derbyshire County Council.

Task 1b.
With Heirlooms I could go down many career paths, for example I could go down the route of designing jewellery pieces and headdresses or I could go down the route of social media and maintaining the businesses websites and social media sites, which is what appeals to me the most at the moment.
Later on, I could then become a free lance social media manager, web designer etc.