Chapter 16 — Placement project: measuring
Lesson map
Lesson 16 published. Map, example, EX061.
flowchart TD
N0["Learning outcomes"]
N1["16.1 Plan"]
N2["16.2 Measuring"]
N3["16.3 Method"]
N4["16.4 Agreement"]
N5["Why these two measures"]
N6["Validating and timing the measurement"]
N7["Baseline table"]
N0 --> N1 --> N2 --> N3 --> N4 --> N5 --> N6 --> N7
N7 --> EX["Worked example"]
EX --> Q["Exercise EX061"]
Logical drawing
flowchart LR
N0["Learning outcomes"]
N1["16.1 Plan"]
N2["16.2 Measuring"]
N3["16.3 Method"]
N4["16.4 Agreement"]
N5["Why these two measures"]
N6["Validating and timing the measurement"]
N7["Baseline table"]
N0 --> N1 --> N2 --> N3 --> N4 --> N5 --> N6 --> N7 --> Q["EX061"]
[Learning outcomes]
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[16.1 Plan]
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[16.2 Measuring]
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[16.3 Method]
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[16.4 Agreement]
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v
[Why these two measures]
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v
[Validating and timing the measurement]
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[Baseline table]
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v
[Worked example] --> [Exercise EX061]
Learning outcomes
You will (1) plan a small project; (2) measure admin rights and updates; (3) record method.
16.1 Plan
Nadia's project measures local admin rights and update status across all thirty PCs, then reduces both. These two measures were chosen because they matter for security and can be counted from exports: extra admin rights let malware do more, and late updates leave known flaws open. Measuring all thirty PCs, not just a sample, gives a complete picture. Nadia agrees the plan with Sam and Lena, and the supplier provides the exports. The project runs over several weeks so changes can be made carefully.
16.2 Measuring
Using exports and the labs, she finds 12 of 30 PCs with extra admins and 25 of 30 within 14 days of updates. The admin figure is higher than in the earlier sample of ten PCs, which shows why measuring every PC matters. The update figure matches the earlier check. Nadia records both as the starting point for her project. She notes the date of each export and checks a few results by hand to confirm the exports are accurate. Lena receives both starting figures with the export dates, so she can compare them with the results after the changes.
16.3 Method
She records the export date and steps so she can repeat them. Recording the steps means she can measure again after the changes using exactly the same method, so the comparison is fair. It also means the supplier can repeat the measurement after she leaves. Her notes include which export was used, which filter and which lab script. Sam checks the notes to see whether someone else could follow them without help. Sam follows the notes himself on one PC to confirm someone else could repeat the measurement, and they later go into the handover.
16.4 Agreement
Lena approves the plan and measures. Lena's approval confirms that removing admin rights and fixing update failures are business decisions, not just technical ones. She agrees the two measures and the method, and asks to see results before and after. Nadia records the approval with the date, and Sam receives a copy for the course records. Lena also agrees to announce the change to staff before it begins. Sam also reviews the plan, checking that the measures can be repeated and that the changes stay within her placement agreement.
Why these two measures
Nadia chose local admin rights and update status because both relate directly to the adware incident and both can be measured from existing exports. Admin rights let staff install software; out-of-date PCs give that software more weaknesses to use. Fixing both addresses the cause of the incident rather than just its symptoms.
She avoided measures needing new tools, so the project fits the placement time.
Each measure also has a clear direction: fewer extra admins and more PCs updated are both unambiguously better, which keeps the report easy to read.
Validating and timing the measurement
Before relying on exports, Nadia checks three PCs by hand: the local administrators group and update history match the exports, and she records these checks. Two PCs switched off during measurement are counted separately and checked when switched on. Exports are taken at the same time of day on a Tuesday, avoiding Monday, when PCs that were off over the weekend are still catching up; this makes before and after figures comparable. The plan allows one week to measure, four to change and one to re-measure, with a buffer for month-end, when accountants are busiest and changes are paused.
Baseline table
The baseline table is short on purpose. Each row shows a measure, the count, the total, the date and the export used: 12 of 30 PCs with extra administrators and 25 of 30 updated within fourteen days. Offline PCs are listed underneath rather than counted as passing or failing. Lena can read it in a minute, and Sam can check that each number has a source. Keeping the export file alongside the table means anyone can recompute the figures later, which is what makes a baseline evidence rather than a claim, and it lets the end measurement follow exactly the same steps.
Worked example
The baseline table has two rows with counts and dates.
Synthetic case. Figures are synthetic.
Errors and limits
Measuring without recording the method makes comparison unreliable.
Exercises
- EX061 — Project measures. What two measures did Nadia use? Rubric: 3 = admin rights and update status;; 2 = one;; 1 = vague;; 0 = none.
- EX062 — Baseline values. State the baseline values. Rubric: 3 = 12/30 and 25/30;; 2 = one;; 1 = vague;; 0 = none.
- EX063 — Method record. Why record export steps? Rubric: 3 = repeatability;; 2 = repeat;; 1 = vague;; 0 = none.
- EX064 — Approval. Who approved the plan? Rubric: 3 = Lena;; 2 = manager;; 1 = vague;; 0 = none.
Synthesis
A short measured baseline gives the project a clear starting point.
Continue studying — chapter 16 of 18
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